The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1898-01-20


Washington, Jan. 14.-The house man
ayers decided not to proceed with the con-
sideration of the diplomatic and consular
appropriation bill today, but to give the
day for the consideration of private bills.
This was doubtless done to avert the pos
sibility of precipitating sensational
Cuban debate during the consideration OF
the appropriation bill. lnnammatoIy
speeches during the present critical state
of affairs in Havana would, the conserva-
tive leaders believe, be particularly un-
fortunate. When the house adjourned
last night the amendment to the agricui-
tural appropriation bill providing for the
publication of another edition of the
''horse book" was pending. Today the
friends of the amendment compromised
with the appropriation committee by
agreeing to Il reduction of the number to
be printed from 100000 to 10000, AS
amended the amendment was adopted
and the bill was passed.
The resolution accepting the invitation
of the government of Norway to partlci-
pate in the international fisheries eXposi-
ton at Bergen from May to September,
1893, was called up by Mr.. Simpkins (rep.)
of Massachusetts.
Mr.. Cannon, chairman of the approprla-
ton committee, said he thought on the
exposition question congress was running
wild. We had domestic eXpOsitions ut
Philadelphia, Chicago, New Orleans Gin
cinnati, Louisville, Atlanta and Nash
Vile, and we are now about to have one
at Omaha. Abroad we had participated
in the eXpositions Mt Vienna, Paris, Brus-
sells and Berlin. The anxiety of would
he commissioners to have the honor and
glory of our country represented at these
foreign expositions was astounding. Now
here comes this exposition at Bergen.
Twenty thousand dollars was TO be APP
propriated. If this resolution passed
congress would be called on to foot the
bill for deficiency of $4,000. He gave
it as his Judgment that the interests of
the United States did not require our par
ticipation in this exposition. If we did
our duty by the coming Paris exposition,
that would be enough.
Mr.. Simpkins in reply called attention
to the fact that Norway, second in the
world to no country in fisheries, had ac-
ceptcd our invitation to participate at
Philadelphia and Chicago. Common
courtesy and decency demanded that we
accept this invitation.
Mr.. Dolliver (rcp.) of Iowa thought we
would not in the next decade participate
practical value to the United States.
The resolution was adopted.
Another resolution was adopted on mo-
ton of Mr.. Perkins (rep) of Iowa direct
ing the director of the geological survey
to prepare and have printed 10000 copies
of map of Alaska, showing the most
feasible routes to the gold fields.
The house then went into committee of
the whole for the consideration of bills on
the private calendar.
A bill giving $4,000 to William s.
Grant of Gardner, Me-, for supplies de-
signed for the United States, but confis-
Gated by the confederate government at
the opening of the rebellion. was favor
ably acted on.
The senate bill to refer to the court of
claims the claim of the corporation of
book agents of the Methodist Episcopal
church, South, was next taken up. Mr..
Cooper (dem.) of Texas, in charge of the
bill, moved as q substitute a bill appropri-
atippg $2SSOOO for the ~ settlement of
The property of the corporation, which
was located at Nashville, Tenn, was seiz-
ed and held by the United States from
1862 to 1868, when it was turned over to
the owners. Mr.. Cooper referred to the
fact that profits of the concern were ap-
piled to the support of superannuated
ministers. Thousands of petitions from
religious bodies, he said had been re-
ceiyed praying for the passage of the bill.
MIR. Dalzell (rep.) of PENNSYLVANIA in
augurated a filibuster against the measure
by demanding the reading of the report of
the bill, which consisted of about fifty
pages, the reading of which would con
sumo several hours.
At the conclusion of an hour, when Mr..
Dalzelrs time expired, the friends of the
bill ATTEMPTED to get an agreement for
closing the debate, but all requests look
ing to this end were objected to.
Mr.. Richardson (dem.) of Tennessee ap-
pealed to the other side to allow vote on
the bill.
Mr.. Sayers (dem.) of Texas said this
was as just a claim as bad ever been pre-
sented tc congress. The amount asked
by the Methodist Episcopal church. South,
in this bill, he said, was not 80 per cent of
the amount which could he 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 (rep.) of Ohio made n
ten-minute speech in support of the bill.
lie said he knew personally enough about
the claim to say that $2SS,00O was a very
low estimate of the damage sustained by
the corporation.
After further discussion. and before
disposing of the bill, the house adjourned.