The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-03-04
TALKED THE BILL TO DEATH
The Rivers and HarbOrs Budget
Fails In the Senate.
Mr. Carter Prevents n Vote and
Keeps His Colleagues at Their
Posts Proceedings Marked by
TiresOme Waits for Reports.

The Senate remained in session all last
night with the exception OF a recess from
S:45 until 1890. 1t was for the most part
a dreary wait for action by the conferees
on the great appropriation bills. although
the time between the various reports was
ali filed in with uninteresting speeches
Mr. Carter carried out his threat to de
feat the River and Harbor bin. He spoke
on the bill until the hour for adjourn
meut and no vote could be had.
At midnight four of the bills-the Post
Office, the Naval, the Sundry Civil, and
the R.*es and Harbor-were still in
process OF adjustment between the two
houses, the failure of any of which. but
the last named, would bring about an
extra session of Congress. On the Naval
bill an agreement had been reached some
days ago on all but the Senate PROPOSE
ton to purchase additional Holland sub
marine boats. The House couferees were
unusually insistent that this should go
out of the bill carrying their opposition
on to the extent of refusing to report an
agreement Finally the Senate by a vote
Feceded from its amendment and the bill
was disposed of
The Postofflce bill was In similar DO
sition. but the conferees reached d com
promise. The Sundry Civil bill was
thought the hardest nut to crack. The
Senate had added 153 amendments to the
Dill after it passed the House. many Of
them carrying large sums Of money The
confereeS made three partial reports be-
fore their last attempt. and then they pre-
scented disagreement on the largest item
in the bill-that apPropriatin5 100000 for
the St Louis Exposition, $3.50, 900 for the
Pan-American Exposition and S259, 00o for
the Charleston, s C, Exposition
The House voted twice against the
Charleston Exposition specifically. but
Senator TiIITnan, the sponsor for that
item, had declared that If that went out
the others should too The conferees there
fore recommended the Senate give up the
three appropriations, and this was done
at } o'clock this morning The St. Louis
Exposition appropriation however. was
afterward passed in a separate bill
Then the conferees presented what
proved a final disagreement on the Riv-
er and Harbor bill, the House refusing
to accept the Senate amendments provid-
ing four reservoirs for arid lands ana an
appropriation for the BEaZOS River Re
ports had been made several times on
these same items. and Senator Nelson. one
Of the cOnfeTeeS on the part of the Sen
ate, stated his belief that the bill would
fail unless the Senate receded- he there
ADAt LAiOFG d t4lftl LLAdL dCE4CEL De LeL-EEi
Aessrs.. Warren and Stewart spoke in
favor Of the arid land reservoirs. and then
.dr. Butler at some length attacked the
right of his successor, Mr. Simmons. 10
seat in the Senate. because Of the Illegal
election laws Of North Carolina and the
alleged bribery and corruption in the
North Carolina Legislature. which he
characterized as the worst in the history
Of the State
8ir. Wellington inveighed against the
eNtraVagance by the expiring Congress IL
appropriations for rivers and harbo-.s
Enich nad no practical utility 1Or an eE-
-enSiye navy Of vessels. which in a few
ears viii become obsolete; to defend fo--
ign dependencies which the people dill
not want. and which required the main
5enance Of an expensive standing army
At half past six as a final vote was
bout to be taken on the River and Har-
7Dr conference report and the weary
senators We're preparing TO hasten home
ward for few hours sleep Nj Carter
began d speech with the aVOWcd intCutiOn
f killing the River and Harbor lin. He
.enOunced the measure gener".'y and
Fpecihcally as peruicious legislation ant;
ieclared he would talk until the end o.
ne session If necessary to prevent il be
-5ming Law Whispered appeals were
iiade when he would pause, 70 allow tn
-ote to be taken, but he would shake his
lead and resume his remarks.
The Senators gathered in knots and sad
- discussed the situation, bat could find
no way out of the dilemma The House
Ianag gers, who We're waiting for action by
ne senate. agreed 10 Withdraw their OTD-
f0SltlOn TO the amendments, but as the
iii and conference report were in the
possession Of the Senate the House could
axe no action So Mr. Carter talked on
m his deliberate way until o clock. when
sir. Wellington. who also opposed the bill,
raLSed the point Of no quorum Thirty
me tired and more or less angry Sena-
-orS responded to their names. after many
I them h. been awakened from their
lapS on the sofas in the ciOakrOOrnS OF
-9nmittee rooms
This was less than a quorum and the
-erseant-at-arTnS was directed TO send for
he abSentees- After half an hour wait
che managers Of the River and HarboT
iii We're ready to give up the tight and
Z motion was made TO take recess until
half past ten. s. the Chamber could b.
swept and additional chairs brought IN
or the guests at the Inauguration cere-
aOnieS- In the absence Of a quorum
however. the only motion allowed was
me to adjourn, which was out of the
question. the Senate being technically on
ne legislative day OF Saturday, and when
hat day was closed the session would eE-
ire by limitation.
Finally at $50 O clock. with the Senate
7tiN in session. the President pro tenn
pOre directed the employees to proceed
Nth the work of cleaning up the Cham
a1r for the Inauguration ceremonies The
#OUT was Uttered with cast-aWay bills
ald bits of paper. bat the SWteperS made
hort work of the job. the Senator's mean
me slipping OUT for breakfast Then
ne chairs of the Senators were placed
. the vacant spaces on the Democratic
side, the area in the rear of the Cham
..sr being filed with hundreds of small
-,tue-Seat chairs to accommodate the Dip
1ruatic Corps, the members of the House
nd other guests The reporters tables
we're removed and a row OF leather-cov-
red chairs placed against the clerk s
'cs< for the use Of the President and the
cabinet
At 1920 o'clock the scene in the Senate
Thamber was unique The western see
ION showed only rows OF vacant chairs
nd unused desks, beca Use that space was
reserved for the members Of the House
md Of the Diplomatic Corps. while thu
aastern section was filed up with the
=enators of both parties no longer dtyId-
81 by political questions. And in one CT
he paSSag eWayS on that side Mir. Wei
aingtOn was holding forth at the top of
lis voice. at one time in original remarE
e no bearing whatever upon any legISla-
I've subject ana more frequently reading
rom a pamphIet-hiS only object being to
-JuSume time. And so It went on until
half past ten when a motion to take =
necCSS for half ar hour was made by Mr..
14nsbrOugh. and promptly declared car
lied, by the Presiding Officer FIR. Bur
lows
The Presiding officer called the Senate
30 order when the recess ended. 4 mes
age from the House OF Representatives
vas then received announcing among
ether things that the Speaker
had signed the bill granting
q charter to the General Fedora
ton of WOmea'S Club The Presiding
officer stated that the President Of the
side platform until AL the visitors who
Hare entitled 10 seats there had taken
hem. After this announcement Mr. Wei
-.UgtOn took up the thread of his inter
rupted remarks and spoke for several
minutes. He soon gave up the floor to
Mr. C3rtpr