The sun., 1901-02-21
.THEWORK OFCONGRESS
Senate Committee Acts Adversely on
Morgan Canal Resolution.
BUTLER ON POsTOFFICE BILL
North Carolina Senator Gives His
Reasons For Opposing the Pend
Ing Measure-Sundry Civil
Bill Before the House.

washington, rep. ~. - Inc SENATE
committee on foreign relations took
adverse action upon the resolution
heretofore introduced by Senator Nor
gan declaring the right of the United
States to proceed with the construc-
tion of the Nicaragua canal regardless
of the Clayton -Bulwer treaty. The
reason given for the committees ac-
tion was that it would be discourteous
TO Great Britain to take this action
while the Hay -Pauncefote treaty is still
pending before the British govern
ment.
Soon after the senate convened Mr..
Pettigrew Is. d., offered resolution,
which was agreed to, directing the
committee on printing to ascertain why
the public printer had not delivered to
the senate the instructions and papers
sent to the Paris peace commission.
Senator Teller gave notice of an
amendment he will propose to the st.
Louis exposition bill requiring the man
agement to close the gates of the insti-
tuition on Sunday.
Consideration of the postotfice appro-
priation bill was resumed at the con-
clusion Of routine business. The pend
ing question was the amendment of
Mr. Butler IN. O. to reduce the pay of
railroads for carrying the mails an ag-
gregate Of about per cent. The North
| Carolina senator continued his speech
begun on Monday.
Opposed to the Bill.
Mr.. Butler said he would rather see
the ship subsidy bill become a law
then to have the pending bill pass con-
tanning the present provision for rail
way mail pay, as under the pending
appropriation bill n bigger hole would
be made in the treasury than would be
made by the subsidy bill.
Mr.. Butler pointed out that, accord
ing to the report Of Professor Adams,
the expert of the postal commission,
which he was having read, 4S per cent
Of the amount paid to the railroads for
carrying the mails actually was paid
for carrying mail pouches. He had
often wondered, he said, why the leath-
er and the locks in the mail bags We're
so heavy.
1t seems" he continued, that the
railroads have used their influence to
have them made heavy because they
are getting the same pay for carrying
them as they are getting for carrying
mail matter"
He thought there would be just as
much sense in charging the weight If
. 4 N ~,
During the day the president sent to
the senate a number of nominations,
including that of Brigadier General
Shafter, retired, to be major general.
In the House.
Without preliminary business the
house went into committee of the
whole and resumed consideration OF
the sundry civil bill
The ways and means committee OF
the house held a lengthy session, but
! did not have occasion to take up the
revenue reduction bill, as the conferees
I were not ready TO make any statement
on its prospects. The tariff reduction
bill of Mr.. Babcock NNis.), taking of
the duties on most of the articles in tn,
iron and steel schedule of the Dingle,
act, was referred to the subcommitte,
on customs. 1t is hardly expected tina
i anything can be done on a measure 0
y this farreaching character at this lat
> day of the session,
!, The proposition to have one appraise
n instead of two at Boston and Philadel
phia and to increase the salary of til
official retained was lost on tie vote
and similar adverse action resulted OF
d a proposition to consolidate the Chica
e go appraisers office.
T The bill allowing government mon
! eys to be kept in government depos
: tories in Hawaii was favorably acte
Z on.
Mr. Suffers resolution calling for il
formation on the imposition of rates o
Russian sugar was not taken up.