The Van Buren press., 1899-02-25
PROCEEDINGS IN CONGRESS.
Work of Our National Law makers at Wash
ington During the Closing Days of
the Yifty-Fifth Session.

IN the senate on the 18th Senator McEnery
La denied that his resolution. adopted the
previous day, was introduced In the interest OF
the sugar growers of his state bill was
passed extending the cordial appreciation OF
congress to Miss Helen Gould for her patriotic
services In the recent war and authorizing the
president TO present her with a gold medal
The post efice appropriation was reported and
bill was afterwards passed providing for the
admission OF Oscar w. Deignan, one OF the
Merrimac heroes into the naval academy as
cadet. After four hours OF debate over the
attempt to amend the snndry civil approprla-
ton Dill by taeking on the Nicaragua canal bill
at the tail end the chair ruled the amendment
out Of order, and. on an appeal to the house the
chair was sustained b. u vote Of Ia to lob
About ten pages OF the sundrY civil bill were
disposed of. Mr. GrosVenor tOl then present.
ed resolution fixing February 20 and 81 for
the consideration of the Hepburn Nicaragua
canal bill. with vote February 81 at fourp m.
THE army reorganization bill was reported
TO the senate on the 10Th by Senator Hawley
Comm. chairman of the military affairs COM
mittee who gave notice that he would move to
proceed to its consideration at the earliest pos
sible time Senator Cockrell tMo), presented
minority report against the bill The naval
personnel bid was taken mp and read but no
effort was made to consider IT. The military
academy appropriation bill was passed The
post Office appropriation bill was then con-
sdered but was not disposed OF Senator
Coekrell tMo) succeeded Ia getting the appro-
priation for the fast mail from Kansas City to
Newton, Kan, relnstated In the bill The
house considered the sundry civil bill and the
appropriation of s2J 00J, 30 to pay Spain for the
Philippine islands was stricken out under a
point OF order made by Mr.. Wheeler tky),
After the bill had been completed and reported
to the house Mr. Hepburn tIa-) moved to re-
commit it with Instructions to report 1t back
with he Nicaragua canal bill incorporated in
IT. After parliamentary debate an adjourn
ment was taken. leaving the question TO be
taken up the next day.
A RESOLUTION Of coincidence with the French
republic for the death of President Faure was
adopted in the senate on the 18th. The per-
sonnel bill was passed and about "A private
pension bills also The Alaska code bill was
then read and an adjournment taken The
house passed. the suudry civil appropriation
bill The speakers ruling that the motion to
reeommit the bill with instructions to incor-
porate in It the Nicaragua canal bill was not in
order was sustained by a vote OF i55 TO 90 The
naval appropriation bill was then taken up and
half the Bill was completed The census bill
was sent to conference, Two bills were intro
duead To pay Spain the f20, 0000)0 for the Phil
ippine Islands The evening session was de-
voted to private pension legislation.
THE senate spent most OF the session of the
18th on the post office appropriation bill, but
failed to pass It. At four o'clock tributes to
the memory Of the late Representative Simp-
klns fMassl were pronounced. Several minor
bills were passed early in the day, among them
being two providing for an extension Of time to
the Arkansas & Northwestern railway and the
Gainesville, McAlester & ST Louis railway to
construct railways through the Indian territory
and one providing for the sale OF the surplus
lands on the Pottawatomle and Kickapeo In
dian reservations in Kansas. -. The house spent
Two hours upon the naval appropriation bill
without making any progress and devoted the
remainder Of the session to eulogies upon the
life and public services Of the late Representa-
NorthWay tOl
THE post office appropriation bill was dis
eussed for six hours in the senate on the 20th
and finally an agreement was made to take a
vote on ths bill at two o'clock the next day.
Senator Hawley Comm. chairman of the mill
tafy affairs committee, got the army reorgan-
lzltion bill made the unfinished business by a
vote Of a to 26 This action displaees the anti
scalping bill and disposes of that measure for
the present session. Senator Coekrell tDio1
secured the passage of resolution calling up
on the wa secretary for information as to the
cost Of the army under the proposed Hull bill
Ia separate bill was passed under suspen-
sion of rules in the house appropriating i20,-
O00, 00l to pay Spain for the Philippine islands
The vote on the measure stood 2i3 for to "a
against The senate bill to reimburse govern
ors af states for expenses incurred in organz-
ing volunteers for the war with Spain was also
passed