Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-02-14

The raging blizzard caused a practical
suspension of business in the House to-
day. Speaker Reed did nor appear at the
Capitol but sent word to his leutenants
that in his opinion il was inadvisab.e TO
hold session of the House. today.
Some of the Republican leaders were
disposed to go ahead with a session to-
day, and an attempt was made to com
municate with the Speaker but he could
not be reached at his hotel by telephone.
At 1906, Clerk Mcdowell called the
House to order There We're about 50
members on the floor. Payne moved that
the House adjourn, but there were cries
of No from the little circle of mem
bers, most of whom held in their hands
bills which they hoped to pass by unani-
nous consent. The motion was voted
down, 9 to -.
On motion of GrosVenor. Rep. Ohio
Payne. n. V. was elected Speaker pro
tenn. and the House OF Cannon's motion
went into committee of the whole and
resumed consideration of the sundry civil
bill.
Cannon asked unanimous consen: that
Hepburn be allowed TO offer the Nicarst-
q
point in the bill as he should see fit. all
points Of order to be reserved. Corliss
made similar request regarding the Pa.
citic cable. whereupon Cannon withdrew
his request.
Williams. Dem. Miss. declared that
the dream of Eastern empire was already
Il failure. With the ratification of the
treaty, peace and commercial expansion
We're to come. Instead there was war
hn N nf a on. hinnAy nd man
sive war. and now owing to the great eX-
pendi;ures involved i'll the East. the con-
struction OF the Nicaragua canal which
would furnish Il real basis for commercial
expansion TO be postponed.
A resumption of the discussion of the
receipts and expenditures of the treasury
which attracted considerable attention.
last week, was again precipitated by Sui
Ter, Dem, n. Y, who offered some fig
ures as to the cost of the steamship sub
idy bill.
Cannon reiterated his statement of last
week. regarding the ship subsidy bill and
the Nicaragua canal bill.
Payne. chairman of the committee
which reported the subsidy bill, said he
welcomed any information that would
throw light upon the bill. but he pro-
tested against alarming statements as to
did not always coincide with appropria-
tions. AS an illustration he cited the
fact that the estimates for the army bill
had ranged as high as sl45, oo9, 600, whereas
bill carrying less than $4,000. COO. He
asked why Cannon had not thrown his
influence against the public building bills,
few days ago. These bills. he saia'
would take more money from the treas,
ury next year than both the subsidy and
canal bills together.
Cannon declared that If the army bill
carried but $50. 900 there would be Il
deficit on that account of S45,ooo,0oc Hay.
Dem. Va, made a similar statement.
why is not the 600 placed in the
hill % asked a member
because the supporters Of big stand
ing army fear the effect If the. country
understands the real cost, replied Hay;
Berry, Dem. Ky. made spirited
speech scoring some of the economists OF
| the House who We're shouting for econ
omy and reaching their hands into the
treasury at every opportunity: He at
| tackled the steamship subsidy bill. charg-
! ing that the decay of our merchant md
rine was attributable to the ruinous pro-
tective policy of the Republican party.
On motion of Adamson, DEM. Ca
| $4,000 was placed in the bill for fish cui-
| lure station at Cold Springs. Ga.
| After having completed 81 pages OF the
| bill the committee rose. and, at ll3 T.
NJ. the House adjourned.