The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-02-14
HOUSE HELD SHORT SESSION.
Speaker Reed Did not Venture Out and
Mr.. Cannon got Turned Over in the
Snow.

Snow.
WASHINGTON. Feb. 13. This was an
exceedingly dull day in the House. Owing
TO the blizzard outside the attendance
was very slim.
The great marble capitol looked like
. snow palace Ledges. facades and
nararets were banked with snow. On
the drives and the plaza in front of the
building the snow had drifted into great
hillows in some places ten feet deep.
Not street car approached the build
ing hut few members of the House
managed to reach the capitol in sleighs
and carriages, and the employees trudged
and lahored through the deep snow and
binding storm to reach their pests of
duty. The hall of the House was as
dark as a cellar The snow banked
anon the ground glass CEILINGS shut out
the light and half m hour before noon
The hour for the House to convene the
lichts were turned on to relieve the
gloom
The committee meetings with but one
or two exceptions were not held. The
few members of the House who arrived
had no th0rght for anything save the
weather. They stood about the wealth
ar man in the lobby in the rear Of the
hall discussing temperatures and snow
fall and record breaking IN all parts of
the country ard ii was the unanimous
verdict Of tho Oldest member of the
group thar nothing approaching the pres
ent cold srell and snowfall had been
Known in Washington in their expert
once. Sneaker Reed did not a0pear Mt
the capitol. hut sent word TO his lent.
enants that in his opinon il was inadvis-
allie TO hold q session of the House to-
day and after consulting several mem
hers of the majority General Henderson,
Of Iowa. who had hraved the storm, de,
cided it would be hest to adjourn im-'
mcdiately after assembling.
General Henderson had an engagement
10 speak at East ORANGE. \. j.. today,
hpt found that he could not get there
by rail- Mr. Dolliver. of Iowa, was to
sreak to Sunday School gathering in
Newark, y. j.
General Crosyennr. of Ohio. was slated
for a speech at the MARQUETTE Club in
CHICAGO tonight. hut could not get away
and Representatives lacey, of Iowa;
Mann of Illinois and Packer. of Penn
svlvania. with assistant Secretary of
State Hill were to have spoken at the
lincoln Banqpet tonight at Williams
mort Penn Some of the men,
hers had ludcrous experiences in their
efforts to get to the capitol. Mr.. Can
non of Illinois, the veteran Chairman of
the Appropriation committee, was tum-
hled ont of sleigh in the snowbank
as he was coming MP capitol hill
At 1905 Clerk Mcdowell called the
+n .N,Ia
rremhers on the floor. Mr. Payne moved
that the House adjourn. but there were
cries of mo" mo-" from the little cir
Gle of members. most of whom held in
their hands bills which they hoped to
pass by unanimous consent.
The motion was voted down to Al
On motion of Mr.. Grosvenor, (Rep., O),
Mr. Payne. of New York. was elected
Speaker pro tenn, amid an outburst of APP
plause.
District day was postponed until
Thursday and the House. on Mr.. Can
mons motion then went into committe
of the whole. Mr. Hopkins. of Illinois,
in the chair. and resumed the considera-
tion of the Sundry Civil bill.
a resumption of the discussion of the
receipts and expenditures of the treas
ury which, attracted considerable atten-
ton last week, was again precipitated
by Mr.. Sulzer. Dem. \. W. who Of
fercd some figures as, to the cost of the
steamship subsidy bill.
Mr.. Cannon reiterated his statement
of last week regarding the ship subsidy
bill and the Nicaragua Canal bill.
Mr.. Payne. chairman of the Commit
tee which reported the subsidy bill.
said he welcomed any information that
would throw light unon the bill, but he
protested against alarming statements
as TO the deficiencies in advance Esti-
mates did not always coincide with an
nropriations. as an illustration he cited
the fact that the estimate for the army
bin had ranged as high rs Sl43.000fWo
whereas the Military Committee had
rrorarod . hill carrying Jess than $50
100000. He asked why Mr.. Cannon had
not thrown his influence against the
rnb|ic building bills few DAYS ago.
Those bills, he said. would take more
money from the Treasury next year than
both the sueidy and camel bills together.
Mr. Cannon declared that If the army
bill carried but ss0.O00o00 there would
ho deficit on that aceoupt Of - 600
600. Mr.. Hay. Dem, Fa), made a
sir'i'ar statement
"why are not the s45.o0on GOO rlaced
in the army bill?" asked a member.