Omaha daily bee., 1899-02-09
MIX on PUBLIC BUILDINGS
Congressman Mercer Fares Badly at The
Hands Of tn House.
STROBE AND GREENE UNITE TO OPPOSE
Appropriation for blair Is sheIved
and There IL n Probability
that ID Will
Stay So.

WASHINGTON, Feb. s.-Cspeclal Tere.
sram')-Chairman Mercer OF the public
buildings and grounds committee Of the house
had ample opportunity today to appreciate
the ungratefulness OF his colleagues and to
marvel much at the temper displayed toward
some OF the measures reported by his com.
mittee by those who had failed TO come in
for their share OF pork" All DAY yester-
day the house in committee Of the whole
had under consideration public building and
site bills and when adjournment came some
eighty bills had been reported for passage
running high into the millions and giving
localities in thirty-eight states public build
bngs and sites. Those who had failed to be
taken care OF in the general scramble and
In the distribution Of pork as it has come
TO be called, made such a howl that late
last night some twenty additional bills were
reported, among them Kearney in Greene's
district and Plattsmouth in Strode's baili-
wick. So far down, however, were they
on the list that only miracle would save
them from failure and this was the condl-
tion they were in when the house met at
noon. Mercer at once moved that the COM
mittee rise and proceed to consideration OF
bills on third reading, which prevailed.
The bilr for Newport News was passed
and Mercer called up the Blair bill and then
trouble commenced. Greene of the Sixth Ne
braska who saw the forlorn position the
Kearney bin occupied, at once began a sys
tematic fiillbuster. Although Dockery of
Missouri was heading the movement Greene
pulled the wires. Strobe of the First Ne
b-aska united with Greene in determina
tion to have all the bills reported consid.
cred in committee OF the whole and he
Joined the antl-pork receivers In preventing
H., I14- nut h
had a chance. So persistent was his op-
position that Mercer finally moved 10 go
into committee of the whole and another
batch of bills came out OF the hopper Then
the committee rose and Blair again came
up for consideration.
BY this time the temper Of those who
could not get their bills considered became
ugly and flibustering was resorted to to
prevent further consideration unless an
agreement could be obtained to consider all
the reported bills. No such agreement was
reached at the time of adjournment, so
that unless another uay is secured there
will be no public buildings authorized by
the house except at Newport News, Va,
and Altoona, Pa, the latter bill being on
the calendar OF unfinished business
Senator Allen today introduced bill for
the purchase of a site and erection OF
public building at York, Neb., to cost
100000.
So pronounced has the opposition grown
to the continuance of Colonel Stotsenberg
with the First Nepraska that Senator Ahen
TODAY sent a letter to the secretary OF war
requesting that Stotsenberg be detached
from the regiment and ordered to join MS
regiment of regulars. This action, the sem
ntor said, was taken at the instance oil Fhe
Thurston Rifles association of Omaha, OF
which Cadet Taylor is president.
1t Is learned that John Brennan OF Rapid
CITY. s. D. will shortly succeed Agent Clapp
nj Pine Ridge S. d. Major Clapp Is IN
moor health and desires to round out his
career in military service. He tried to in
duce officials to permit him to name his
successor but to this they would not agree.
1t is understood that Representatives.
Elect Gamble and Burke have recommended
w s, Warner of Deadwood to succeed his
father. late receiver of the Rapid City land
office. There were a number of candidates
for the place. including Max Haehn and
John Patton both of Sturgis, S. D.
Priyates Arthur L. Fairchild, Company II,
and William F. BannisteT. Company G, Third
Nebraska regiment, have been ordered dis
charged.
An order was issued establishing a post
Office at Shamrock, Hand county, S. D., with
William Butts as postmaster.
Representatives Gamble and Burke leave
for South Dakota tomorrow.