Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1901-03-07
CLOSE OF CONGRESS.
Both Branches Put in the Sabbath. :.
Hearing Conference Reports.
BIG FIGHT OVER SUNDRY CIVIL BILL


h.. . e.
Washington, March 1.-THE first
Sunday session Of the Fifty-sixth con-
gless was held BY the senate yester-
day. 1t will not appear in the Con-
gressional Record as session of Sum
day, as the senate was working under
the Legislative day Of Saturday and
continued so to work until the session
was declared adjourned finally at noon
to-day. Yesterdays session began at
three o'clock, the senate having been
in recess since 1890 o'clock Saturday
night. The galleries were packed
with people here to attend the inau-
guration ceremonies and by reason OF
important business there was large
attendance of senators.
After a spirited fight both in con-
ference and on the floor of the sem
ate the final conference report on the
naval appropriation bill was agreed to,
the senate receding from the one con-
tested amendment authorizing the
construction of three additional Hol-
land submarine torpedo boats.
A conference report on the general
deficiency bill was agreed to without
comment. During the afternoon and
evening the senate passed large
number Of bills, among them being
that to promote the safety of railway
employees.
At $40 p. m. a partial report Of the
c0nferees on the river and harbOr bill
was presented by Mr.. Nelson and II
was agreed to. A further conference
was ordered.
The house, which was still in the
Legislative day OF Friday, was in ses-
sion from two to SIX yesterday after
noon, and yesterday evening from
eight 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 sensational. incident such
as usually occurs during the closing
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 speak
er's gave1 going necessarily to pre-
serve q .semblance Of order must have
made the proceedings unintelIlEible
to them.
There was q big fight during the
afternoon over the senate amendment
to the sundry civil hill which linked
together the fate Of the st. Louis,
Buffalo and Charleston exposition APP
preparations. Mr., Cannon, chairman
Of the appropriations committee, led
the fight against them and defeated .
motion to concur. A resolution TO APP
point special committee Of seven
members to visit Porto Rica Cuba and
the Philippines and report upon con-
ditions raised the cry Of "junketing
trip and was debated at intervals
while conference reports were not hc-
fore the house. II was finally de-
feated. 4
The post Office appropriation bill.
District OF Columbia bill and the
naval bill were agreed to by both
chambers.
Under suspension Of the rules .
number Of important bills were passed
Saturday, including those for stand
arlixing bureau, for comforting bronze
medals on the enlisted men Of the
navy and marine corps for distin-
guished heroisin. TO amend the Chi
nese exclusion laws, and what II
known as the Omnibus public build
ing bill" cnlarging the appropriations
for some 40 buildings. The legislative
appropriation bill was also finally
disposed Of. and many conferences
were advanced to stage which gave
promise that there would be no fail
IRE Of important legislation.