Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1899-03-09

Washington. March 4.-Excitement.
confusion. heavy strain and hard
words characterized the last legislative
day of the Fifty-siXth congress in the
senate. AT times the confusion was
so great in this usually staid and de-
corouS body as to render the transac-
| ton OF business almost impossible
BUSINESS that ordinarily would have
| mad the undivided attention of every
senator on the floor was transacted
amidst so much noise that it was next
to impossible to follow the proceed
| lngs. Toward midnight order was be-
ing evolved from the seeming chaos of
the early part of the day and evening.
ana the prospect was fair that CON
gress would adjourn at noon today
with its absolutely necessary work
completed.
When the senate convened at IL
O'Clock YESTERDAY morning it faced the
task OF considering two of the great
appropriation bills. those for the army
ana for supplying the general defic-
| lencleS. me former carries apprO-
priationS exceeding $SOOOO.OOO and
the latter about $2UGOO,UOO. With a
| determination to complete the appro-
prlation bills the senate began at IL
! O'Clock to consider these bills. and at
O'Clock last night the ARMY appro-
priation was passed. the deficiency
| bill having been passed three hours
before. A conference report on the
Alaskan criminal bill was presented
and agreed to. partial report on the
sundry civil appropriation bill was
agreed to, but the inability Of the sen
ate confeleeS to secure an agreement
on the Hawaiian cab!" proposition
created a heated discussion. in the
course of which Speaker Reed was al
luded to i'll uncomplimentary terms.
| When the river and harbor conference
| report was presented a debate upon
| the recession of the senate confewes
from the senate amendment providing
1or reservoirs to irrigate arid lands at
the headWaters of the Missouri river
WAS precipitated by the advocates OF
the proposition. An effort was made
to recommit the bill to the conferaes.
but it failed after an impassioned
speech by Senator Frye. who submit
ted the report. At 11:30 p. IN. the de.
bate was still in progress with no in
dlcatloDS OF an early conclusion
The House.
Crowded galleries looked down upon
the struggling members Of the house
as the closing scenes of the last legis-
lative day of this congress We're being
enacted. Step by step the leaders in
charge of the appropriation bills
pushed them through the final stages
and during every lull i'll the consider
alton Of conference reports members
clamored for recognition for belated
local bills in the vain hope of rescuing
them from death on the calendar. At
times the house was like a Bedlam.
The noise and confusion on the floor,
punctured with the beating of the
speakers gavel or backed with the
droning voices of the clerks. members
same time, pages scur1ying up and
down the aisles, all this was utterly
distrac citing.
Mr.. Walker Of Massachusetts,, after
hldny llllsucce ssful attempts. got an
opportunity during the afternoon to
voice his views on currency reform,
and severely criticised some of his Re
publican colleagues. When the great
beacon light on the dome hlazed forth
as darkness fell thousands upon thou
sands We're attracted to the brilliant
ly Illuminated wings OF the capitol,
where the two houses We're to sit out
the night. The big questions in dis
pute between the two houses being
naturally the last to be adjusted were
postponed far into the night. From
time to time short recesseS were taken
These We're simply brea thing spells,
fhowever, and soon the leaders We're at
it again harder than ever.
/ 1tNIrARr4E,n ny GOMEZ