Omaha daily bee., 1899-03-04
) RUSHING TIE BILLS
Both Branches of Congress Put in Hard Day
Of it on Conferences Reports,
NECESSARY LEGISLATION CLEARED AWAY
General Deficiency and Army BIZ w,
Through After Long Wran gle, ~
LIVELY SCENES LAST LATE INTO NIGHT
Hawaiian Gable Sticks the sundry Owl
Appropriation Measure.
NUMEROUS STRUGGLES OF CoNFERtES
Senate Prepares for Adjournment by
suspendinE Regular Business
and Devotine Attention to
Urgent Matters.
lively SCENES LAST LATE INTO NIGHT
Hawaiian Gable Sticks the sundry Civil
Appropriation Measure,
NUMEROUS STRUGGLES OF CoNFERtES

WASHINGTON March AT 3 o'clock
the house recessed till o'clock.
AT 1920 o. m the senate adopted the con-
ference report on the river and harbor bill.
1t now goes to the house. There will be
continuous session till noon, when the ses-
sion expires by Limitation.
WASHINGTON, March 3.-Excitement
confusion, heavy strain and hard work have
characterized this, the last legislative day
Of the Fifty-ffth congress in the senate.
At times the confusion was so great in this
usually staid and decorous body as to render
the transaction of business almost impossi-
BILE. Business that ordinarily has the un-
divided attention of every senator on the
floor was transacted amid much noise
that it was next to impossible to follow
The proceedings.
Toward midnight order was being evolved
from the seeming chaos OF the early part of
the day and evening and the prospect was
favorable that congress would adjourn at
noon tomorrow. with its absolutely neces
sary work completed
When the senate convened at II o'clock
this morning il faced the task of consd
ering the two great appropriation bills
those of the army and for supplying the
general deficiencies. The former carries
appropriations exceeding $50, ,00O 900 and the
latter about $4,000, 900.
With determination to complete the ap-
preparation bills. the senate began immedi-
ately at II o. clock in the morning to consider
these measures and at o'clock tonight the
army bill was passed. the deficiency bill hav-
ing passed nearly three hours before:
conference report on the Alaska criminal
code bill was presented and agreed to. A
partial report on the sundry civil appropria-
tion bill was agreed to, but the inability of
the senate couferees to secure an agreement
on the Hawaiian cable proposition created
q heated discussion, in the course OF which
Speaker Reed was alluded to in uncompli-
meptary terms
The Toledo exposition bill, carrying an
appropriation CT S500,eee. was passed with
ont debate.
Debate Late on Rivers and Harbors.
Tonight when the river and harbor con-
ference report was presented debate upon
the recession of the senate conferees from
the senate amendment providing for reser-
voirs to irrigate arid land at the headwaters
Of the Missouri river, precipitated by
the advocates of the proposition.
An effort was made to recommit the bill
to the conferees. but 1t failed after an
lIupdsslOuSu SpttCH ny StudlOT Frye, Wub
submitted the report. At 1880 the debate
Is still in progress, with no indications of
an early adjournment.
At o'clock MIR. Morgan offered a joint
resolution, which he believed would de-
termine the pending controversy over the
irrigation proposition. The resolution pro-
vided that all public lands classed as arid
or semi -arid in the several states be granted
to the states in which the lands sold
the net proceeds of those lands when sold
or leased be applied by the states TO the
purposes of irrigation. Mr.. Tillman OBJ
jected to the consideration OF the resolution.
Mr.. Tillman announced that he did not pro-
pose to allow another thing to be done
30 long as he could object until the pend
Ing report on the river and harbor bill was
disposed Of.
At l:lO a m. Mr.. Warren yielded to Mr..
Pettigrew who spoke in support of the irri-
cation amendment. At 1875 a. m. Mr.. Man
tie interrupted Mr.. Warren, who had re-
Sumed his speech, and noted the absence of
q quorum. call of the roll developed the
presence of siXty-two senators. Mr.. Mantle
then renewed his motion TO recommit his
motion, but it decisively refused.
When the senate convened in its last legis-
Iative session at IL O'Clock today more than
the usual number of senators were on the
Hoor. The morning business was suspended
practically and the senate proceeded imme-
diately to the business looking TO adjourn
ment.
The following bills were passed: To in
corporate the National White Cross OF
America and for other purposes; amending
the internal revenue laws relating to dis
titled spirits and for other purposes; au-
thorizing the construction of bridge over
the Tennessee river at Sheffield, Ala; au~
thorizing the Washington and Gettysburg
Railway company OF Maryland TO extend
Ats line of road into the District of Column
bla; a bill providing a site for the Wash
ington public library building.
Mr.. Hale OF Maine called up the general
deficiency appropriation bill.
Temporarily the general deficiency bill
was laid aside and the conference report
on the Cleveland public building was agreed
TO by the senate.
Mr.. Allison presented partial conference
report on the sundry civil bill He said
there were still twenty-five items in dis
agreement. The senate amendment which
made appropriations for large number of
public buildings had been held up by the
house cOnferees who insisted that il should
contain provisions only for the buildings
the bills for which had passed both the
house and the senate,
One of the important amendments which
the house conferees had declined to accept
was that providing for a Pacific cable. As
the amendment was agreed TO practically
unanimously by the senate. Mr Allison said
the senate conferees had declined to refer
the matter back to the senate,
MIR. Morgan Emits a Howl.
Mr.. Morgan denounced what he termed the
rlog rolling In both houses regarding public
buildings, declaring that the action OF the
ruler OF the house was a fraud and an out
rage
u saw" said he. bills passed by the
senate in such a hurry that many OF the
names OF the cities could not be understood
by senators. want to protest against thai
sort OF legislation ! know where the in
senave OF this performance comes from
know the origin OF that wrong. ! know the
man who inspired it, His will and pleasure
Mas 10 make fair weather for particular