The herald., 1898-12-09
Associated Press Special Wire.

WASHINGTON, Dec. Sat the opening
of today's session of the Senate it was de-
cided that adjournment should be until
Monday. 1t was also determined to give
one hour of today's session to the consider
alton OF pension bills.
In connection with the consideration Of
pension bills on the pension calendar, Mr.
Vest of Missouri said: Il do not want to be
captous about this pension business, and do
not want to set myself up as a reformer,
but this thing of passing a lot Of pension
bills simply by the reading of the titles and
when quorum of the Senate is not present
has got to be stopped
After further referring to the method by
which pension bills are passed by the Sen
ate, Mr.. Vest said: ''Men OF the South
have permitted these bills to be passed, hav-
ing delicacy about entering objections to
the course of the procedure. Recent events
have obliterated sectionalism, and we are
united. We can, therefore, come here and
object to this spoiation, and use the word
advisedy, without fear of having our mo-
tives impugned or our words mlsconstrued.
We are paying out in round figures Sl4l,-
100000 annually for pensions, and 1t Is cur
duty to find out why it is that thirty-three
wears after the close of the civil war this
thing of pensions shows so enormous a
sum- | have been criticised by some OF my
people because | have not taken a more de-
termined stand on this pension question.
l want, however, to pay muniticently and
literally, in pensions. | regard such pay
ment Il sacred duty, but | do object to the
passage of these bills without proper consid-
Grafton and without the same restrictions
that are hedged about other measures.
Mr.. Vest having stated his opposition to
the hurried manner of passing pension bills
in the senate, gave notice that he would in
sist upon quorum being present when pen
sion bills were being acted upon.
Mr.. Gallinger of New Hampshire, as
chairman of the Pension Committee, agreed
with Mr. Vest in his desire to have the pen
sion bills carefully considered. He thought
a quorum of the Senate ought to be IN at
tendance when the pension calendar was con-
sidercd.
During the consideration of bills on the
pension calendar Mr.. Caffery OF Louisiana
introduced this resolution:
THAT it is the sense of the Senate OF the
United States that the President enter into
negotiations with the government OF Great
Britain for the purpose of abrogating or
modifying the Clayton-Bulwer treaty so far
and to the extent that the same may be
deemed to prevent the United States from
owning, constructing, controlling or operat
ing any oceanic canal across the lsthmus OF
Darien.
The anti-scalping bill passed yesterday by
the house was received, and, at the request
of Mr. Cullom chairman of the committee
on interstate commerce, was laid on the ta-
Bile instead of referred to the committee. A
similar bill has already beer, reported by the
senate committee on interstate commerce.
A considerable number of pension bills
had been passed before the senators, one or
two at a time, began to leave the chamber
Finally, true to his warning, Mr.. Vest raised
the point of no quorum. Forty-eight sens-
tors responded to their names and consider
alton of the pension bills was resumed. At
the expiration of the one hour allotted to the
consideration of the pension calendar, twen-
ty-six bills had been passed.
At l1:50 o'clock the senate went into
executive session.
At2:l5 the senate resumed business in open
session.
Mr.. Morgan called up the Nicaraguan
canal bill, with view to making it the un
finished business. He moved that the senate
proceed to the consideration of the bill.
Mr. Pettgrew moved to adjourn. Defeated,
Is yeas, AZ noes.
Mr.. Morgan's motion to proceed with the
consideration of the Nicaraguan canal bill
was then carried, and after the bill had been
laid before the senate thus becoming the
unfinished business, the senate, on motion.of
Mr. Morgan at 2:25 p. M, adjourned until
Monday
IN EXECUTIVE SESSION
The senate in executive session today rati- |
fed the treaty for the extension of the time |
for the completion Of the Mexican boundary |
one year. There was no opposition and no |
debate.
Senator Vest today followed up the de-
bate in executive session of yesterday con-
corning the appointment of senators and !
the house to positions on presi-
dental commissions, by the introduction of
a bill prohibiting the practice of making such
appointments. The bill is very brief, as fol-
lows:
That no person while holding a judicial
or executive office under the United States
shall be appointed by the president com.
or agent of the government nor of
any department or bureau thereof"