Evening star., 1899-02-07
PASSAGE OF THE CENSUS BILL.
The senate Expected TO Adopt the
House Measure.

Yesterday was suspension day in the
House. and a number of hills were passed
several Of them of Importance. The census
bill prepared by the House committee went
through by vote of l47 to ~. The bill diff
fers in several essential features from the
Senate bill, particularly in the fact that ii
makes the census bureau entirely inde
pendent of any existing department. and
Chairman Hopkins stated on the floor the
expectation was that the Senate would ac-
cept the House bill.
A bill was passed to extend the aEti-con-
tract labor laws over the Hawaiian Islands
and another bill was passed 10 refer forty
four war claims for stores and supplies to
the Court of Claims. They are the claims
reported from the war claims committee.
and aggregate s2l2,wn. A bill was passed
TO create national military park on the
site of the battle of NicksburS: also to
grant 25.9tn acres of land in Alabama 10
the Girls Industrial School of that state.
Mr.. Johnson Ond.) made vigorous on
slaught upon the census bill because it di1
not provide for the appointment of en-
The past two censuses, he said, had been
unreliable and ext'aVagant, due 10 the
spols system. We were upon the verge of
another great political campaign. The in
fiuences that made for a corrupt ballot
were already great. This bill would aug
ment rather than lessen them. The politi-
cal coniro; OF this bureau could offer hribes
Tor support. He would protest against the
bill with his vote
While Mr.. johnson was speaking the ru-
Nor spread through the hall that the peace
treaty had been ratified, and, under the
leadership of Mr.. Grosvcnor wave of ap-
plause swept over the republican side.
The bill was passed-147 to r.
On motion of Mr.. Gardiner the bill 10 ex-
tend the anti-contract labor laws 10 Ha-
waii was passed without division. Mr..
Gardiner said that since the islands had
been annexed 5000 contract laborers had
been imported. Every labor organization
supported the bill
Mr. Griffin CWis) moved the passage un-
der suspen; ion of the rules of the bill for
the employment Of women nurses in the
military hospitals of the army. In the gal
leries when Mr.. Griffin made the motion
were many Daughters of the American
Revolution and other organizations inter
ested in the bill.
Mr.. Steele Qnd.) demanded second FOR
the bill.
Mr.. Fischer IN. w gave notice of an
amendment he desired TO offer to authorize
the Secretary of War in time of war to
avail himself Of the services of duly tttlali-
fled Sisters of the Red Cross.
A second was ordered-9t to 13 Mr.
Steele Hnd.1 moved an Adjournment, bat it
was voted down.
Mr. Griffin then took the floor in sli7Dort
of the bill. Its purpose. he said. was TO
establish in the army a permanent nursing
service. He expressed his willingness to
accept an amendment authorizing the en-
ployment in time of war of volunteer
nurses belonging TO any order.
Mr. Morris tMinn.) said bat the surgeon
general now had authority TO employ wo-
men nurses, and, as matter of fact did
now employ $50 nurses. To take the ap-
pointments out of his hands would be sub
versive of all military discipline.
Mr.. Fischer, in the name OF the New York
Red Cross. protested against the bill in it's
unamen6ch form.
On division the vote on ,he passage OF the
bill stood 100 TO 81, not two-tlairds. where
upon Mr.. Griffin demanded the yeas and
nays, and the roll was called,
The vote resulted l25 to So not the naces-
sary two-thirds 10 suspend the rules
AT 5:l5 pm. the House adjourned