The Portland daily press., 1898-01-15
Consular Appropriation Bill Held
Back in House.
WILDLY EXCITED STATE OF
I AFFAIRS In HAVANA CAUSE.

For Seizure of Publishing House
Property During War.
Washington, January 14.-It was the
intention of the House managers to pro-
coed with the diplomatic and consular ap-
preparation bin today, but owing to the
excited condition of affairs in Havana
and 1.-THE wildly exaggerated reports after
ward, they decided to avoid the possibili-
ty of opening up Cuban debate by re-
linquishing the day to the committee on
claims in charge of bills on the present
calendar. Before this order was entered
upon the agricultural bill was passed.
Most of the day was consumed in I'LL
buster against a bill to pay the publish
ing house of the Methodist Episcopal
church, South, at Nashville, $2SS, 900 for
the seizure and use of the property OF
that corporation during the war. The
opposition consumed the time until s
O clock when the House adjourned.
Washington, January 1.-THE House
managers decided not TO proceed with the
consideration of the Diplomatic and Con-
sular Appropriation Bill today, but to
consider private bills. lThis was doubtless
done to avert the possibility of precipi-
tating a sensational Cuban debate during
the consideration of the Appropriation
Bill. Infammatory speeches during the
present critical state of affairs in Havana,
the conservative leaders believe, would
! inf TO
When the House adjourned last night
the amendment to the Agricultural APP
preparation Bill providing for the pub
LEGATION of another edition of the Horse
Book was pending. Today the friends
OF the amendment compromised with the
Appropriation Committee by agreeing to
a reduction of the number to be printed
from $50, 600 to $4,000. AS amended the
amendment was adopted and the bill was
passed.
The resolution accepting the invitation
of the Government of Norway to partic-
ipate in the international Fisheries Ex-
position at Bergen from May to Septem-
Der, 1898, was called up by hIr. Simp-
kins, Republican of Massachusetts.
Mr.. Cannon, chairman of the Appro-
prjation Committee, said he thought on
the exposition question, Congress was
running wild. If we did our duty by the
Paris exposition he thought that would
be enough.
Mr.. SnipkinsIin reply called attention
to the fact that Norway, second in the
world to no country in fisheries, had ac-
cepted our Invitations to participate at
Phila 1elphia and Chicago.
Mr.. DolIiver, Republican of Iowa,
thought we would not in the next decade
participate in an exposition that would
be of more practical value to the United
States.
The resolution was adopted.
Another resolution was adopted on
motion of Mr.. Perkins, Republican of
Iowa, directing the Director of Geological
Survey, to prepare and have printed
40. 600 copies of map of Alaska, showing
most feasible routes to the gold fields.
Washington, January l4.-The House
Went into committee of the whole for the
consideration Of bills on the private
calendar. The title of the first bill ssfor
the relief of Thomas B. Reed raised a
laugh. The bill, however, was knot for
the relief of the speaker of the house but
another Reed who enlisted in the Third
PennsyIyani Reserve Volunteer corps
and who wants the balance of wages
earned by him lin the suppression of the
war OF the hoLejllOn. On Une Dill no
action was taken by the committee.
The next bill. was for the payment of
S77, 900 to VIM. S. Grant of Gardiner,
Maine, for supplies designated for the
United States but conflsoated by the Con-
feieFate government at the opening of
the Rebellion The bill, after some de-
hate was fayorably acted upon.
The senate bill to refer the court of
claims the claim of the corporation Of the
Dc &l4 JS.,t af,,, \,
South, YVES next taken up. Mr.. Cooper,
Democrat. Texas, in charge of the bill,
moved as O sub bill appropriating 1888,
900 for the full settlement of the claim.
The property of the corporation which
was located at Nashville, Tenn, was
seized and held by tho United States
from 1862 to 1866 when it was turned over
to the owners. Mr.. Cooper referred to
the fact that the profits Of the concern
were appropriated to the support of the
superannuated ministers. Thousands of
petitions from religious bodies, he said.
had been received praying for the pas
sage of bill.
Mr.. Dalzeil, Republican of Pennsylva-
MIA, inaugurated fllibuster against the
measure by demanding the reading OF
the report on the bill, which consisted OF
about so pages, the reading of which
would consume several hours. AT the
conclusion of an hour, when Mr.. Dalzell s
time expired, tho friends of the bill at
tempted 10 secure an agreement for clos.
ing debate, but all requests looking to this
end were objected to. Mr.. Richardson,
Democrat of Tennessee, appealed to the
other side to allow vote.
Mr.. Sayers, Democrat Of Texas, said
this was just claim. The amount asked
by the Methodist Episcopal. church South
in this bill was not fifty per cent of the
amount which could be recovered in the
court of claims. Leading Bishops and
divines north and south had endorsed it.
Common justice, not charity, demanded
its passage. ~
Mr.. Grosvenor, Republican Of Ohio
said he knew personally enough about
the claim to know thatlS2SS, 600 was very
low estimate of the damage sustained by
the corporation.
After further discussion and before dis.
posing of the bill, the house adjourned.
IN THE SENATE.