The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-03-02
EACH HAD A Bill.
National House Convened at an
Early Hour
Under Agreement to Act Upon
Consent Legislation.
BLOCKED BY BAILEY.
Texas Congressman Brought
Matters to a Standstill
BY Making the Point That
There Was No Quorum.

! Washington, March 2.-The house re-
convened at 9 o'clock this morning after
the recess taken last night. 1t has been
agreed that the two hours from to IL
should be devoted to unanimous consent
leslslnlion. Owing to the unusually
early hour Of meeting the hall was al
most empty Whcf. the speaker dropped
/ the Savel, but the fact that members
by consent was great inducement, and
within a few minutes they began arriv-
ing, each with bill in his hand
After bills had been passed to amend
the Chinese exclusion act; to authorize
the striking of medals for the Spanish
war heroes; to enforce the deposit of
moneys collected from customs in au-
thorized government repositories. and to
authorize the appointment of Thomas
utz Stftts as an officer IN the navy, MI
Iailey tTex.) objected to action upon
bills by unanimous consent He was ap-
pealed to an cll sides not to block pro-
ceedings. but he refused to yield.
The speaker had refused him recogni-
ton, ali1 he was oDdurate. The speaker
then recognized Mr.. SperTy (Conn.) to
move the passage under suspension Of
the rules of the senate bill to prohibit
the sale IF firearms, opium and intoxi-
eating liquors in certain islands of the
Pacific
Mr.. Bailey demanded a second. and
then brought matters to q complete
standstiH by making the point of no
quorum A call Of the house was or
q,
structed to bring III a0sentees.
It was 1920 before enough members
were brought in to make up the quorum
Mr.. Sperry then proceeded to explain
that the bill was designated to prevent
the sale by Americans of fire arms and
intoxicants to the aborigines of the New
Hebrides.
Mr. Bailey declared that the men be-
hind the pending bill were not entirely
sincere in trying to protect savages from
the baneful influences Of Intoxicating
and the Hawaiian islands included? He
understood that since the American
regime began there. over 1000 saloons
had sprung up in Manila In Hawaii
where saloons were unknown until we
"benevolently assimilated" them there
were now over 400 saloons.
Mr.. Bailey contended that offenders
under the bill could not be punished:
they could not be tried in any federal
court in America, in spite of the fiction
in the bill that such offenses should be
considered to have been committed on
the high seas
Mr.. Gillett (Nfass.), in reply to Mr.
Bailey's suggestion regarding the legal
phase Of the bill, said that the fiction
was copied from law applying to the
guano islands which had been sustained
by the supreme court.
The bill was defeated, III to 79, two
thirds not having voted in the affirna-
tive It was II 10 when the roll-call was
completed and the result was announced.
AS the regular hour for meeting. IL a.
m. had already passed, the house could
not adjourn, SO the legislative day of
Friday continued. AS the house will not
adjourn again until the sine die ad-
jOurnment at noon on Monday, there /
will be no Saturday In the house pro-
ceedings.
Mr. AIercier CNeb.). chairman Of the
committee public buildings and |
grounds, was recognized, and moved |
the passage under suspension of the /
rules of the omnibus PUBLIC building !
bill
IN THE SENATE
Washington, March 2.-It was a weary I
senate that convened at IL o'clock this I
morning to begin the proceedings Of the /
last legislative day Of the Fffty-sixth /
congress Senators. red-eyed and tired I
looking, showed the effect of the heavy /
strain of the past week Curiously /
enough many Of the older senators ex-
hibited less evidence of the hard work
and loss of sleep than some OF their /
younger colleagues
The galleries were thronged with peo-
pie who are here to attend the inaugu- |
ration ceremonies
The senate passed the general def
cheney appropriation bill. This is the
last OF the appropriation bills