Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1899-02-15

The treaty of peace with Spain was
ratified by the Senate Monday afternoon,
the vote being 81 to 81, only one more
than the twothirds majority required.
Monday was suspension day in the House
and quite a number of bills were passed,
some OF them of Importance. The census
bill prepared by the House committee
went through by a vote of 147 TO ~. The
bill differs in several essential features
from the Senate bill, particularly in that
II makes the census bureau entirely indie
pendent Of any existing department. A
bill was passed to extend the anti-con-
tract labor laws over the Hawaiian ISL
ands, and another bill was passed to refer
forty-four war claims for stores and sup
plies to the Court of Claims.
In the Senate on Tuesday d bill grant
ing a right of way through Indian Terri
tory to the Choctaw. Oklahoma and Gulf
Railroad Company was passed. Mr.
Spooner of Wisconsin presented the ere
dentials of Senator-elect Quarles. Mr..
Tlllman of South Carolina, in accordance
with notice given, addressed the Senate
on the McEnery resolution. Tuesday
was the first of two days set aside for the
consideration Of public building bills. The
committee had reported seventy-eight
bills for buildings in thrty-tive States,
authorizing in the aggregate an expendi-
ture of $14,060,900. Little or no opposi-
tion developed and bills were fayorably
acted upon almost as rapidly as they
could be read. There was, however, more
or less good -naturcd chatting throughout
the session. As n result forty bills, car
rying or authorizing appropriations aggre-
gazing $ll ,sG4 900, had been laid aside
with favorable recommendations before
adjournment was reached.
In the Senate on Wednesday the In
dian appropriation bill. which has been
pending for several weeks, was completed
and passed. The legislative, executive
and judicial appropriation bill was taken
up, but after twcnty-four pages OF it had
been disposed of it was laid aside for the
day A few measures of minor impor-
tance were passed. The net result of the
work during the two days allotted for
the consideration of public building bills
in the House was the passage of single
bill providing for the erection of build
ing at Newport News, Va, at a cost of
$4,000. SiXtyfve bills in ALL carry, ing
or authorizing the expenditure of about
Sl2,Ou0OO, were favorably considered in
committee Of the whole when the COM
mlttee rose but because seventeen other
bills reported had not been acted upon
IN committee all efforts to advance the
bills favorably acted upon in committee
were blocked. Mr.. Corliss (Rep.) of
Michigan called up the Senate bill to
amend the law requiring ballots for men,
bers of Congress TO be written or print
ed. so as TO permit the use of machines
where authorized by the laws of the
state. The bill was passed-94 to A.
Chairman Cannon of the Appropriations
Committee of the House, in the course OF
the general debate on the sund' = civ;'
bill on Thursday, sounded note o. warn
ing against eXtravagant appropriations,
and practically served notice that neither
| the ship subsidy bill nor the Nicaragua
canal bill could he passed at this session.
The general debate upon the sundry civil
bill was not concluded. Before it was
| taken up quite a numle' of minor bills
| were passed by unanimous consent.
Throughout its open session the Senate
| bad under consideration the legislative.
| executive and judicial appropriation bill.
| During the entire open session on Fri
| day the Senate had under consideration
| the legislative, executive and judicial an
| preparation bill Little progress was made.
| the time largely being occupied with de-
| bate on minor topics. A bill amending an
| act to provide for the reimbursement of
| Governors of States and territories for
! expenses incurred by them in raising and
| equipping the volunteer army in the EAR
with Spain was reported by Mr.. Warren
(Wyo) from the Committee on Military
| Affairs. The bill went over to De printed.
Mr.. Allen tNeb.) offered n iciht resolution
providing for the submission to the LeRis-
latUres of an amendment TO the constitu-
ton providing for he election of United
States Senators by direct vote of the peo-
pie. The resolution was laid on the ta-
bic. A special message from the presi-
dent urging action on the Pacific cable
was received. General debate on the sun
dry civil appropriation bill was conclud-
ed in the House The speakers during
the day touched a variety of topics. but
as rule the debate lacked spirit ara
interest. Mr. Dockery of Missouri. Nj
is at the head Of the minority of the Ap-
preparations Committee, REINFORCED Mr..
Cannon figures as to the deficiency in the
revenues; Mr.. De Almond Of Missouri
Mr.. Gillett of Massachusetts and others
discussed the policy of expansion, and Mr..
Lentz of Ohio severely criticised the adj
ministration for exercising elemency in
the case of Gen. Eagan.
After a good deal of debate in the SEN
ate on Saturday. the legislative, executive
and judicial appropriation bill was pass
ed. A bill to amend an act entitled, IAN
act to reimburse the Governors of States
and Territories for expenses incurred by
them in aiding the United States to raise
and organize and supply and equip the
volunteer army OF the United States In the
existing war with Spain" was passed.
The House passed several bridge bills
and other measures of minor Importance
and also a joint resolution 10 give extra
payment TO laborers and mechanics at the
navy yards and naval stations for work
performed during the Spanish war in ex-
cess of eight hours per Jay. 1t then
devoted the afternoon TO tribntes to the
memory Of the late Representative Ding
lev