The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-06-07
Refuse to Accept an Item I'm the Re-
port on the Naval Bill and FL
nally Take a Recess.
LENTz BLOCKS OTHER BILLS
AND CANNON MAKES CHARGES
AGAINST PHOTOGRAPHER TODD,
Takes on His Necktie. Rolls Up His
sleeves and Delivers Blows
That Knock Out Conferees.

WASHINGTON. June 6.-when the
House tonight, at 1880, took a recess until
10 o'clock tomorrow morning. the two
chambers of the national legislature, with
heads down and horns locked, were in
desperate struggle over the item in the
naval appropriation bill relating to ocean
surveys The final adjournment of Con-
gress is postponed until 1t is over.
The proceedings in the House during the
day were tame and without dramatic Incl
dent. This was partly due to the fact that
the firm position taken by the House on
the armor-plate provision transferred the
fight to the floor of the Senate, and to the
obstinate refusal of Mr.. Lentz to prevent
any unanimous consent legislation until the
Republican leaders agreed TO allow the
testimony in the Occur d'Alene investiga-
ton to be printed. Mr.. Lentz held the
House by the throat all day, and, except
| for privileged matters, things legislative
were practically at a standstill. But to-
night there was enough excitement to COM
| pensate for the dullness of the day session
| The House got it's dander up over the fail
ure of its conferees to abide by their in
structions on the ocean survey item, and,
| after an exceedingly sensational debate
| in which Mr.. Cannon. the chairman of the
appropriations committee, made some
| startling disclosures as TO the manner in
which Commander Todd the photographer
OF the navy, had waged his campaign
| against the stand taken by the House in
favor of the coast and geodetic survey do
| ing ocean survey work. the House rejected
the conference report by an overwhelming
majority and the speaker took the almost
unprecedented course of appointing new
| conferees on the part of the House. who
| are not members of the naval committee.
The debate was one of the bitterest and
most heated of the session. Mr.. Cannon, in
the excitement of the moment, took off his
collar and necktie, and, with sleeves rolled
up, aroused the House to a tremendous
| pitch of enthusiasm as he dealt the con-
| ferees sledge-hammer blows. The galleries
crowded 10 the doors, cheered the pictur-
esque Tight of the grizzled old veteran until
| the fretted ceiling rang. The conferees de-
tended their course as best they could, and
Mr.. Foss, acting chairman of the COM
| mittee. resented with bitter language the
charge that he had betrayed the House.
Hot words were banded back and forth,
but the House was in an ugly mood and
was resolved to fight the Senate to fin
| ish- The appointment as conferees of Mr.
Cannon, Mr.. Moody and Mr. Shafroth. all
| of whom are in sympathy with the Houses
| position, assured no surrender on their
| part until the House itself shall direct
| them to yield
| THE SPEAKER PROMPT
handful of members were on hand
when the House reassembled this morning.
| after being in recess only a few hours.
Speaker Henderson went home about a.
m, and was again in the chair at o'clock.
| showing no signs of fatigue
The conference report on the general de-
ficiency BILL showing a complete agree
| ment, was presented and agreed to- Mr.
Cannon announced that the contest over
the sundry civil bill was about concluded.
only one item being in controversy and
he deferred reporting until the attendance
| increased. AS the attendance was so slim
| recess was taken until $3.50.
Additional members had come In when
| the House reassembled The joint resolu-
| ton expressing qualification over the I'M
yelling of the Lafayette statue in Paris
| was agreed to.
Mr.. Cannon then submitted the report on
the sundry civil bill. showing the item
only one in dispute. Among the important
items struck out were those for the me-
| mortal bridge across the Potomac river
for revenue cutter on the ST. Mary's
| river, and lighthouse vessel for the
| Pacific coast: for branch soldiers home in
Idaho; salary of woman commissioner at
the unwilling of Lafayettes statue in Paris
| legation buildings in Korea and SIAM and
statue of Rochambeau. Among the i'm
portant items retained were those placing
under the supervision of the secretary of
| the treasury the execution of the Chinese
exclusion and immigration laws: gauging
| water supply of certain streams, 100000:
| providing plans for the enlargement of the
White House and development of surround
ing grounds; appropriating SIS 900 for south
pass OF the Mississippi river; providing for
the settlement of Spanish war claims arts
Ing from military use and occupation. The
| Mississippi and Columbia river items were
retained, the Mississippi item for the lower
river being reduced TO s., 10000 The pro-
vision as 10 State claims was compromised
by an amendment that certain federal
claims against these states would not be
prosecuted. The forest reserve provision
was amended that lien land selections shall
hereafter be made from surveyed lands.
Mr. Cannon explained that the Senate
had added about $5.000.000 to the original
SCI 900 of this BILL and by this report the
Senate Welded about s.ooo.ooo and the
| House $4,000.000- Considerable debate fol-
lowed on the various items.
THE NEVADA CLAIM.
The sundry civil conference report was
agreed TO, and on the one item still open.
appropriating s4s2. 900 for claims of Nevada.
Mr.. NewIands, of Nevada, moved that the
House concur with the Senate amendment.
This brought on a sharp debate on State
claims, Mr.. Moody. of Massachusetts, urg-
ing that the Nevada claim would set a
precedent for other like claims aggregating
about 100000.
Mr.. Newlands motion to concur in the
Senate amendment was lost. As TO 81. The
House further insisted the amendment,
and the bill was sent back TO conference
AS the day wore there were somA
amusing incidents. Mr.. Greene, OF Mass
achusetts, asked unanimous consent to con
| slider a bill to establish lobster hatch
| cry liz Maine. The mention OF the object
| of the bill created much merriment
Until we have the Occur d'Alene testi-
| mony printed observed Mr.. Lentz OF
Ohio, I'VE will have to deprive ourselves
| of Holsters. / object" At 1880 a recess
was taken until o'clock.
On reconvening hundred or more mem
hers with private bills were clamoring for