Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-03-17
FIFTY-FIFTH CONGRESS.
WASHINGTON, Mar. II.
SENATE.

After several weeks of severe illness
Mr.. Wathall was able to attend the
session of the Senate to-day.
% motion of Mr.. Aldrch it was de-
cided that when the Senate adjourn it
be until Monday next.
The conference report on the agricul.
tural appropriation bill was adopted.
The Senate then proceeded to con-
slider bills on the general calendar.
When the first bill was called up Mr..
Butler offered as a part of some re-
marks he desired to make printed
circular letter purporting to have been
sent to commercial travellers through.
out the country urging them to use
their influence against the Nelson
bankruptcy bill and in favor of the
Torrey measure. The question is
DOW pending in conference between the
two branches of Congress. Mr.. Butler
denounced the bill passed by the Hous
as fraud upon honest men and declal-
ed that the circular letter which had
been read es ablished the fact that IL 9
powerful lobby working here in favor OF
the Torrey bill was willing to resort to
anything to gain its point.
Among the bills passed were the fol-
lowing: To provide for organizing a
naval battalion in the District of Co.
Columbis; to authorize the erection Of
statute of the late President Lincoln
at Gettysburg, Pa, to cost $4,000; to
authorize the completion of the Wash.
ington aqueduct tunnel.
Senator Proctor then began state
ment of his Cuban trip. He denied
that he made the statement that the
Maine was blown up from the outside.
The Senator thought there was no def
mite information to be obtained
upon this feature. Outside of Ha-
vana there was desolation and misery.
The Spaniards, be said, held in the
western provinces only what their
army sits on. He went to Cuba, he
said, thinking the condition Of the
people had been overdrswD, but found
their situation terrible. AS 10 the mill
! iary situation he said there ere about
$4,000 Spanish troops. He thought they
would fight well. He said the Cubans
had about 80, 600 men in the field and
were very active.
HOUSE.
Without preliminary business the
House to-day went into committee OF
the whole and resumed consideration
of the postoffice appropriation bill IN
der the fve-minute rule.
Mr.. Sperry offered an amendment to
increase the allowance for clerk hire
from Sl1 100000 to $l1, 800, 900. The
latter was the estimate of the Postotlice
Department for this item.
Several members advocated the
amendment, testifying to the fact that
postmasters in their districts were in
adequately provided for in the matter
OF clerk hire.
The vote on the amendment was 8
tie, S5-S5, and Mr.. Hull, who was in
the chair, defeated it by casting his
vote in the negative.
Another amendment to increase the
clerk hire allowance 5000, 900 was offer
ed and members representing rural dis
tricts seemed inclined to array them
selves against those from the cities on
the ground that the appropriation for
clerk hire was absorbed by the big
: offices.
Mr.. Hepburn gave notice that he
should offer an amendment 10 allow the
Postmaster General in his discretion to
use half million of the appropriation
| in third and fourth class offices.