The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1900-05-25
WHAT CONGRESS IS DOING.
Proceedings OF Our National Lawmakers
from Day to Day in Condemned Form
Resolutions and Bills.

Senator Bacon (Ga.) addressed the
senate on the 10th on his resolution di-
recting the committee on relations with
cuba to make an investigation of the
conduct of financial affairs of the is
land He said that since the disclos-
ures of the past few days had been made
with respect to the alleged misappropria-
ton of funds in the postal service the
obligation upon congress to make an irr>
vestigation was doubly heavy. The con-
ference report on the District of Column
bia appropriation bill was agreed to
without debate. Many minor bills were
also passed. among them being a private
pension bills. The house accomplished
little besides passing the senate bill to
incorporate the American National Red
Cross. No progress was made with the
Alaskan code bill. The conference report
on the District of Columbia appropria-
ton bill was returned after an extended
debate and the naval appropriation bill
was sent to conference.
The post office appropriation bill was
considered in the senate on the 18th. Tue
committee amendment for the extension
or the pneumatic tube service created
some debate and was under discussion
when the measure was laid aside. The
conference report on the agricultural APP
preparation bill was afterwards agreed
to. The senate then held a brief execu-
tive. session -. The house passed a spe-
cial river and. harbor bill, carrying $780,
GOO for surveys and emergency work, and
then took up the Alaskan code bill. The
general debate was devoted almost ex-
clusively to political topics. Four of the
GIT pages of the bill were disposed Of
Nearly the entire day of the 18th in
the senate was devoted to the pneumatic
tube system service in the post Office ap-
preparation bill. The debate at times
was sharp and almost personal. The
matter went over without final action.
Senator Morgan (Ala.) introduced a res
olution to investigate the Panama Canal
company and in a speech severely crit
1c1Sed that company. The resolution was
referred. Senator McCumber On. d. then
addressed the senate on the Philippines
He said it was to our commercial finan-
cial and naval interests to retain the is
lands. The bill to enlarge the powers of
the department of agriculture prohibit
ing the transportation by interstate COM
merce of game killed in violation of local
law was passed. The house passed
bill introduced by Mr.. Cox fTenn) to
pay the confederate soldiers who sur.
rendered at AppomattoX for the loss of
horses and other personal effects taken
from them in violation of Lees capt.
ulation to Grant, by which officers and
men of Lees army were allowed to retain
their baggage and side arms and horses.
In the senate on the 18th Senator Cock
cept1ng on behalf of the United States
the: statues of Benton and Blair, pre-
sented by Missouri to statuary hall The
letter of Gov. Stephens was read pre-
sent1ng these statues, and then speeches
were made by Senators Vest CMo0. Cock
rell (Mo) and Hoar (Mass.) in eulogy of
the distinguished subject. A resolution
was then adopted accepting from the.
G. A. r. the statue of Gen. Grant At
ter an impressive prayer by the blind
chaplain the committee of the Grand
Army were ushered into the house. AZ
ter. the speaker had announced. the order
of the day Mr.. McCleary (Minn.)' sent
to. the clerks desk and had read the let
ter addressed to the speaker by the G. A.
r. presenting the statue of Gen. Grant
to the nation. "A motion was adopted
accepting the statue and eulogies of the
general then followed by Messrs. Warner
Ql.), McCleary (Minn.) and Grosvenor
co..
Senator Allen (Neb) offered a resolu-
ton in the senate on the 21st extending
to the Boer commissioners now in Wash
ington the privileges of the floor of the
senate. during their sojourn in the ma
tional capital. The resolution was de-
feated by vote of SO to q, but not until
after a sharp controversy between its
author and Senator Davis, chairman of
the committee on foreign relations. The
post office appropriation bill was passed,
the amendment to appropriate .s225, 900 to
carry out existing contracts for the pneu-
matte tube service being agreed to-.
The house under suspension of the rules
passed two bills reported by the COM
mlttee on labOr-one to extend the: eight
hour law to all laborers employed under
contract on government work and the
other to prohibit interstate traffic in
prison-made goods by bringing them un-
der the Jurisdiction of the. police powers
OF the state. Conference reports on the
agricultural and fortification appropria-
ton bills were adopted. The conference
report on the army appropriation bill was
sent back to conference because. the
house conferees had agreed to an item
to appropriate 5000 for library in Ma,
nila..