Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1899-02-23
WORK OF CONGRESS

Washington, Feb. IA. - At no time
during the session OF the senate VOC
terday was a quorum Of the BODY
present. a majority Of the members be.
ing snow-hound at their homes. A
shatp debate over the unanimous con-
sent agreement reached Saturday af.
.erhoon to yote on the McEnery reso-
iu'lon thls afternoon was precipitated
early III the session. Some feeling
was manifested by senators who oh.
!ect 10 the adoption of the resolution.
pnt none OF them indicated what
mlght De their action to-day. In con-
nectlon with the consideration of the
resolution the senate decided to meet
at 10 O'Clock this morning. The acri-
cultural appropriation bill was called
up, considered and passed with only a
rev unimportant amendments. A
Dill removing the disabilities of GER
tam persons engaged in the civil war
was passed. Mr.. Hale, chairman of
the naval affairs committee, favorably
reported and the senate passed n bill
creating an admiral of the navy, 1t
being intended that Rear Admiral
Dewey should get the office.
The House.
The raging blizzard caused practical.
ly a suspension Of business at the
house yesterday. Not a car line ap-
proached the building, but a few mem
Ders or the house managed to reach
the capitol In sleighs and carriages,
and the employees trudged and labored
through the deep snow and binding
storm to reach their posts of duty.
speaker Reed did not appear at the
capitol but sent word to his lieuten-
ants that, in his opinion, 1t was mad
visaDle to hold a session Of the house,
n after consulting several members
or the majority, Gen. Henderson of
iowa, who had braved the storm, de-
cided II would be best TO adjourn inn
mediately after assembling. At u .O5
Clerk Mcdowell called the house to
order: There were about sixty men,
bers on the floor. Mr.. Payne moved
that the house adjourn. The motion
was voted down-44 to 8. On motion
OF Mr.. G~rosvenor Mr.. Payne Of New
York was elected speaker pro TEN.
amid an outburst Of applause. Dis
trict day was postponed until Thurs
day, and the house, or Mr.. Cannon's
motion, then went into committee of
the whole, Mr.. Hopkins of Illinois, in
the chair, and resumed the considera-
ton of the sundry civil bill.
Washington, Feb. 10. The unani-
nous consent agreement reached by
the senate last Saturday to vote yes
terday afternoon on the resolution of
Mr.. McEnery of Louisiana declaring
the policy of this government in the
| IhftfnpfnnC xt-n not xaAnl 1
cordance with that agreement the
vote was aiken on the resolution and
It was adopted-26 to %. 1t was no
ticeabie that several Democrats who
were present and no paired refrained
from voting. An amendment offered
by Mr.. Bacon of Georgia several days
ago was defeated. The vote on the
amendment was a tie-29 to %, and
Vice President Hobart cast the de
Gliding vote against the proposition.
The voting was preceded by three
and a half hours debate. The resolu-
ton is as follows:
THAT by the ratification of the
treaty Of peace with Spain it is not In
tended 10 incorporate the Inhabitants
OF the Philippine islands into citizen
ship Of the United States, nor is il in
tended to annex said islands as an in
tegral part of the territory Of the Unit
ed States; but it is the intention Of
the United States to establish or said
islands a government suitable TO the
wants and conditions of the inhabi-
tants of the said islands, to prepare
them for local self government, and
in due time to make such disposition
OF said islands as will best promote
the interests Of the citizens of the
United States and the inhabitants OF
said islands"
The House.
The Nicaragua canal bill was Of
fered In the house as an amendment
to the sundry civil appropriation bill
by Mr.. Hepburn of Iowa, chairman OF
the committee that reported 1t. and
the leaders on the respective sides are
engaged in a desperate struggle which
involves the fate Of the measure at
this section of congress. After Mr..
CauI On, chairman of the committee on
appropriations, served notice last
week that there was no time for the
consideration at this session the sup
porters of the measure decided to
force ii onto the sundry civil bill as
a rider If possible. As soon as 1t was
offered iir. Cannon raised four points
of order against ii and n Of the
most interesting parliamentary de-
bates of the session was on. AS a
rule the house leaders are able to
hold the members in line, but strong
arguments are adduced in support or
the p~ertinency of the bill, and, besides,
the bill has strong friends on both
sides OF the chamber who are ready
to adopt any expedient TO provide for
the construction Of the canal. The de-
bate on the Ioints of order lasted two
hours and was not concluded. IL
promises TO consume several hours to-
day. 1t seems to be a foregone con-
clusion that the chairman of the com
mittee of the whole, Mr.. Hopkins of
Illinois. will sustain the points OF or
der. so that the real test Will come
upon the question of overruling the
chair. Should the chair be overruled
there is no doubt that the amendment
will command a majority OF votes.