The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-03-06
THE FIFTY-FIFTH
CONGRESS ENDS
A MEMORABLE SESSION COMES
QUIETLY TO A CLOSE.
Agreement Finally Reached on all
the Great Appropriation Measures.
A Remarkable Demonstration in
Honor CT Speaker Reed-Scenes in
Senate and House.

Washington, March 5.-The end of the
Fifty-hcth congress came yesterday at
noon rather uneventfully, the legisla-
tive storms of the preceding night hav-
ing all subsidized in the hours just be-
fore daYbreak. As was almost inevit-
able, Mr.. Warrens fiibuster against
the river and harbor conference report
proved unavailng, and after securing
the slight concession of reopening OF
the case for irrigation reservoirs in the
conference committee he yielded his
contention. and let second report,
identically the same as the first, pass
without opposition.
The only other serious obstacles to
complete agreement between the two
houses were the Pacific cable amend
ment in the sundry civil appropriation
bill, and the maximum price for armor
plate fixed by the senate in the naval
bin. Negotiations smoothed out both
difficulties. the senate yielding its wish
to have a Pacific cable laid under gov
crnment supervision and through gov
eminent aid and the house retreating
so far on the armor plate question as
to agree that no armor for the battle
ships authorized by the Act of March
3, 1899, should be contracted for at more
than $500 a ton. To finish the battle
ships already authorized and partially
completed, the secretary of the navy is
to be allowed to pay S4OO a ton. The
project of establishing a government
armor plate plant was dropped from
the bill entirely.
ScLley Ahead Of Sampson.
by o'clock in the morning the work
of the two houses was practically fin
ished and i'm the senate at least some
time could be spared for the consider
alton of the executive calendar. The
great mass of naval nominations sent
in yesterday were disposed of, but the
recess appointments advancing Schicy
and Sampson for mertorious service
in the Santiago campaign failed with
the session, leaving Schley still two
numbers ahead of Sampson on the ba 4
al roster. The nomination of ex-Rep-
resentative Samuel June Barrows to
be librarian of congress also failed, af-
ter decided opposition to confirmation
had been displayed by the leading sem
ators.
The closing ceremonies in the senate
were brief and formal and so weary
were both the senators themselves, who
had spent over twenty-four hours in
continuous session and the many spec
tators who had watched the proceed
ings intermttently since early morn
Ing that the fall of the presidents
gavel, after his graceful farewell
speech, was welcomed with a sigh of
relief. The president and the cabinet
came to the capitol at about 10 o'clock
and remained until noon and all the
more belated bills We're signed in The
gorgeous gilt and red office just be-
hind the senate lobby, which the exc
cutive uses when he becomes the guest
of each succeeding congress in the eX-
piring hours of it's final term.
Scenes in the House.
The closing scenes in the house Of
representatives were unusually inter-
esting and that which followed the
words of the speaker declaring the
house adjourned sine die was marked
by enthusiasm and dramatic features
which We're probably without prece-
dent in the history of congress. The
work of legislation was virtually fin
ished in the early hours of the morn
ing and from that time until almost
noon the members of the committee on
enrolled bills and the enrolling CLERKS
were the busiest men in Washington.
Their industry and celebrity bordered
on the marvellous. A joint resolu zion