The Van Buren press., 1899-12-23
FIFTY-SIXTH CONGRESS.
condensed History of the Measures In.
troduced and Enacted by Senators and
Representatives at Washington.

1he session of the senate on the 18th
consumed only few minutes, routine
business only being transacted. Among
the bllls introduced was one for the cod
lhcation of the pension laws. The de-
pate on the currency bill continued in the
mouse from IL 0 clock a.. M until 1890 p
m. There was little cross-frng and no
exciting or dramatic incidents in the dis
cuss1on. A resolution for holiday recess
from December 20 to January was
adopted Mr.. Richardson, the minority
leader, wanted the house to adjourn over
the 18th to give members an opportunity
to participate in the Washington memo
rial exercises, but Mr. Payne, the major
ity leader. objected
The senate on the 18th, practically with
out discussion, laid on the table the Pet
ugrew resolution of inquiry as to whether
or not the United States forces had reef
ognized the Filipino insurgents flag, and
had turned over Spanish soldiers to the
insurgents. The house resolution for
holiday adjournment from December 70
to January 3 was agreed to and then an
adjournment was taken till the next day
out of respect to the memory of the late
Representative Danford (O)...The de-
bate In the house on the currency bill was
tame and the attendance small Mr..
Thayer tMass0 was the only democrat
who made a speech for the bill. Two
Joint resolutions were introduced by Mr..
Williams (Miss.(, one for recognizing the
Filipinos on reimbursing the United
States the s20,O00,000 paid to Spain and
giving us a naval eoaling station: the
other asking for information about the
treaty with the sultan of Jolo
The completion of the committees was
announced in the senate on the 18th by
Senator Aldrich (R l. and their arrange
ment was adopted without dissent. Sem
ator Foster (Wash) introduced bill ex-
tending the bounty provision of the home
stead law to soldiers who have served in
the Spanish and Philippine wars. The
senate then adjourned until the 1Sth%...
The house closed the general debate on
the financial bill. At the outset of the
discussion a sharp personal colloquy oc-
CURED between Messrs. Wheeler C<y)
and Berry CKy1 over the recent election
| in Kentucky and the charges growing out
of it, Mr. Bailey (rex.l was one of the
speakers in opposition to the measure He
was followed by Mr. Scudder On. Y)
democrat, who declared he believed in the
gold standard and would vote for it.
The senate was not in session on the
The debate in the house on the
currency bill ended in an uproar. Messrs.
Dalzel GPa) and Dolliver CIa) taunted
the democrats with being afraid to offer
free coinage amendment. and half
dozen democrats clamored for recogni-
tion for fully five minutes. When the
speaker could be heard he announced
that as five O'Clock had arrived under
| the rules the house stood adjourned An
! incident of the day was a speech by
! Champ Clark (Mo.l denouncing Presi-
| dent Hayes for having stolen the pres
! idency. Mr.. Sulzer IN. y introduced
joint resolution declaring that war ex
| listed ia South Africa and according bel
| ligerent rights to the Transvaal govern
ment.
In the senate on the 18th, Senator Till
man IS. c. and Senator Bacon (Ga) in
troduce3 resolutions to yield the Phil
! ippne islands to government to be es-
tablished by the Filipinos themselves.
Senator Morgan (Ala.) made brief ad-
| dress an his resolution against trusts and
| had it sent to the judiciary committee.
| Senator Pettigrew Is. D. introduced
| joint resolution rendering the thanks of
congress to Admiral Schley for destroy
! ing the Spanish fleet off Santiago. A
| committee was appointed to attend the
unveiling of the statue of Daniel Webster
| and then the house resolutions on the
| death of Representative Green (Neb.)
We're adopted and an adjournment taken.
..., The house adopted the currency bill
| by vote of 1870 to $50, every republican
and II democrats voting for the measure.
After the vote the speaker unexpectedly
announced the committee selections. An
nouncement of the death of the late Rep
resentative Bland (Mo) was afterwards
made and caused an early adjournment