The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-03-05
&25O.oOO for the indianapolis Public
Building Retained I'm the Sum
dry Civil Measure.
NICARAGUA CANAL DELAYED
BUT PROVISION MADE FOR INvEsTI-
CATION OF ROUTES.
Ex-Governor Merriam, OF Minnesota,
Appointed and Confirmed Director
of Cenxus-Other Nominations.
to the indianapolis Journal.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, March 4.-The Fifty-fifth
Congress became historic at noon to-day.
1t stands unique among American
Congresses, because within the part
of its brief life OF two years
IL declared war against another power saw
it prosecuted to brilliant and successful
close, and through its senatorial branch
ratified the treaty of peace. The Twelfth
Congress declared war against Great Brit
ain but expired before peace was made.
Congress did not declare war against Mex
leo in 1916, but simply recognized the exist
ence of a state OF war after two battles
had been fought. Thebe was, of course, no
declaration of war during the rebellion. So
the Fffty-fifth Congress stands alone. 1t
has been in other ways remarkable body.
1t is one OF a small number of Congresses 10
hold three sessions. 1t replaced the Wilson
tariff with the Dingley tariff, passed gen.
eral bankruptcy law, a census law and ap-
preparation laws aggregating more than
81, 500 100000, OF which about one-third was
for war purposes. This is by far the great
est amount OF money ever appropriated be-
fore by any Congress, but it is unlikely that
any Congress will ever again fall below the
billion dollar mark. As Speaker Reed said at
the close OF the FIfty-first Congress, this is
billion dollar country" fact that seems
to make some Democrats feel sad.
Some very notable men retired from Con-
gress to-day. The most distinguished of all
Is Senator German, of Maryland, who for
moro than half his eighteen years has been
the leader OF his party in the Senate Next
TO him is Senator Gray. OF Delaware an
able man. He will be appointed to a life
fh<a In - III
great services as peace commissioners.
Senator Faulkner is another notable Demo-
crat to retire Senator Turpie. whose abil-
ity and eccentricity has caused him to be
looked on as one OF the characters of the
Senate also retires. Senator Quay is still
engaged in trying to secure a reelection
from a Legislature which contains a great
many hostile Republicans. A number of
Senators who have served but one term also
60 out Many changes, mostly on the
Democratic side Of the Chamber, take place
in the House. McMillin, of Tennessee:
Sayers, of Texas, and Stone, of Pennsyl-
vania, have become Governors of their
respective States. the two former as Dem
ocrats, the latter as a Republican. Mcguire,
OF California, Democrat, was defeated for
Governor last year and retires from Con-
Eress. Dockery, of Missouri, retires to be-
come a candidate for Governor. Those pic
turesque figures, Lewis, OF WASHINGTON:
Simpson, OF Kansas. and Walker, of Massa-
chusetts. all go out. Lewis was Henry u
Johnson's only rival as a rapid-fire talker.
Altogether about a hundred members of the
two houses retire.
The President expresses himself as well
pleased in general with the outcome of the
session OF Congress just closed He takes
a hopeful view of conditions believing that
the failure OF Congress to meet the require
menIs in several instances of the executive
will not operate to embarrass the govern
ment seriously. 1t was the purpose of the
President. had Congress listened favorabIy
to his request for authority TO appoint four
additional major generals. to have named
Generals Fftzhugh Lee, Wheeler, Wilson
and Wood 1t was a bitter disappointment
10 the War Department that the request
or the President for authority to appoint
only one additional major general of reg
ulars should have been negatived. 1t was
the purpose to name for that honor General
Shafter. In order that he might retire with
the laurels he has earned. The general
must be retired by law on the 18th of the
present month and must go out with only
a volunteer commission. II is the purpose
to give him at least this.
None OF the appropriation bills failed to
pass Congress. but many important amend
ments were Topped off by the conferees
Notable among these was the Nicaragua
canal rider on the sundry civil Dill, by
which the friends OF the proposed water
way hoped TO secure immediate construc-
ton OF the canal. AS passed. the sundry
civil bill provides for an investigation of the
various routes and makes impossible the
beginning of work on the canal for year
or more. -
The sundry civil appropriation bill. as 1t
finally became law. carries s25O.0oo for the
new indianapolis public building.
Senator Fairbanks and Representative
Overstreet will remain here next week 10
get things started in the supervising archi-
teet's Office. All the other representatives
will remain here for some days yet to at
tend 10 departmental matters that have ac-
cumulated on their hands during the closing
days or the session. The principal thing
they are called on to do now is to procure
discharges for volunteers who are anxious
to return TO civil life
Assistant Attorney General Boyd recently
rendered an opinion in which ne held that
no tax accrues on a contract between life
insurance companies for reinsurance. He
has since held that the same principle an
plies TO fire and marine insurance com
panies. as the law Is substantially the same
as regards all classes OF insurance He
says: 1T was the purpose OF the law 10
tax the policy by which the insurance is
made. either life. fire or marine and there
= no reasonable construction Of II which
would tax transaction between the COM