The Van Buren press., 1899-01-14
PROCEEDINGS IN CONGRESS.
Work of Our National Lawmakers Mt Wa h 4.
ington During the Closing Days or
the Fifty-Flfth Session.

THE first session after the holidays of the
senate on the 4th occupied only IA minutes.
The president sent In the peace treaty with
short message OF transmittal, and the senate
| went into executive session and on motion OF
| Senator Davis (Minn) the treaty was referred
| to the foreign relations committee The senate
then adjourned out of respect to the memory of
| the late Senator Morrill, (Vt) -. There was a
| slim attendance when the house met at noon
| The blind chaplain prayed for the recovery Of
| Mr.. Dingley, the floor leader who is critically
| Ill, and the Alaska crimes bill was then taken
| up Mr.. Lewis wash introduced resolu-
| tion for a committee to investigate the charges
| of bad meat having been supplied to our SOL
| ders The bill providing for the retirement OF
| United States Judge Foster, of Kansas. on ac-
| count of the inconvenience caused by his ILL
| health was reported favorably from the Judi
| ciary committee. The house adjourned at 4:25
| p m out OF respect to Senator Morrills MEM
| ory
| IN the senate on the 9th resolution offered
| by Senator Hoar tMass) was adopted. 10
| asked the foreign relations committee to re-
port the status OF claims of United States citi-
| zens in existence against Spain before the war.
Senator Caffery La) continued his speech In
| opposition to the Nicaragua canal bill Sena-
| tor Berry (Arl1) presented protest from an
| Arkansas camp OF United Confederate Veter-
| ans against the proposition to get the federal
BOYtFHHeHb 10 pension cOnIeuefal6 sOlulerS.
Senator Pettigrew Is. d. reported favorably
from the Indian affairs committee the free
| homes amendment to the Indian appropriation
bill The house debated the bill to eodify the
| laws OF Alaska. The remainder Of the day was
| given to the consideration Of bills reported by
| the judiciary committee and quite q number OF
minor Importance were passed, among them
being. one to retire Cassius G. Foster, United
States district judge of Kansas
Soon after the senate convened on the 9th
the resolution OF Senator Hoar (Mass.l calling
on the president for the instructions to the
peace commissioners aud reports on the treaty
was adopted after q short debate. Senator
Caffery Ga) then delivered an extended argu-
ment in support OF the resolution OF Senator
Vest MOI against expansion Senator Nor
gan (Ala) afterward announced that the COM
mttee accepted the amendments of Senator
Berry (ArS) to the Nicaragua canal bill, but
they were not passed on by the senate. =. The
legislative, executive and judicial appropria-
tion bill was taken up by the house committee
of the whole and when the aspiration for the
| civil service commission was reached Mr. Ev-
ans Ky) made q motion to strike 1t out Tho
motion carried by vote of 81 to 81. During
the general debate on the bill Mr. Swanson
(Val delivered speech on anti Imperialism.
A bill was passed to pay volunteers upon their
muster out two months extra pay If they have
served beyond the limits OF the United States
and one months extra pay II they have only
served within the limits of the United States,
this extra pay to be in lieu Of furloughs or
leaves OF absence
WHEN the senate convened on the 7th Senator
Pasco Fla) presented memorial from con-
fedetate veterans at 0eala Fla, against the
adoption of the proposition to pension ex-con-
federate soldiers. Senator Allen (Neb) made
a speech in which he thought that too much
was being made of the proposition to pension
ex-eonfederates He thought there was never
any serious intention the part of Senator
Butler On c., the author OF the proposition to
have confederate soldiers, but he was
carried away by his enthusiasm at the
time The District OF Columbia appropriation
was then taken up Senator Chiffon (Tex)
offered an amendment to the Indian appropria-
tion bill providing that part OF the kiowa,
Comanche and Apache. In area IA sections OF
land, shall not be opened to settlement until
January l. 1909 Senator Mason Qll) offered a
resolution against governing people OF any
other country without their consent and asked
that II be laid on the table =. The house adopt
ed all OF the amendments which were added to
the legislative, judicial and executive appro-
priation bill In the committee of the whole,
with the exception of the one striking out the
appropriation of the civil service commission
which went over.
THE senate on the 9th passed bill providing
that all honorably discharged soldiers and sail
ors who served in the war OF the rebellion, the
war OF 1872, the Mexican war and the war with
Spain, who may be disabled In any way, shall
be admitted into the Home for Disabled Volun-
teer Soldiers Senator Hoar tMass) then made
a constitutional argument against this coun-
try acquiring foreign territory to be governed
as colonies. Senator Platt Comm briefly re-
piled to some points. reiterating his former
statement that the United States had power to
acquire and govern foreign territory. Senator
Caffery La) afterwards concluded his speech
In opposition to the Nicaragua canal bill 80.
The house passed the Legislative executive
and judicial appropriation bill, the appropri-
alton for the support of the civil service COM
mission. which had been previously stricken
out in committee OF the whole, being restored.
The bill for the codihcation OF the laws OF
Alaska was then considered.