The record-union., 1899-03-05
LAST HOURS IN
LOWER BRANCH.
The Closing Scenes in the House
Of Representatives
Were Marked With Incidents Of More
Than Usual Interest.

After the Routine Business Had
Concluded and the Resolution
of the Democratic Leader
Thanking Speaker Reed for His
Impartial Rulings During the
Fifty-fifth Congress, Members
of All Shades Of Political Faith
Join in Singing Political Airs.
WASHINGTON, March 4.-Wearily
the House sat through the silent
watches of the night, recessing from
time to time, while awaiting conference
reports upon the appropriation bills.
The floor of the House was Uttered with
waste papers. which drifted ankle deep
about the desks and made the. hall look
as if it had been swept by a snowstorm-
Still the weary and heavy eyed leglsla-
tors kept to their posts through the
night. The leaders, upon whom the
strain and burden of the closing hours
fell most heavily, and the Speaker, who
had the greatest responsibility OF all,
remained constantly in their places,
watching vigilantly the progress OF the
contests between the two houses Inc
final agreement on the river and harbor
bill containing the compromise on the
Nicaragua Canal, was secured about
$3.50 a. M; the sundry civil, in which
the House forced the Senate to surren-
der the provision for the Pacific cable,
about 6 a. M: the District of Columbia
BILL with the provision for sectarian in
stitutions eliminated, about Z o'clock,
the deficiency at $50, and the final
conference report tupon the naval bill
at about $50 a. m.
The hall presented sodden, bedrag-
gled looking scene until the daylight,
fling through the ground glass ceiling,
dimmed the yellow lights this morning.
Outside a fine drizzling mist was fall
ing, completely shrouding the tops of
the dome and glueing the wet half
masted flags over the two wings 70
their stats. The red eyed members
sat hstlessly in their seats and the few
persons in the galleries slumbered
peacefully.
About o'clock Henderson aroused
the Ie7zse by electric speech It W1s
one of the most eloquent of this Con-
gress. The surroundings added impress
siveness to his utterances. The dishev-
eled members and the wreckage Were
about him. 1t was on the question of
sectarian institutions in the District of
Columbia. provision for which had
been stricken out of the District appro-
priation bill. With force and pathos
he denounced the bigotry of the confer
rees. Who he said, were willing, at the
behest of a secret organization, to turn
the homeless and friendless into the
streets. The scene was dramatic in the
extreme where Henderson recalled the
dark days of the war, when the white
capped Sisters of Mercy were admins
tering on the battlefield to the sick and
dying soldiers
With the advent of the day the House
again took on the appearance of life.
Members went below for baths and
breakfast. and returned refreshed to
their stations. AS early as 7:30 o'clock
the people began to pour into the gall
leries, the first party to arrive being
dozen ladies who took their places in
the public galleries.
The important business of the House
House recessed for an hour at $50 All
that remained was the enrolment of
bills and thte final ceremonies At
1890 when the House reconvened the
galleries We're again packed, the doors
and the hall buzzed with the confused
murmur OF voices. An American flag
had been lowered from the press gal
lery above the Speakers chair.
The closing scenes in the House We're
of more than usual interest. After ali
the bills had been passed, there fol-
lowed the usual resolutions. That Of
fered by Bailey thanking Speaker Reed,
and the remarks of the minority leader
were of a character to lend a dramatic
turn to the proceedings. The action
of the House and the Speakers reply
aroused the House and spectators to
enthusiasm After adjournment mem
bers and visitors joined in singing pa
triotic airs.
The House proceedings dragged slow
~ after midnight, as the conference
committees on various appropriation
bills were not ready to report. Time
was killed by frequent recesses. and
the members We're kept in good nature
by soup and stories. AT 400 a. m. the
river and harbor conference agreement
was reported by Chairman Burton The
conference report was then agreed to
without division. This was the last
legislative stage of the bill and it was
ready for the President.
AT a. m. Boutelle presented a par
tial conference report on the naval
bill. 1t covered everything save the
three big items-new ships, price of
armor and Government armor fac
tory.
Boutelle said the Senate conferrees
We're weakening particularly in the re-
duction of ships, and he thought the
House would win on the next confer
ence. The partial report was adopted.
The House insisted on its provision as
to ships and price of armor.
Handy of Delaware moved to recede
and concur in the Senate amendment
for Government armor factory, lost
"a to ~ The three main items were
Their sent back to conference.
The Speaker announced as visitors
to the United States Military Academy
Representatives Marsh. Bromwell and
Jett; to the Naval Academy. Represen-
tatives Dalzell, Steele and Settle
At 500 a. m. four appropriation
bills We're still in conference-naval.
sundry civil, deficiency and District of
Columbia. but they were reported to be
progressing in satisfactory manner.
At 7:45 the District of Columbia re-
port was presented and extended de- ate
occurred on sectarian charitable in
situations.