Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-02-04
CONGRESSMAN
FORFEIT SEATS
Findings of the House Judi
ciary Committee.
JOE WHEELER is SILENT
Four Members ofiho House VINO Ac>
copied Army commissions IncIud~
ed In Committees Rcport-Acccpt.
nnce of Civn Communications Not n
Violation OF Law Fight Against
Relief Bills.
(By Telegraph to virglnia-Pnot.>

quiry by the House OF Representa- tives
as 10 what members had forfeited their
seats by reason of accepting other
offices ended the day with a finding BY
the Judiciary Committee that Major
General Wheeler, u member from Ala
/ bama; Col. James II. Campbell of Illi-
nois: Col. David CT. Colson. of Ken
lucky, and Major Edward l.. Robbins.
of Pennsylvania, had vacated their
seats in the House by accepting com
missions in the army. At the same
time the committee determined that
none of the members Of Congress serv-
ing on civil commissions had thereby
vacated their seats in the House.
| The Judiciary Committee has been
conducting the inquiry for several days.
and after an arduous session ending at
$50 -. m. the injunction of secrecy
was removed.
DEVOID OF PARTISANSHIp.
| Mr.. Henderson, chairman of the
committee. says that throughout the
inquiry craftsmanship did not enter into
| the question. The findings are en-.
! bodied in IL resolution which Will be
submitted to the House With 4 report.
1t Will take some days before this can
| be done. The resolution states in de-
| tail the facts as to the military APP
| continents, acceptance and service Of
| General Wheeler and the other army
| officers, and then declares their seats
vacated at the time OF accepting.
| NO statment was made public ms TO
the votes. 1t is understood, however,
that ON the final vote on declaring
vacant the seats OF the military mem
bers. MIR. Jenkins, OF Wisconsin, voted
In the negative and Mr.. Parker, of
| New Jersey, voted in the negative in
the case of Major Robbins. the latter
having been mustered out of service.
| WHEELER Is SILENT.
| General Wheeler was seen after the
| findings were announced, but asked to
be excused from commenting upon the
decision. as it was in the nature of a
Judicial proceeding.
1t is said General Wheeler and his
associates will take no action for the
present. as the findings of the COM
mittee is yet to be passed upon by the
House. The fact that Mr.. Jenkins
| voted against unseating General
| Wheeler and the others may lead to Il
minority report. although no notice of
| such was given
RELIEF BILLS.
Most of the time OF the House dur
Ing the three hours session to-day was
| consumed in filbustcring against relief
| DIS on the private calendar. The fill
| ibus;er WAS finally successful. and the
House adjourned without taking up the
bill. The conference report on the dip
| lomatic appropriation bill was adopted
LIKE CAESARS WIFE.
At the opening of the session Mr.
| burton QRep.. of ohio, chairman of
| the River and Harbor COMMITTEES. rose
to a question of personal privilege in
connection with some remarks OF Mr.
| Hawlcy (Rep. of Texas, printed in
the Record this morning. but which
Mr.. Burton claimed had not bee dclv.
cred on the floor. The remarks. Mr.
! Burton said, contained insinuations of
| TOO much interest upon the part of the
committee and himself in Il provision
al appropriation OF $500 in the river
| and harbor bill for Il channel between
| the Galveston jettes and Texas City
| He repudiated every such insinuation
| The committee had thought this APP
preparation would he more useful than
the SS.000,000 expended at Galveston
| harbor for the benefit of a single cor
poration He doubted now the eXpc-
dicncy of action OF the House in strik-
| ing out the appropriation. The River
and Ilarbor bin was. he said, like
Caesars wife-above rcproach.
| He moved that the remarks be str.ck-
| til il'Nl ilie IL MT. lllWleN Sllu
| his printed remarks had been in effect
| delivered upon the floor. but offered 10
| remove the Objectionable portions If
! the motion were withdrawn.
FILIBUSTERING TACTICS CONTIN-
UED.
The vote upon MIR. Burton's motion
to strike out Mr.. Hawley's remarks re-
| suited IS to 0. whereupon Mr. Dockery
| CDem., of MissourD. who was anxious
| to prevent consideration Of certain re-
| lief bills, which would follow in the
| regular course OF things. made the
point of no quorum. The Speaker was
able to count only AS members. and
4 call Of the House was ordered.
y quorum appeared upon the roll
| call. and Mr.. Burton's motion prevail
| ed l05-ll % present and not voting
| Fiiibustering tactics We're continued,
| and at 3 o'clock the House adjourned.
NICARAGUAN CANAL BILL.
The House Committee on Interstate
| and Foreign Commerce to-day directed
| a favorable report on the Hepburn
Nicaragua Canal bill. with amend
ments. for the Morgan bill, passed by
| the Senate.
The essential features Of the bill as
| reported are that il authorizes the
President of the United States To ac-
| qurc by purchase from Nicaragua and
| Costa Rica the territory necessary to
| build the canal and then to proceed
| with the construction of IL. One hun
dred and fifteen million dollars IS APP
| propriated for the completion of the
work authorized The changes made