The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1899-03-04
CONGRESS ADJOURNS.
The Last Legislative Day Attended
With Greatest Confusion.
A TWENTY-FIVE HOUR SESSION,

The Nations Lawmakers worked All
Day and when Final Adjournment
was Reached Had Completed All the
Absolutely Necessary work.
Washington, March 4.-Congress ad-
iourned at noon today after a session
which had lasted since II O'Clock yes.
terday forenoon, with short recesses for
refreshment. Excitement, confusion,
heavy strain and hard work have char
acterized the last legislative day Of the
Fifty-hfth congress in the senate. At
times the confusion was so great in this
usually staid and decorus body as 20
render the transaction of business almost
impossible. Business that ordinarily
would have the undivided attention Of
every senator on the door was transact
ed amid so much noise that it was next
TO impossible to follow the proceedings.
Towards midnight comparative order
was evolved from the seeming chaos OF
the early part OF the day and evening,
and congress adjourned with its abso-
lutely necessary work completed.
When the senate convened it faced the
preparation bills, those Of the army and
for supplying the general deficiencies.
The former carries appropriations ex-
ceeding SS0,OOOOOO and the latter about
S2O,OOO,OOO With a determination to
complete the appropriation bills the sen
ate began Immediately to consider these
measures, and at o'clock last night the
army bill was passed, the deficiency bill
having been passed nearly three hours
before.
A conference report on the Alaska
criminal code bill was presented and
agreed to.
a report on the sundry civil appropria-
tion bin was agreed to, but the inability
OF the senate conferrees to secure an
agreement on the Hawaiian cable prop
Osition created a heated discussion, in
the course Of which Speaker Reed was
alluded to in uncomplimentary terms.
The Toledo exposition bill, carrying an
appropriation Of $4,000, was passed
without debate.
Last night the river and harbor con
ference was presented. A debate on the
recession of the senate conference from
| the senate amendment providing for reser-
voirs to irrigate arid lands at the head
waters Of the Missouri river was pre-
Cipitated by the advocates of the PROPOSE
ton. An effort was made to recommit
the bill to the conferrees, but il failed
after an impassioned speech by Senator
Frye, who submitted the report. The
debate continued until an early hour this
morning when it was passed without
the amendment.
Crowded galleries looked down upon
the struggling members Of the house as
the closing scenes of the last legislative
| day were being enacted. Step by step
| the leaders in charge Of the appropria-
tions bills pushed them through the final
stages and during every lull in the cou-
| sideration of conference reports men,
| bers clamored for recognition for be-
/ lated local bills, in the vain hope OF
| rescuing them from death on the cal
| endar.
At times the house was like bedlam.
\ Pound as the speaker would with his
| gavel, it was almost impossible to pre-
serve order and to the casual visitor In
the gallery the proceedings on the floor
must have been about as Ineligible as
an exciting day in the wheat pit would
be to a parish priest. The noise and
confusion on the floor, punctuated with
the constant banging of the speakers
gavel or bachgrounded with the drOning
voice of the clerk irate members facing
each other and talking at the same time,
| pages scurrying up and down the aisles,
| all this was utterly distracting. But
the people in the galleries stayed on, and
| there were a dozen persons in line in tn ,
| corridors waiting for vacant seats, so
| great is the attraction of a dying con-
gress.
The house passed the army appropria-
ton bill with all senate amendments,
and the bill now goes to the president.
Mr.. Walker, of Massachusetts, after
| many successful attempts, got an op-
| portunity during the afternoon to voice
his views on currency reform and Sc
verely criticized some of his Republican
colleagues. When the great beacon
light on the dome blazed forth as dark
ness fell thousands upon thousands were
| attracted to the brilliantly Illuminated
wings of the Capitol, where the two
| houses were to sit out the night. In
the reserve galleries of the house were
congregated the elite OF the society of
the national capital while the public gal
leries were banked to the doors. Stylish
ly gOwned ladies and gentlemen in even
/, ing dress added eclat to the occasion.
The big questions in dispute between
the two houses, being naturally the last
to be adjusted, were postponed far into
: the night. From time to time short re-
cesses were taken. Those were simply
breathing spells however and soon the
leaders were at it again harder than
ever.
r.-s...z