The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1899-02-23
DOInGS OF CONGRESS.
Abstract of the Important Proceed
ings.

Abstract of the Important Proceed
ings.
In the Senate on Tuesday, Feb. H. by a
vote of rs to % the anti-expansion resO
luton recently offered by Senator Nc
Emery, OF Louisiana, was agreed to. Six
COWS, Chandler, Deboe, Fairbanks, Fry,
Gear, Hale, Hanna, Lodge, Mcmillan,
Mason, Nelson, Perkins, Plat of New
York, and Quay, voted with six Demo-
Gratis, Faulkner, Gray, McEnery, MIC
Laurin, Pettus, and Sullivan, and with
Messrs. Kyle, Harris, Mantle and Teller,
To make up the affirmative vote, while
eight Republicans, Carter. Hawley, Hoar
Mcbride, Plat of Connecticut, Ross,
Simon, and Warren, voted in the mega
tive.
Previous to the passage of the McEnery
resolution the Senate voted upon the
substitute offered by Mr.. Bacon, of Geor-
gia, and defeated it. The vote stood 20
10 20, and when the tie was reported to
the Vice-President he announced his vote
In the negative, thus emphasizing de-
feat which had already been accom-
plished. 1t was the first time the Vice
President had had occasion to vote since
he entered the Senate. The Bacon
amendment was i'm effect that the United
permanent sovereignty over said islands,
and assert their determination, when a
stable and independent Government shall
have been erected, to transfer TO said Gov
eminent all rights secured under the
cession by Spain, and to leave the Gov
eminent to the people.
In the House the Nicaraguan Canal
bill was offered as an amendment to the
sundry civil appropriation bill by Col.
Hepburn, of Iowa, Chairman of the com
mittee that reported it.
AS soon as it was offered Chairman
Cannon made four points of order against
it. The debate on the points of order
lasted two hours, and was not concluded.
In the House on Wednesday the more
ardent advocates of the Nicaragua Canal
in the House locked horns with Speaker
Reed and his influential allies. All the
afternoon the contest continued, and near
the usual hour for adjournment the final
test was taken.
The test which resulted in distinctive
victory for the Speaker, was not so much
on the merits OF the canal proposition as
on the parliamentary Justice OF overrulinp
a decision oil the Chair. The sentiment in
the House is Overwhelmingly in favor of
the Immediate construction of the canal
even If it should be necessary to issue
Government bonds for that purpose. But
the great pressure for time to consider the
nous expenditures and the danger OF a
large deficit, guided the Speaker and the
heads of the great committees against the
considerable OF the Nicaragua bill be-
tween now and March 4. Nearly all these
leaders favor the canal, but when the
crusade began to force the bill before the
House, the question became one of au-
thority, and the Speaker and his immedi-
ate supporters fought for their own prerog-
atives.
After several speeches the Chairman of
the Committee of the Whole (Mr. Hop
kins) made an elaborate ruling. in which
he pointed out that the question pre-
sented was purely parliamentary one.
He reviewed the arguments adduced on
both sides, cited precedents, and CON
Guided by sus staining the points of order
against the amendment.
After the defeat Of the amendment Gen.
Grosvenor presented a resolution fixing
Feb. 20 and II for the consideration of the
Hepburn bill, with vote ON the latter
day at p. m That resolution will go to
the Committee on Rules.
On "A rising vote the Chair was sus-
tained-l52 to 1f8. Col. Hepburn loudly
demanded tellers. The vote by teilers
sustained 127 to 100, and the amendment
was ruled out
The bill was then further considered.
In the Senate on Thursday the Military
Academy bill was passed and good prog
ress made with the Postoffice bill
In the House the sundry civil bill was
considered. The paragraph carrying the
appropriation of $50, 900, 900 for payment to
Spain under the terms OF the peace treaty
was stricken out upon point Of order
made by Representative Wheeler a Ken
lucky Democrat, who declared that he OPP
posed the appropriation on principle, and
60. - l..
it. The point of order was debated for
hours, its determination Ringing upon
the question of whether the ratification
Of the treaty by the Senate and it's sign
ing by the President vitalized it with0u
the action Of the Spanish Cortes War
rant Of law was necessary to make the
appropriation in order. Representative
Hopkins, who was in the chair, sustain ed
the point OF order against it, and upon an
appeal his decision was sustained-149 to
80.
After the sundry civil bill had been
completed and reported to the House Col
Hepburn, of Iowa, the champion of the
Nicaragua Canal bill, moved to recommit
it with instructions to report it back with
the canal bill incorporated in it.
The motion was promptly declared out
of order by the Speaker, whereupOn Col
Hepburn appealed, and Leader Payne. of
New York, moved to lay the appeal on the
table. Upon the latter motion the vote
was taken, and the result was 81 ayes to
81 nays.
In the House on Friday. after the dis
position of other business, the regular
order" was demanded.
This was the vote upon the mo,ion
made lust prior to adjournment the day
before tc lay upon the table the appeal
from the decision of the Chair. No
quorum having developed upon the mo-
ton Thursday, the vote was again taken
by ayes and nays.
The Chair was sustained and the ap-
peal laid upon the table-155 to So. The
sunery civil was then passed.
Quite Effective.
Metropolitan Magazine.
81 suppose, Henry" said the old gen.
tieman to the new son-in-law, that
you're aware the check for $4,000 | put
among yOur wedding presents was merely