Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-03-04
EXIT 55TH CONGRESS
America and the Doxology Sung and
Dewey Cheered in the Dying
Congressional Hour.
PROTRACTED CONFERENCES
Both Houses Remained All Night in Ses-
sion, and Lively Controversies Engaged
In-Senate Feels Insulted at
Houses Impertinence.

Washington, March ALL night, the
Senators labored under heavy nervous
strain, to complete the necessary legis-
lation in order that congress might ad-
iourn at noon today, with their desks
comparatively clear. A determined eff
fort was made from o'clock last night
until morning, by several western sena-
tors, headed by Senator Warren, (Rep.
WyO) for reconsideration of confer
ence report on the river and harbor
bill, because of the refusal of the house
conferees to consent to the senate
amendment making an appropriation for
building reservoirs at the headwaters of
the Missouri river. Senator Frye,
(Mane,) in charge of the conference re-
port, steadfastly refused to permit the
report to be recommtted. He was sus-
tained by majority of the senate. Sen
ator Warren occupied the floor in dis
cussion on the reservoir proposition for
five hours, occasionally being relieved
by other senators. Finally, at 2 o'clock
Senator Frye consented to make one
more effort to induce the house confer
ees to accept the senate reservoir amend
ment. The report was recommitted to
the conferees. At $3.50 Senator Frye re-
ported the senate conferees unable to
induce the house conferees to reopen
the agreement already made, and the
measure must stand or fall according to
the report made. Then Senator War
rem yielded rather than have it defeat
some of the appropriation bills. With.
out more debate, the river and harbor
report was agreed to. Following quick
ly upon this agreement, another bone of
contention was tossed into the senate in
the form of a partial report of the naval
bill conferees. Senator Hale (Maine) in
charge of the report said the conferees
were unable to agree to the senate
amendment reducing the price of armor
plate to $500 per ton, and that author
zing the construction ofan armor plate
plant in event of the refusal of the
armor companies to accept the price
fixed by the senate. Senator Hale
moved that the senate conferees recede
from the amendment.
Both the senate and the house have
agreed on all appropriation bills, but
the Pacific amendment failed. In the
naval appropriation bill, the house won
all the amendments for an increase in
the navy, and the senate amendment
reducing the price of armor plate to
5000 prevailed. The senate amendment
for an armor plate factory was eliminat-
ed.
At 10 o'clock President Mckinley and
his entire cabinet came to the capitol,
went directly to the presidents room in
the senate wing, wherein many bills
passed, were presented to him for sigma
ture.
The naval conference report was
finally agreed to without division.
Senator Fairbanks moved considera-
tion OF the immigration laws to the Ha-
waian islands. The bill was taken up.
and Senator Pettigrew asserted that
since the annexation of the islands, TO-
600 Asatic slave laborers had been i'm
ported. Senator Perkins also urged
action at the present session, declaring
that contract laborers in Hawaii were
secured at one-third the cost of labor to
sugar makers in California or Louisiana.
Without action, the motion by Senator
Morgan to go into executive eessiOn,
was carried. At 11:45 o'clock the SEN
ate began its last legislasive session.
The senate voted thanks to Vice-Presi-
dent Hobart who made a speech con-
graduating the senate and the country
on the historymaking congress just
closed.
Senator Hale presented the conference
report on the general deficiency bill
agreed to without division. At $50
Senator Hale presented conference
report on the naval bill. He announced
the house refused absolutely to authorize
the construction of government armor
plate plant. The number of new arm
ored ships remain as fixed in the house
bill. Senator Butler asked: "Will we
conclude any contracts for new war
vessels under the pending bill If it be-
comes law?' Senator Hale said: ''No,
/ think not. believe we shall do no
more than get up plans and specifica-
tions. OF course, the senate conferees
had to yield something"
BY Senator Tillman: but we seem
to have yielded everything, the house
nothing"
BY Senator Hale: 1.-THE senate con-
ferees cannot settle this controversy
alone
The senate confirmed the nominations
of Merriam and Evans.
The president has signed all the
appropriation bills except that OF the
District OF Columbia.
This motion carried lively debate,
Senators Hale, Tillman, Chandler and
Butler being leading participants. The