The record-union., 1898-05-11
Four War Measures Passed in the
Senate Yesterday.
The PostoffIce Appropriation Bill Also
FaVorahIy Voted Upon.
The Session of the House Brief,
Lasts But Fifty Minutes,
There Being No Urgent Meas
ures of Importance Before That
Body.

WASHINGTON, May 1O.-Four war
measures were passed by the Senate
to-day One of them provided for car
rying on the additional work in the
Adjutant- Generals office; the second
authorized the enlistment Of a volun-
teer signal corps, two-thirds of the
members must be expert electricians or
telegraphers; the third was the So
called immune bill'' passed by the
House. and the fourth was a measure
suspending existing laws SO that addi-
tional hospital stewards can be ap-
pointed.
The Postoffice appropriation bill, car,
rying appropriations which aggregate
500, 100000, was passed after debate
which has lasted for several days.
A determined effort was made by
Butler of North Carolina to cut off the
sum appropriated for the fast mail SER
vice between New York and Washing
ton, Atlanta and New Orleans, and to
provide for two committees to investi-
gate postal affairs, but it was unsuc
cessful. all amendments except those
offered by the Committee on Appropria-
tons being voted down.
After an extended and interesting de-
Legislatures of the various States an
amendment to the Constitution of the
United States changing the date of the
beginning of the terms of the President.
ce-President and members Of Con-
gress from the 4th of March to the
4th of May was adopted.
Soon after the opening of to-day's
session Of the Senate Hale of Maine
entered a motion to reconsider the vote
by which the Senate passed bill in
creasing the number of Rear Admirals
from six to seven.
The motion created some surprise, but
it is the opinion of the Committee
on Naval Affairs that the President has
ample authority TO nominate Commo-
dore Dewey as Rear Admiral without
the bill passed yesterday.
Sewell Of New Jersey reported from
the Committee on Military Affairs bill
providing for the increased volume OF
work in the office of the Adjutant-
General with rank of Colonel and one
with rank of Major
The bill was passed.
From the Military Affairs Committee
Carter of Montana favorably reported
and secured the passage of a bill pro-
viding for a volunteer signal corps. The
measure authorizes the President to
organize a volunteer signal corps for
the existing war. Is
White Of California introduced res
olution instructing the Committee on
Foreign Relations to forthwith inveStl-
gate the cases of Harry K. Spring and
Charles w. Nelson, citizens of the Uni
ted States and residents of the State
of California, who are under arrest in
the Republic of Colombia, and to in
quire whether they have been detained
unreasonably without trial, and whe her
the diplomatic officers and agents of
the United States in Colombia have
made appropriate exertions to procure
their release or trial, and to report by
resolution or otherwise.
The resolution went over under the
rules.
A joint resolution. proposing an
amendment to the Constitution of the
United States, substituting the last
Thursday in April for the 18th of March
as the Inauguration day of the Presi-
dent and Vice President. and the be-
ginning of terms of members of Con
gress, Senators and Representatives
was considered.
The author of the resolution, Hoar,
made brief explanation of the neceS-
sity of making the change proposed.
Hoar pointed out the fact that in
auguration days under the present ar
rangement were too often characterized
by disagreeable weather, the nature of
the weather involving danger to the
health and lives of those who partici-
pated in the exercises.
The most important reason for the
adoption of the amendment was that
the time between the date Congress
convened in December and the 4th of
March when the Congress expired ny
limitation every two years was too
short for the proper and decent consd-
Grafton of the thirteen great appropra-
ton bills and other measures of i'm
portance which must necessarily be con-
sidered during the short session of Con-
gress.
The resolution was passed by a yea
and nay vote-39 to 10-receiving the
necessary two-thirds vote
Hawley secured the passage of a bill
suspending certain provisions of law
SO that hospital stewards to num-
Der exceeding 100 may be appointed