Evening star., 1899-03-04
WORKOUT SENATORS
Under a Terrific Strain ALI Night
Long.
WORKING TO COMPLETE BUSINESS
Fight Over lr,'sc+ion and the Pa
cific Cable.
SCENES THIS MORNING
WORKING TO COMPLETE BUSINESS
SCENES THIS MORNING

As the dawn broke over the Capitol this
morning a large majority of the member
ship of the Senate still was in or about
the chamber wherein the last legislative
day of the F'ifty-fifth Congress was draw
ing rapidly to a close. All night long the
senators had been laboring under a terrific
nervous strain to complete the necessary
legislation in order that Congress might
adjourn at noon today with its decks COM
paratively clear. Few. if any, of the mem
bers had had a wink of sleep. and the
drawn faces and heavy eyes of many of
the older senators indicated the stress un-
der which they were working.
The anxiety of the early night over the
fate of the river and harbOr bill was par
TALLY dispelled at 3:3O this morning. A
determined effort had been made from 8
o'clock last night until 2 this morning by
several western senators, headed by Mr..
Warren (Wyo.), to obtain reconsideration
of the conference report on the river and
harbOr bill. because of the refusal of the
House cOnfarees to consent that the Sem
ate amendment making an appropriation
for the construction of reservoirs at the
headwaters Of the Missouri river should re-
main in the bill.
Irrigation Fight.
Mr.. Frye (Iaine), in charge Of the con-
ference report, steadfastly refused to per-
init the report to be recommited to the
conference committee, holding that such
action would defeat the measure, and just
as steadfastly he was sustained by ma
jority of the Senate.
Mr. Warren occupied the floor in the dis
eussion of the reservoir proposition for five
hours. occasionally being relieved from the
strain of speaking by other senators who
talked briefly on the same subject. The
situation had every appearance of a deter
mined effort not only to defeat the river
and harbor bill. but also to prevent the en-
actment of other great appropriation meas
uTeS-
Finally. at o'clock Senator Frye con-
sentej to make one effort to induce the
House cOnferees TO accept the Senate res
ervoir amendment The report was recon-
mitted 10 the conferees and the Senate went
into executive session.
AT 800. when the transaction Of legisla-
tive business was resumed, Mr. Frye re
ported that the Senate conferees had been
unable to induce the House conferees to
reopen the agreement already made and
that the measure must stand or fall ac-
cording to the report made.
Then Mr.. Warren yielded. Rather than
impeTil the interests of the government and
probably defeat some of the appropriation
bills. he willing to accept the report
as it stood and in a graceful speech gave
up the fight which he had made against
heavy odds. Without another word of de-
bate. the river and harbor report was
agreed to-
The Naval Bill.
Following quickly upon this agreement,
another bone of contention was tossed into
the Senate in the form of a partial report
of the naval bill conferees. Mr.. Hale CMe.),
in charge Of the report, said the conferees
had been unable TO agree upon the Senate
amendment reducing the price of armor
plate TO $500 ton and to that authoriz-
ing the construction of government armor
plant in the event of the refusal of the
armOr companies to accept the price fixed
by the Senate.
Mr. Hale moved that the Senate conferees
recede from the amendment This motion
created a lively debate. Mr.. Hale Mr.. Till
man Is. O.. Mr.. Chandler IN. " and Mr..
Butler On. c., being the leading partici-
pants The Senate voted down Mr. Hale S
motion and sent the bill back to confer
ences-
The Pacific Cable.
At go Mr.. Allison 0a) presented par
tial report on the sundry civil bill. The
cOnferees still disagreed upon several items,
principal among which were the public
buildings amendment and that providing
for the construction of the Hawaiian cable.
Both OF these amendments aroused discus
sion. II was urgently maintained thai the
Senate conferees ought not to recede from
the public buildings amendments and equal
stress was laid on the Hawaiian cable
amendment. After a long discussion of the
situation. Mr.. Pettus (AlaD asked Mr.. Alli-
son. chairman Of the committee on appro-
priations, what he would advise the Senate
to do
That" replied Mr. Allison. 'fs a peril
nent question. Ny conviction is that if we
proceed further in this contention the bill
Will not become a law at this session.
wish however, that each senator should
exercise his own discretion and take his
portion of the responsibility in the matter -
in answer to questions Mr.. Allison said
he did not believe that If even all OF the
Senate amendments relating to public build
ings were receded from the House would
consent to the insertion of the Hawaiian
cable project
Then interjected Mr.. Stewart CNev1.
''let the whole bill go"
Commenting further upon the cable propo-
sition. Mr.. Stewart declared that II vonId
cost the United States 81 500 900 during tbe
next year to maintain communication by
steamship with Hawaii-enough to lay a
cable from this country to the islands.
The partial report presented by the con-
ference committee was then adopted
On motion OF Mr.. Allison the Senate re-
coded. after considerable discussion, from
the Senate amendment inserting several
public school projects the bills for which
had not passed both branches of Con
Mr.. Allison then moved that the Senate
recede from the remainder of the amend
nents In controversy. Including the Pacific
cable project.
InsuIted by the House.
This motion was vigorously discussed by
Mr.. Pettigrew, Mr.. Chandler and Mr. But
Ter. The last named denounced the action
OF the House IN delivering ''uItimatums''
to the Senate as cheek concentrated and
gall compounded and an insult TO the
Senate"
Mr.. Hawley (Conn.) said that this meas
ure relating to the Hartford public build.
ing was stricken out Of the bill in confer
ence, but nevertheless he felt it to be his
duty to support the report of the COM
naittee.
Then" said Mr., Butler, ''the senate,
viii do what ne has never done before-ht
will surrender. He is whipped"
No sharply replied Mr.. HawIey. 81
an not whipped and / have not slrrrend.
cred. But l regard II my duty to s1bmii
In the interest of my country and will hone
for better results next time. In the mann
Of mercy. justice and righteousness lei
this everlasting talk cease and let US have
a vote"
Mr. Chandler thought il would be bette,
TO have an extra session than to have
crowded down the Senate's throat the con