The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-20
Who Had Promised Their Better
Halves Not to Dust the virginia
Democratic Representative.
Mr.. HARRIS At THE CAPITAL
INDIANA's NEW Diplomatic VISITS
THE WHITE HOUSE.
Measures of Interest to the HOOsier
Amended by Mr.. Overstreet.
speelal to the 1nalanapoIls journal.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON, Jan. ia political
comedy was enacted in the House
this afternoon. 1t began when one
of the belated election contested cases
Brown against Swanson. from the
Fifth Virginia district-was called up by
Representative Crumpacker. The committee
report was against Swanson, the sitting
member. He is a Democrat, and the sup
position was that the case would proceed
without demur, the committee be sustained,
Swanson unseated and Brown, the contest
ant seated. but to the surprise of the COM
mittee the question of consideration was
raised. and to its greater surprise the House
refuseA, by vote of 70 yeas to 13S nays, to
consider the case. Swanson is personally pop
ular with Republican members, as well as
with members of his own party. This was
a considerable factor in causing the House
to refuse to go on with the case. But that
could be reckoned with and overcome by
appeals to the party loyalty of the Repub-
Heans There was another factor, however,
which could not be reached in this way.
One of the most popular members of official
society at the national capital is Mrs. Swan
son. wife of the contestee. She is a bright
and cheerful little lady, and is great favor
ite with the wives of congressman. She is
not political woman or "a woman in pol
itics" in any sense. She is just bright and
cheerful, and makes everyone around her
bright and cheerful. The net result of all
this is that every Republican congressman's
wife IN Washington, without regard to the
politics of hubby" was jealous partisan
of Mrs. Swanson's husband. The outcome
is seen in the vote. The comedy lies in the
way in which grave Republican congress-
men lodged and scooted and fled to the lob
bies, the cloak rooms, the restaurant-any-
where and everywhere to be able to avoid
having to vote. They didn't want to go back
on their committee anG they didn't dare to
incur the displeasure of their better halves
by voting to unseat Mrs Swansons hus-
band. So they scurried out of hearing Of
the reading clerk and beyond the speakers
eye And so everybody and his wife is glad,
especially his wife. The vote shows that
twenty-four Republicans joined with the
Democrats and Populists to keep Swanson
IN his seat.
After the election case had been settled
the postoffice appropriation bill was taken
up. The greatest surprise of the day
was the adoption of two amendments strik-
ing out of the bill the appropriation of $171, :
special mail facilities from Kansas City TO
Newton, Kan. This appropriation for the
Southern mail has been fought annually for
six or seven years, but has always been
retained. The increase il the appropria-
ton for the pneumatic tube service from
$225 600 to $300,00Q was knocked out by the
elimination of the provision. which fell un-
Ger point of order, for the repeal of the
law against the extension of this service
The House adjourned with a motion to re-
commit it pending. The motion carried in
structons to strike out the words newly
acquired territory" in connection with an
appropriation of 100000 for mail facilities
in Porto Rico, Cuba and the Philippines.
President James d. Angel, of Michigan
University, was reappointed regent of the
Smithsonian Institution
bill was passed granting a site on Fort
Supply military reservation to Oklahoma for
an insane asylum.
Mr.. Addison c. Harris, of INDIANAPOLIS
nominated by the President for minister to
Austria-Hungary, reached Washington to-
day Under the kindly escort of Senator
Fairbanks and Mr.. H. II. Hanna, he visited
the White House and State Department and
paid his respects to the President and Sec
retary Hay. He spent the evening at the
residence of Senator Fairbanks. where he
met a number of Indiana congressman. Com
troller Tracewell, Judge Penfeld. of the
State Department; First Assistant Post
master General Heath and other wel-known
sons of the Hoosier State Our future diplo-
matte representative at the Austrian court
will leave for home tomorrow and expects
to sail in about three weeks. Secretary Hay
Informed him this afternoon that he could
take his time TO close up his private busi-
ness. That phrase means a reasonable
time and Mr.. Harris will not press the
limit. Asked If he had anything to say to
his friends at home, Mr.. Harris jokngly re-
marked that inasmuch as he was not yet a
full-hedged diplomat. he would probably
show his judgment and wisdom at this
juncture by saying nothing for the press.
Mr. Harris is in remarkably fine health and
looks forward with bright anticipations to
a few years residence abroad.
Evansville will have $4,000 in the sundry
civil bill for dredging the river. The unex-
pended balance from previous appropria-
tons Will be sufficient to finish the river
improvements at Evansville. This sum now
amounts to $4,000. Evansville is lucky in
having a member of Congress on the ap-
propriations committee
Petitions for the passage OF the Ellis bin
prohibiting the sale of liquor in army can
teens were presented to-day by Senator
Fairbanks from Jonathan Jessup and forty
eight citizens of Western Grove Hancock
county; C. l. Shannon and seventy-nine cit
liens Of Coloma; +. l.. Frazier and afty-
eight citizens Of Marion
The resolutions OF the Commercial Club
of indianapolis, favoring such action by the
federal government as viii insure the imme-