Omaha daily bee., 1903-02-17
COUPLING BILL PASSES
House Bnaots Law to Secure Greater Safety
Of Railway Employees
CURRENCY MEASURE GIVEN PREFERENCE
For Remainder of session Conference
Reports, Appropriations and other
PriviIeEed Matters Can Alone
Elbow Fowler Proposal out.

WASHINGTON. Feb. 16.-The house dis
posed of a number Of bills today under
suspension OF the rules, defeating two
The most important measure passed was
the senate bill to amend the railroad safety
appliance law. A special order was
adopted which practically will make the
Fowler currency bill a continuing order
for the remainder OF the session, though It
will not interfere with conference reports,
appropriation bills and other privileged
matters. -
Mr.. Kern Qll) attempted as a priv
ileged matter to call up resolution call
ing upon the secretary Of war to investi
gate the allegation that the East st. Louis
Bridge and Construction company had
formed a pool with a competitive corpora
tion. The speaker ruled that the resolu-
tion was not privileged.
Automatic CoupIers Imposed.
This being committee suspension day, Mr..
Wanger (Pa.) then moved the passage,
under suspension of the rules, OF the SEN
ate bill to compel common carriers to
equip their cars with automatic couplers.
Mr.. Wanger explained that the bill would
compel the railroads to equip with couplers
tenders which had been held not to be
cars and would also require a more gen.
ersl use of air5rakes.
Mr.. Ryan On. Y) said he favored all
the amendments proposed in the bill to
the safety appliance laws save an amend
ment inserted by the house committee,
which would give the Interstate Commerce
commission power to reduce the minimum
number Of cars to be equipped with power
brakes below so per cent. He protested
that this amendment should not be adopted
and asked unanimous consent for a sepa-
rate vote upon it. Mr.. Wanger, however,
objected.
Mr.. Grosvenor (o) explained that a
misunderstanding existed among the mem
bers of labor organizations relative to the
parliamentary status Of the bill. Although
strongly opposed to the amendment re-
ferred to by Mr.. Ryan, they preferred to
have the bill passed with this amend
ment than to have it fail.
Mr.. Dalzen (Pa.) bore out what Mr..
Grosvenor had said. In his whole legisla-
tive experience he had never been so be-
set by kilograms, petitions and resolutions
relative to a measure and yet the bill
had never been before the rules commit
tee.
Acting for the committee on rules, he
then introduced a special order to give
tue tONieT currency Dill lne same priv
ilege accorded bills reported from commit
tees having leave TO report at any time.
Mr.. Hepburn CIa,) asked II the effeUt Of
the rule would not be to make 1t a con-
tinuing order for, the remainder of the
session and virtually shut out everything
which was not privileged.
Mr.. Dalzell assented to this, but said
the question of consideration could be
raised at any time. rt
The rule was adopted, 12s to 90.
Bills werss passed UNDER suspension Of
the rules to authorize, the president to
appoint and retire George A Detechmendy
as captain Of Infantry; to extend for three
years the time for making final proof Of
the Colorado County Gc-Operative colony;
to issue a patent to certain lands to Buff
falo, Wyo., and to extend the coal land
laws to the district of Alaska.
At sos the house adjourned.