The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-03-01
PUBLIC BUILDING COMBINE.
THE BILLS GO THROUGH IN SPITE
R OF MADDOx's FIGHT.

brunswick, Columbus and Macon,
Ga, and Tampa, Fla, on the List.
Combination Was Too Strong for
Its 0pponents-The Special Fast
Mail Facilities Restored to the
POstOmce Appropriation Bill by
the HOuse-Other Bills Passed.
Washington, Feb. 2S.-There was large
attendance in the hail when the House
met to-day.
The Senate army reorganization bill,
which came over from the Senate, was at
Mr.. Hulls request referred to the COM
mittee on military affairs for consideration.
Mr.. Mercer, Republican, of Nebraska,
chairman of the committee on public build
ings and grounds, then called up the spe-
cial order setting aside to-day for the con-
sideraton of public buildings bills.
He explained the order in which the
committee had decided to cali up the va
srlous bill favorably acted upon by the COM
mittee of the whole ten days ago. Sixty
two bills had been acted upon. The thirty
nine of the classification given preference,
provided for building in cities having
frst-class postoffices, federal courts or
custom houses, and carried $780, 900. The
other twenty-three bills carried $tyS22,OO
He then called up the first of the bills, that
providing for a public building at Eliza
beth City, N. c.
Took LOg-ROlIing to Pass Them.
MIR. Maddox, Democrat of Georgia, who
has been opposing the public building
bills, secured twenty minutes in which 10
make general statement. He said that
he had led with success the fight against
public building combine in the Fifty
third Congress. He contended that in the
present state of the treasury not one of
these bills could stand alone and pass
without the support of a log-rolling COM
bine. He called attention to the fact that
the states represented by the fifteen MEM
bers of the committee got $5,700,000. The
Southern members, however, got only
pitiful pittance. For every dollar they
got, the Northern members of the com
mittee got $40.
The bill was passed upon division, Ill to
a. This bill carries $4,000.
A number of other bills were then pass
ed, the demand for ayes and noes
being defeated. Among them was Bruins
wick, Ca. $4,000.
Combination Was Too Strong.
After the passage of this bill Mr.. Mad
dox admitted the inability of the small
| minority to place the members upon rec
| ord He had done his duty he said, and
so far as he was. concerned, he was now
willing to have the rest of the bills sent
up in a bunch and passed.
Mr.. Dockery, Democrat of Missouri fol-
lowed in the same line He and his col
leagues were powerless to antagonize the
combination supporting these bills. They
had the support of the committee on rules,
and he would content himself during the
remainder of the day with voting against
each of the bills.
With the remark that If the experience
meeting was over he would call up ethe
next BILL Mr.. Mercer called up the bill
for a public building at Beaumont, Tex,
and the work of passing the bills proceed
ed as follows: Beaumont, Tex, $4,000;
Tampa, Fla, $100,0 Abilene, Tex, $75,
coo; Macon, Ca, $5S,00O; Columbus, Ca,
$50, ,OOo
When the bills of the second class were
reached, beginning with the bill for pub
lie building a New IBERIA La, Mr.. Payne,
Republican, of New York, the floor leader
of the majority, made a twenty minutes
speech in opposition 10 the bills Of this
class.
The Fast Mail Amendments
MIR. Loud. Republican, of California, here
interposed a partial conference report of
the postoffice appropriation bill. Ii left
unsettled the question of fast mail service
added by the Senate, the conferees re-
porting that they could not agree on that
item This pTecipitated an unexpected con-
test, as Representative Bankhead, Demo-
crat, Of Alabama, moved 20 concur In
the Senate amendments as to special IA
cilities.
Messrs. Catchings, Democrat Of Missis-
sippi; Moon Democrat, of Tennessee, and
Messrs. BromwelI Republican, of Ohio;
opposed it as subsidy"
The motion to concur in the Senate
amendment was then agreed to, 116 to 81,
on a standing vote, and the yeas and
nays were taken.
The vote resulted 142 to Sc, thus finally
adopting the special mail amendments or
the Senate, and also making a complete
agreement on the postoffice appropriation
bill. The amendments adopted by the Sem
ate and not concurred in, provide ''for
necessary and special facilities on the
trunk lines from New York and Wash
ington to Atlanta and New Orleans. Sl71,-
23S" at the discretion of the Postmaster
General; for similar facilities from Kan
sas City, Mo-, to Newton, Kan. $4,000.
The House then returned to the public
building bills The following additional
bills were passed: New Iberia, La, $780,
600; Bristol. Tenn. $4,000; Admission, Ala.
$4,000; Winston, N. c., $4,000.
The only bill defeated was that provid-
ing for building al Bluefelds W. Va
At 6:10 O'clock p. m. the House adjourned