The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1899-01-24
WORK OF CONGRESS

Washington, Jan. 1S.-A state funer-
al, almost majestic in it's impressive
ness, was given the late Representa-
i've Nelson Dingley at noon yeSter-
Gay III the house of representatives,
where he has long been such a COM
handing figure. Tile president, his
cabinet, the distinguished members Of
the diplomatic corps, members of the
supreme court. senate and house and
distinguished members IN military and
civil life were ranged about his bier on
the floor of the hall, while the CALLER
les, to which admission could be OBJ
tanned only by card, were occupied by
the families Of those who sat upon the
moor and prominent persons invited to
be present. Some of them, like a del
egation from the New York chamber
OF commerce, had come from d dis
lance to pay their last tribute of re-
spect to the dead statesman.
The remains were taken from Hotel
Hamilton to the cap tol in the morning
and We're borne into the hall of repre-
sentatives by a squad of capitol police
under the direction of Sergeant-at-
Arms Russell. The casket was placed
on bier in the area in front OF the
marble rCstrum Of the speaker, and for
an Eour the public, which would have
no opportunity to witness the official
ceremonies later, were allowed 10
view the remains as they lay in state.
The decorations of the hall were very
simple, but strikingly beautiful.
Immediately in front OF the white
marble rCstrum the casket lay banked
on either side with rare and exquisite
flowers. During the interval before
IL almost every member Of the house
In the city came and stood for a mo-
inent by the casket with bowed head.
Mr.. Dingley's desk was wrapped III
black and covered with roses and
lilies. Speaker Reed called the house
to order. An air of deep sadness per-
yaded the hall as the members rose to
listen to the brief and simple prayer
of the chaplain. The clerk read the
resolutions adopted on Saturday after
the announcement of Mr.. DingleyS
death, and the clerk of the senate an
nounced the passage of similar resolu-
tons by the senate. The vice preSl-
dent and the senate entered the cham
Ter in a body, followed by the diplo-
matte corps, with whom came the
members Of the Anglo-Amer:can COM
mission, of which Mr.. Dingley had
been member. Then followed the
chief justice and associate justices OF
the supreme court in their somoer
robes and they in tura were followed
by the president with his cabinet, Sec
retaries Hay; Gage, Alger, Attorney
General Griggs, Secretaries Long.
Bliss and Wilson, who took places inn
mediately to the right of the casket.
Washington, Jan. Is. = Almost the
entire session of the senate was de-
voted to consideration of the pending
Nicaragua canal bill. Speeches were
made in support of the measure by Mr..
Chiffon of Texas and Mr.. Turner OF
Washington, and in opposition to 1t by
Mr. Spooner of Wisconsin, AT
O'Clock consideration of the bill under
the fifteen-minute rule was begun, and
was continued to the close of the SEES
sion. The first vote reached was on
an amendment offered by Mr.. Rawlins
of Utah, which in brief, provided that
the United States should have abso-
lutte control of the canal for military
or naval purposes, with power to die
tate the use Of the waterway during
the existence of war. The friends of
the pending bill rallied against the
amendment and it was defeated by the
decisive vote of SO to 8. A provision
was Inserted in the bill providing that
no more than S5,000,000 should be
paid the Maritime Canal company for
it's concession and work already done
on the canal. When adjournment was
taken the substitute measure offered
by Mr.. Caffery of Louisiana was be-
fore the senate.
The House.
The house passed the naval person
mel bill without division Oh the final
passage, thus accomplishing what the
officers Of the navy have striven for
during more than decade. by IT'S
provisions the line and engineer corps
are welded into an amalgamated line,
staff officers are given positive rank,
hut their command is limited to their
own corps and system of voluntary
and compulsory retirement on three
quarters pay as of the next higher
rank of forty officers a year is eStaD-
lished, which is designed to remove
the congestion in the lower rank at
forty-five The bill also practically
coualiZes their pay with that OF army
officers. Three important amendments
were adopted; one creates a Judge al
vocate's court, another abolishes prize
money and third provides for the re-
tirement on threeqGarteTs pay of en-
listed men and petty officers in the
navy, after thirty years service. But
the most important change in the bill
as reported was the adoption after
hard fight of substitute for the or
eanization of the marine corpse by
which the corps is to consist of 5000
enlisted men and petty officers with
general officers and staff. This will in
crease the marine corps by 1.3O0 men.