The Savannah morning news., 1901-03-04
A SUNDAY SESSION
CONGRESS ENDEAvORING TO FIN
IsH IT'S WORK.
LIFE EXPIRES TO-DAY AT NOON
HEPBURN ROAsTs RIVER AND HAIR
BOR BILL.

Payne Fight the ExpOSitiOn Appro-
priations-A Proposition for Spe-
ciaI Committee to Visit Philip
pines, Porto Rico and Cuba At
tackled as Junket Scheme-Much
Excitement and Confusion, but no
Sensations.
Washington, March 3.-The House,
which is still in the legislative day of
Friday, was in session from two to six
O'Clock this afternoon and this evening
from O'Clock it worked on into the
night to dispose of the conference reports
which crowded in upon it. Everybody
was at high tension and it only required
spark to create scene No sensa-
tional incidents, such as usually occur
during the closing hours had occurred,
however. up to midnight. The galleries
were packed all day and evening with
inauguration visitors. The confusion on
the floor with the Speakers gavel goins
incessantly to preserve a semb.ance of
order must have made the proceedings
unintelligibie to them. There was big
fight during the afternoon over the SEN
ate amendment to the sundry civil bill,
which linked together the fate of the ST.
Louis, Buffalo and Charleston exposition
appropriations. Mr.. Cannon, chairman of
the Appropriation Committee, led the fight
against them and defeated a motion to
concur. y resolution to appoint a special
committee of seven members to visit
Porto Rico, Cuba and the Philippines and
report upon conditions raised the cry of
''junketing trip" and was discussed at
intervals while conference reports were
not before the House.
StiII in Fridays Session.
When the House resumed its session
at 2 o'clock this afternoon the galleries
v,ere packed to the doors with in
auguration visitors A majority of
them were soldiers in uniform.
The leaders were confident that all
matters in dispute would be amicably set
tied before noon tomorrow, when Con-
gress expires by limitation. The House
was still in the legislative day of Friday,
and the members came prepared for a
Siege through the night if necessary. Mir
Grosvenor Of Ohio, from the Committee
on Rules presented a special order pro-
viding that after ten minutes debate it
should be in order to move non-concur-
renee in the Senate amendments to the
river and harbor bill and to agree to the
conference asked for by the Senate.
Twenty minutes on a side were allowed
on the rule. No Democrat desired to
speak, and Mr.. Richardson yielded his
time to Mr.. Hepburn of Iowa, who arous-
ed the House with a passionate speech,
denouncing the measure.
Hepburn ROasts River and Hnrbor.
Does the gentleman think this legis-
lation is vicious?" asked Mr.. Wheeler of
Kentucky
Il have no word to properly characer-
ize it, answered Mr.. Hepburn. when
there is pork in the barrel the voice of
the opposition is stifed. 1t is always
prating about virtue. l now appeal
to it."
Mr.. Hepburn recounted several in
stances, notably in the case of the force
BILL" where important legislation had
been abandoned in order that the river
and harbor bill might be discussed by
Congress. He hoped the constituents of
members would notice that for the $50, 900
or 10000 they secured millions of the
peoples money were sacrificed.
Mr.. Carmack of Tennessee thought the
government could expend money on the
rivers and harbors oS the country with
more profit to the people than in spend
ing it 1000 miles beyond the sea in sub
jecting a people who wanted to be free
Democratic applause).
The special order was adopted.
MIR. Burton of Ohio, chairman of the
River and Harbor Committee. then en-
tered the motion to non-concur in the
Senate amendments and after a brief
statement the motion was adopted and
the bill was sent to conference. Messrs.
Burton. Reeves of Illinois and Catchings
of Mississippi were appointed conferees.
To Visit New Possessions.
Mr.. Dalzell of Pennsylvania, from the
Committee on Rules, presented a resolu-
tion for the appointment of special com
mittee of seven members of the Comit-
tee on Insular Affairs, not more than four
Of whom should be of one political party
to visit Cuba, Porto Rico and the Phil
ippines and report upon the conditions
there.
Mr.. Richardson, the minority leader, in
dorsed the resolution.
"Inasmuch as we are about to give up
Cuba and have commission in the Philip
pines, is this anything more than a prop
osition for a junket?" asked Mr. Steele
of Indiana.
at is not junket," said Mr.. Richard
son. This investigation should be made"
Messrs. Williams of Mississippi and
Powers of Vermont characterized this
as simply a congressional junket.
Mr.. Cannon here presented a partial
conference report upon the sundry civil
appropriation bill.
The items agreed to comprised all the
minor issues leaving still In dspite the
items for the purchase of the old Corco-
ran Art Gallery i'm this city, $685., 900; the
appropriation for the memorial bridge
across the Potomac at Washington; the
payments to Mexico of $4,000; the appro-
priations for the Buffalo. Charleston and
st. Louis expositions, and the amendment
touching the irrigation of arid lands. The
report was adopted.
Separate votes were demanded upon the
various amendments. The House refused
TO concur in the irrigation amendments
The amendment for a 5000 900 memorial
bridge was defeated, 65 TO 1i6.
Fighting the Exposition Bill.
Mr.. Alexander Of New York moved 20
recede and concur IN the Senate amend
ments carrying s. 10000 for the st. Louis
Exposition, $500, 900 for the Buffalo Expo
sition and $4,000 for the Charleston Ex-
position. The motion provoked a lively
debate. Mr.. Payne, the majority leader,
declared he would rather see this great
Appropriation bill Tail and an extra ses-
sion preclpltated than he held up by
thefe three appropriations. He denounced
the plea that the Charleston arpropria-
ton would cement the good feeling be-