The San Francisco call., 1898-01-22
Now the Urgent Deficiency Bill Has Been Sent to Con-
 ference.
FIGHT ON AN OLD CLAIM
Shrewd Maneuvering Prevents Ac- ton on the Demand of the Book
 Publishing Company.
Special Dispatch to The Call.
Call Office, Riggs House. Washington. Jan. 21,

Washington, Jan. 21.
 There was a preliminary struggle in the House to-day over the bill for the relief of the book publishing com pany of the Methodist Episcopal church South, which was before the House last Friday. By shrewd/ ma neuvering its opponents succeeded in preventing action to-day. Previous to the consideration of this bill the House passed the bill to extend the public land laws of the United States to the Territory of Alaska and to grant a general railroad right of way through the Territory. The urgent deficiency bill was sent to conference after the silver forces, with some out side aid, had succeeded in concurring ;n the Senate amendments striking from the bill the provision requiring the depositors of bullion at Govern ment assay offices to pay the cost of transportation to the hints.
 At the opening of the session bill was passed to grant the Commissioners of Dale County, Ala, the right to construct two bridges across the Choctaw- -Hatchie River. Under the rules this private bill day" but Cannon, chairman of the Committee on Appropriations, antago- nized with a motion for the consideration Of the Senate amendments to the urgent deficiency appropriation bill. His motion was carried-125 to 31
 The Senate Nicaraguan Canal Commis- sion amendment was non-concurred in. One of the Senate amendments was con- cured in with an amendment to appro- prfate $l5,000 for the repair of the Ma tional Cemetery at Fort Smith, Ark This twas offered by Little D) of Arkansas, who explained the necessity for it. ow- ing to the devastation by the recent storm in that section.
 The main fight came on the Senate amendment striking out the provisions in the bill requiring depositors of bullion hereafter to pay the cost of transporta- tion from the assay office to the mints
 The debate soon shifted into discus sion of the silver question, as it did on Colorado, Newlands (Sil. R) of Nevada Cannon (R.) of Illinois and Bland (D) of Missouri participated. Cannon finally submitted modified proposition provid- ing that the depositor of bullion should pay the cost of the transportation to the nearest mint" It was defeated-9S to 130.
 The Senate amendment to strike out the whole provision was then agreed to without division in the committee of the whole. Cannon gave notice he would de- mand the aye an no vote in the House The vote of the committee was confirmed on an aye and no vote in the House-l44 to ll2 The bill was sent back to confer
 The vote was considered significant. as there was to certain extent an align ment of the silver forces in favor of the motion to concur in the Senate amend ment. The following Republicans joined with the Democrats and Populists: Bart holdt of Missouri, Beach of Ohio Broder- tck of Kansas, Hager of Iowa, Ellis of oregon, Joy of Missouri. Linney of North Carolina, Lowering and Low of New York, Mccall of Massachusetts Mana ney, Miner. Morris, Olmstead and Pearce or Missouri, Pearson, shannon, w. A Smith and Spalding
 Lacey then called up the bill to extend the public lands law to the Territory of Alaska and to grant a general right of way to railways. This bill was passed after being amended in a minor particu- lar.
 The remainder of the day was occupied in the consideration of bills on the pri-
 The House then went into committee Of the whole where the pending question was point of order raised against the motion or Cooper of Texas to substitute for the Senate bill to refer the claim of the book publishing company of the Methodist Episcopal Church South to the Court of Claims, the House bill to ad- just the whole claim by the payment of s2SS 900. Payne (R.) of New York, who was in the chair, sustained the point of Grosvenor CR) of Ohio stated that he desired to go on record totally dissent ing from the decision of the chair Aftar parliamentary struggle by the oppon- euts of the measure to delay action fhe House 51Ll 1 appropriating S2Ss,O90 was taken able recommendation
 Dalzell announced the bill an attempt to loot the treasury Twenty-Five {. years ago, he said, this claim was presented to the House and in careful exhaustive and learned report by the present Secre- tary of Agriculture (Mr. Wilson, then Il oisting guished member of the House and by distinguished Democrat now a member of the Interstate Commerce Commission (W. R. Morrison) the claim was thrown out as unworthy of the attention of patri- otic representatives sent here not to loot but to guard the treasury
 There was considerable play sparring and finally, at 4:55 D. m-, the House ad- Journed without action on the bill
 Aged WomaH's Awful Plunge
 PETALUMA, Jan. 21-Mrs. P,1rvine