Evening star., 1902-01-15
PENSION BILL PASSED
Action by the House of Representa-
tives.
MEASURE ADOPTED UNAMENDED
Value of Militia Discussed by the
Senate.
SHORT EXECUTIVE SESSION
HOUSE OF REPREsENTaTIyEs.

| hotSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
When the House of Representatives met
| today Mr.. Montague Lessler, who was re-
| Gently elected to succeed Mr.. Nicholas Null
| Ter OF New York. was sworn in Many Of
| Mr.. Lesslers friends were In the gallery
and gave him a rousing reception when he
| took the oath.
Mr. Grosvenor (ohio) then presented the
| resolution for holding the Mckinley me-
mortal exercises in the hall Of the House
February - and it was unanimously
! adopted
The resolution as follows: "whereas.
the melancholy event OF the violent and
| tragic death of William Mckinley late
President of the United States, having oc-
CURED curing the recess of Congress, and
the two houses sharing in the general grief
| and desiring to manifest their sensibility
upon the occasion of the public bereave-
ment: Therefore.
Resolved, by the House of Representa-
tives the Senate concurring), that the two
houses of Congress will assemble in the Hall
OF Representatives on day and hour fixed
and announced by the Joint committee, to
wit. Thursday. February "a, 1902. and that
In the presence of the two houses there as
sembled an address upon the life and char
acter of William Mckinley, late President
of the United States, be pronounced by the
Hon. John Hay and that the president pro
TEN. and the Speaker Of the House be re-
Presidents of the United States, ex-Vice
Presidents, the heads Of the several depart
ments, the judges of the Supreme Court,
| the representatives Of foreign governments.
the governors of the several states, the
lieutenant general of the army and the
admiral Of the navy and such officers of the
army and navy as have received the thanks
of Congress who may then be at the seat
of government to be present on the occa-
sion, and such others as may be suggested
by the executive committee. And be it
further
Resolved. that the President OF the
United States be requested to transmit
copy of these resolutions to Mrs. Ida s. Nc
Kinley and to assure her of the profound
sympathy of the houses of Congress for her
personal affiiction and of their sincere con-
dolence for the late national bereavement.
The Charleston Exposition.
Mr. Moody fMass) presented a joint res
olution to appropriate 10000 to pay the ex-
penses incurred by the West Indian and
South Carolina interstate exposition at
Charleston, S. c.. in connection with the
government exhibit at Charleston.
Mr.. Elliott Is. CD made strong plea for
the passage of the resolution.
Mr. Payne IN. Y) declared that the man
agement, when the government exhibit was
secured, agreed that the United States
would not be asked for one cent.
Mr. Elliott, in reply. took issue with Mr..
Payne TO the facts He said he was
much more anxious that the management
of the exposition should not be placed In
a false attitude than that the resolution
should be adopted.
Mr.. Moody pledged himself that with the
adoption of the pending resolution the gov
ernments expenses in connection with the
Charleston exposition would cease. The
resolution was passed.
Mr.. Payne called up a bill to allow the
redemption of war revenue stamps any
time within two years after the passage Of
the act. The bill was passed.
a S1fbiect a
authorize the Secretary Of the Treasury to
return upon demand within one year bank
checks and drafts with war revenue
stamps imprinted thereon after the cancel
lation of such stamps, also was presented
by Mr.. Payne. He explained that there
were now millions Of such stamped checks
in the Treasury Department. The resolu-
ton was passed
Pension Bill Again Up.
The House then went into committee OF
the whole, and resumed consideration Of
the pension appropriation bill. General de-
bate having closed yesterday, the bill was
read for amendment under the five-minute
rule.
An amendment offered by Mr.. Jenkins
CWis), providing that the testimony Of
three witnesses that persons lived together
as man and wife for five years should be
assumed to be prima facie evidence Of mar
riage, provoked considera BILE debate.
The amendment was finally ruled out on
a point of order. Other amendments along
the same lines were also ruled out.
Bill Passed.
Without adopting any amendments the
committee rose and the bill was passed.
THE SENATE.
When the Senate convened today Mr..
Hoar in presenting a petition from rail-
road, insurance and shipping interests
praying for the construction OF light houses
in some dangerous places where light ships
are located now, said that a proposition
had been made by a responsible and INTEL
ligent builder to construct light houses at
points where government engineers had
considered it impracticable to build light
houses He thought such proposition
ought to be treated with respect. 1t was
an illustration of the marvellous inventive
ability of this nation.
concurrent resolution was adopted pro-
viding for the printing OF $500 copies OF
the proceedings OF the Schley court OF in
quiry.
Value of Militia Force.
spirited discussion, which took wide
range, was precipitated by Mr.. Hale (Me.).
In respect to the value to the country OF a
militia force. in introducing some bills
relating to the organization and mainte-
nance Of a naval reserve. Mr.. Hale declared
that the reliance placed by some people
upon the naval reserve never would be
realized Experience had shown, he said,
that at the beginning OF a war plenty OF
young men were ready to enlist In the navy
and enter the ranks of naval militia, but
at the conclusion of the war the interest.
in the organizations ceased and IL was
found difficult to maintain them.
He was of opinion that the United States
rsrr..- ffnra tn roE rnh
interest I'm the militia forces. either of the
land or of the sea. In time OF stress he
was certain that the country would be
obliged to depend upon volunteers. called
out In an emergency or upon some form OF
COMPULSORY service
ssIf" he said. I'VE are to become a great
war power we will have to learn the lesson
other nations have learned. Every one OF
the nations of the world that stands snerl-
ing at another depends TO some extent.
upon some sort of compulsory military SER
vice"
England had learned this lesson from her
smallest and wickedest war.
Mr.. Hale declared that England was
about TO resort 10 eonscription to raise men