Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-01-17
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE

The desk of the late Mr.. Dngley was still
draped in black and covered with beautiful
roses and lilies when the House met today
at noon. Immediately after the reading Of
the journal Mr.. McC1eary (Minn.) on behalf
of the banking and currency committee
made statement to the effect that the vote
on the currency bill reported at the last
session had been irregularly taken in the
committee, and he therefore asked that the
bill be recommitted.
This does not mean that the bill is to
tTenn.).
NO sir
The other side has promised currency re-
form, continued Mr.. Richardson, and |
would like to know if the bill is again to be
reported"
Il am neither a prophet nor the son of a
prophet, responded Mr.. McCleary.
Mr. Mitchell IN. W explained that there
had been some irregularity in the vote. and
in order to avoid any show of unfairness to
the opponents of the bill this action had
been decided upon. There was no objection
ana the bill was recOmmtted.
Mr.. Mercer (Neb.) asked unanimous con-
sent for the consideration of the bill for
the aid OF the exposition of Greater Amer
Ica' to be held at Omaha, Neb., but Mr.
Richardson objected because the bill had
not been considered by a committee of the
House.
bill was passed to amend the act grant
illS d rlSnl OF way through the Indian
ritory TO the Gainesville, McAllister and
ST: Louis Railway Company.
The consideration of the oWn-Swanson
contested election case from Virginia had
Deen set for today, but was ostpOned until
thursday in order that the House might
proceed with the naval personnel bill. The
House accordingly went into committee of
the whole and resumed the consideration of
that measure.
Mr. Bailey moved to strike from section
the following proviso: And provided fur
Their; that nothing contained in this section
snail be construed to prevent the retire
ment of officers with the rank and paw of
commodore The rank of commodore. he
said was abolished in the active list by the
retired list? ~ '4ie
Mr. Bailey reiterated his opposition to
eliminating the time-honored rank of com
modOre in the active list but If II Uas 70
go out OF the active list 1t certainly should
not be retained in the retired list
Mr.. Foss called attention to the fact that
oo comm, was courtesy rank and not an
actual rank before the civil war. Perry.
Decatur and Barron were captains hnt
by courtesy called commodores
IN; MI Loud (Calo, in some criticism of the
officers under the present system did not
reach command rank early enough was due
to the fact that there were not enough
snips. Advancement was as rapid in the
navy as IN the merchant service. He made
some sarcastic references to the deep-sea
sailors on the committee who lived in West
virginia ana other interior states
MI Cummings (N.Y.). a member of the
naval committee. said that he had sympa-
thized with Mr.. Bailey's position before he
had investigated the subject but he had
become convinced that we had as well re-
store the old ships of the line and sink our
modern ironclads and take the navy as II
was one hundred years ago as to retain the
personnel of the navy today as it was one
hundred years ago
Mr.. Foss said there was a misunder-
standing ABOUT the purpose of the bill. 1t
was not proposed to abolish the title, but
only the grade of commodore
Mr. Bailey called attention to the fact
that title was only preserved in three in
stances. each for the purpose of increasing
the pay of an officer
Mr., Bailey's amendment was lost. 60 to
112. w ~
Mr.. Bailey then offered an amendment to