Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1899-03-02
A GRAND SCRAMBLE,
Senators Wave Their Bills and En-
deavor to Obtain Recognition.
The SUNDRY CIVIL BILL PASSED,
Representative Peter' Bill for Reduced
Postal Rates On Writing by the Blind
Passed by the senate-Public
Building Bills In the House.

Washington, March LA frenzy Of
Dill passing was on in the senate yes
terday. The bills passed were princi
pally public building measures, and a,
times during the day and night the
scenes in the senate were remarkable.
Senators usually staid and dignifed,
stlcklers for order and decorum in the
chamber, clamored for consideration
OF bills providing for the erection of
government buildings in which they
were interested. Late in the after
noon, large batch of such measures
passed by the house was received by
the senate Instantly confusion
reigned. Senators crowded about the
clerks desk and began to sort over the
bills from the house, picking them out
as they found their own, as if they
were choosing valentines from bar.
gam counter In the area in front of
the president of the senate a half
dozen senators were waving bills and
endeavoring to obtain recognition from
the chair.
The unusual proceeding called out
protest from Senator Platt of Con-
necticut, who demanded that senators
take their seats and that order be re-
stored AT times throughout the ses-
sions of the day and night the scenes
were repeated, as more building bills
were received from the house. Bills
carrying an aggregate Of $4,000, 600 or
100000 600 were passed, and many
more that had not been passed by
both houses Of congress were placed
as amendments in the sundry civil ap-
preparation bill. Finally, at a late
hour at night an amendment to the
sundry civil bill was adopted, appro-
priating nearly "a, 600, 900 for the pre-.
llmlnary work on the buildings which
had been authorized. The sundry
civil bill was passed at ll:l5 p m,
having been technically under consid.
Grafton throughout the day and even
ing.
The bill of Representative Peters, of
providing for reduction of
postage on the transmission of writ
ing by the blind, was also passed,
The reduction to third rate postage is
authorized on the ground that the pa
per used by the blind in writing is far
heavier than that used for ordinary
purposes and first class rates are,
therefore,, discrimination against
those already unfortunate.
Senator Foraker gave notice that he
would offer the following as an amend
nent to the army appropriation bill as
/ provlso when it comes before the
enate:
That no franchises or concessions of any kind
'hatever Shall be granted by the United States ,
+ any authority Whatever for which the United
tates is responsible in the island of Cuba dur
lg the occupation there by the United States v
nd provided further, that the pacitcatiou of c
he island OF cuba having been ACCOMPLISHED 4
lie president is hereby authorized TO withdraw ;,
lie military forces of the United States there
ON and to leave the government and control d
the island to its people h
ANY PUBLIC BUILDING BILLS PASSED.
Washington, March 1.-The house
Dent practically the entire time of
he seven hours session Yesterday II
assing the public building bills is
lvoraoly acted upon by the commit IL
'e OF the whole ten days ago The c.
ppostion sought in vain to consume Ell
me by roll calls and other filibuster- 81
e tactics, but their numbers were so a
i'm that in no case could they secure
roll call. At last their efforts to i'm
'de the passage of the bills was
and they were passed with
eat rapidity. Sixty.one bills in all
ere passed, carrying SO, 359, 600, $780, le
0 OF which, however (the amount ap. az a.,
opriated for the New York custom A
'usel is to be repaid from the pro- Re
eds of the sale of the old building. H.
NY one bill failed, that appropriate ~ ~,
G Ss5, 900 for building at Bluefeld, i
, Va, The conference report upon mt
e post office appropriation bill, 81
reeing to the senate amendment 20, 90,
akng an appropriation for the mail str
bsdies, was adopted The general He
tciency appropriation bill was re- ant
rted and will be considered to-day. ou
is the last of the budgets to be acted l ms
on by the house and will probably {
passed under suspension of the rules. ma
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The WQIlNDED KAMSANc 4hL