The Oskaloosa herald., 1901-03-07
SESSION ON SUNDAY.
Congress Still in Legislative Day
of Friday.

Washington, March 4.-The house,
which is still in the Legislative day of
Friday, was in session from two to six
Sunday afternoon and Sunday even
ing from eight o'clock it worked
on into the night to dispose of the con-
ference reports which crowded in
upon t. Everybody was at high ten
sion and it only required a spark to
create a scene. No sensational incident
such as usually occur during the clos
ing hours had occurred, however, up to
midnight. The galleries were packed
to the doors all day and evening with
inauguration visitors. The confusion
and din on the floor with the speakers
gavel going necessarily to preserve a
semblance of order must have made
the proceedings unintelligible to them.
There was a big fight during the after
noon over the senate 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 %appropria-
tions committee, led the fight against
them and defeated a motion to concur.
\ resolution to appoint a special COM
mittee of seven members to visit Porto
Rico, Cuba and the Philippines and re-
port upon conditions raised the cry of
"junketing trip" and was debated at
intervals while conference reports were
not before the house.
At 1855 o'clock the house took a
recess until midnight.
During the recess members gath
cred in groups and sang religious
hymns, patriotic airs and rag-time
melodies. Their efforts were heartily
applauded by the occupants of the
galleries.
When thA recess was over. Mr..
Loud presented the final conference
on the post Office bill, and it was
agreed to.
Senate.
Washington, March 4.-The first
Sunday session of the Fifty-sixth
congress vas held by the senate 1t
will not appear in the congressional
record as a session of Sunday, as the
senate is working under the legis-
lative day of Saturday, and will con
tinue so to work until the session
shall be declared adjourned finally
at noon to-day. Sundays session be-
gan at three o'clock, the senate hav-
ing been in recess since 1920 Sun
day night. The galleries were packed
with people here to attend the inau-
guration ceremonies, and by reason
of important business, there was a
large attendance of senator's. After
a spirited fight both in conference
and on the floor of the senate, the
final conference report on the naval
appropriation bill was agreed to, the
senate r%eceding from the one con-
tested amendment authorizing the
construction of three additional Hol-
land submarine torpedo boats. A
conference report on the general de-
ffciency bill a agreed to without
comment. During the afternoon and
evening the senate passed a large
number of bills, among them being
hat to promote the safety of rail-
way employees.
When the senate 'reconvened at
1920 the scene in the chamber, par
ticularly in the galleries, suggested
a notable social function. The gal
leries were packed to the doors and
hundreds of persons were obliged to
leave. unable to gain admission.
work of Congress.
Washington, March 4.-The volume
of work done by the congress just clos
ing is shown in a supplement to the
house calendar prepared by Tally Clerk.
Wakefield. of the house staff. The on
gress was in session 1877 days, which is
less than any congress for years. The
following is given of bills, acts. etc:
Number Of bills. 1896; number of re-
ports, 5000: public acts. 345; private
acts, 1880; total acts, 1895; number of
Joint resolutions, sos.