Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-12-07
FIFTY-FIFTH CONGRESS.
WASHINGTON, December Z
SENATE.

Mr.. Proctor introduced in the Senate
bill to amend the statutes relating TO
naval officers which is intended to
pave the way for promotion of those OF
conspicuous bravery in the war with
Spain. The main object is to enable
the President to appoint an admiral
and vice admiral.
A resolution offered by Mr.. Hoar
was passed providing for the appoint
ment of committee of seven Senators
10 consider that portion OF the Presl,,
dents message relating to the proposed
celebration in the city of Washington
in 1900, that year being the centennial
OF the founding of the government
here.
The Senate then went into executive
session.
The Senate at 1915 D. N. went into
open session again.
Mr.. Elkius offered bills extending
the customs and navigation laws OF the
United States to Porto Rico, Cuba, and
Hawaii.
The bills are indentical with these
introduced in tbs House yesterday by
Mr.. Payne, of New York.
Ihe Senate adjourned as mark OF
respect 10 the memory of Representa-.
lives Northway Of Ohio, and Love, OF
Mississippi, who died during the recess
of Congress.
HOUSE.
Mr.. Walker, of Massachusetts, asked
that the international banking bill be
postponed for week, from to-day,
which was agreed TO.
The resignation of Warren e.
Hooker, Congressman from the Ere
donia, n. Y, district, was received.
The cali of the regular committees was
then begun and Mr.. Hepburn, of lowe,
reported the antiscalping bill for dis
cussion.
Mr.. Sherman, of New York, opened
f! the discussion. He said the bill had its
inception in the repeated recommends
tons Of the Interstate commerce com
mission. Its passage has been asked
for by railroads, commercial bodice,
newspapers and in livduals all over the
Union, 3,l93 petitions with over 100,-
900 signatures having been sent in dur
ing the present Congress. Mr.. Sher-
man exhibited big portfolio OF tickets
J and had it stretched out up the aisle
" showing some of the samples of fraud,
deceit and forgery" as he styled them.
Mr.. Hepburn, argued that if the op-
ponents of the bill wished to make it
easy to violate the inter state commerce
law, then they should defeat this bill.
Mr. Mann, of Chicago, declared the
bill was in the interest of the railway
corporations and Of railway pooling
Mr.. Bland, of Missouri, opposed The
bill as having q tendency to iurtaer
consolidate power in the hands of the
roads.
MIR. Little, of Arkansas, opposed the
bill vigorously. He wanted the bill so
amended as to make q ticket once sold
to be good until it had been used to
carry either the purchaser or any other
bolder of it to the mint of distance
specified on the ticket.
Mr.. Bartlett, of Georgia, declared
some of the petitions in favor of it were
forged.
He said friends of tie bill had estab-
| llSueu q regular DuTedu III w hSDluSlOu,
aud had spent thousands of dollars Sc
curing influence.
Mr.. Gillett, of Mass, who said he
mad been q railroad lawyer ell his life,
opposed the Dill. First, because he be-
lieved the law would not be found to
be constitutional and secondly, because
mary of the roads are hand in
glove with the scalpers or back
ers. and the roads should not
be proie cted by criminal law.
MIR. Updegraff, of Iowa, made an elo-
quent denunciation of the bill, and de-
clared it was intended to stife competi,
ton and deprive the masses OF the peo.
pie OF their rights.
Mr.. Connolly. of Illinois, said the bill
ought to be called bill to enable the
railroads to monopolize the scalpirg
business.
Mr.. Marsh. Of Illinois, denounced the
bill as contrary to gil good law. He
said the law gave him the right to dis
pose of what ne had bought.
Voting on one of the minor amend
ments brought SO ayes and SO nays, and
then there was call for record of the
vote.