The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-20
CONGRESS ADJOURHS;
WILL RECONVENE JAN. 4
Both Bodies Devote Closing Hours
of Session to the Postal Inves-
tigation Papers.
HOUSE CORRECTS ERROR
Vacates the Resolution Referring
Documents 70 the Committee
on Expenditures.
pecial to the Indianapolis Journal.

Special TO the Indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON, Dec. 19.-Congress ad-
journed to-day for the holiday recess-that
is until Jan. 4, the first Monday in the new
year. In the House. which was in session
only half hour to-day, n resolution was
agreed to by which the postmaster general
was requested to forward to the House
papers In connection with the postofhce IN
vestigation. The action of yesterday author
izing the committee on expenditures In the
Postoffice Department, OF which MI. wan
ger is chairman. to request the papers,
was vacated, the speaker having an
nounced that a careful count or the vote
on which the previous question was ordered
yesterday on the motion Of Mr.. Wanger' 10
agree to the resolution authorizing his COM
mittee to request the papers, showed tnat
with the speakers own vote the final vote
was tie, 107 TO 107, and the previous ques-
ton had not been ordered According to
the vote as announced yesterday after the
speaker had voted it stood los to l07, but
when the mistake was announced to-day all
action taken yesterday subsequent TO that
vote was vacated. Mr.. Williams,
the minority leader, then offered a
substitute resolution providing that the
papers come direct to the House
instead of to a committee, which was agreed
To without opposition On account of the
absence of Representative Overstreet who
left for Indianapolis yesterday, the Repub-
licans were led by Mr.. Payne, of New
York. Mr.. Payne said that he agreed with
the policy of Mr.. Overstreet that the widest
publicity should be given the Bristow re-
port, and he therefore interpOsed no obJec-
ton TO passing the substitute resolution.
There is evidently a determination TO let
the House committee on postoffices take the
initiative in any policy that may be ADOPTED
by the Republicans relative to the Post
Office Department.
xxx
The Senate was in session two hours and
fifteen minutes. It's sitting was devoted
largely to a speech by Mr.. Pettus, of Ala
bama, on the situation in Panama, in which
he took the position that the recognition OF
the Republic of Panama by the United
States had been premature and of such
character as TO render ii Of doubtful APP
pearance. Senator German sought, but
failed, to secure an order upon the post
master general directing him TO send to the
Senate the full record of the Postoffice De-
partment inquiry. His resolution to this
effect was defeated for the time by an OBJ
lection from Mr.. Quay.
There is a bright prospect that Congress
will authorize the establishment of several
camps of military instructions at this ses-
sion. To-day the subject was taken up with
President Roosevelt by the delegation from
Kentucky. which is interested in the West
Point site in that State. DR.. Putt, one of
the callers, has an option on 10000 acres of
land, a part of which is located on the In
diana side of the Ohio river. In the con-
sideration of the military appropriation bill
the house committee has entered into an
elaborate discussion Of the proposed camps,
and the sentiment developed is favorable
TO the project proposed by Secretary Root.
The purpose of the plan, as Is we'll known,
is to enable the State troops TO engage in
with troops OF the regular army. The ma
neuvers at West Point last summer, In
which the Indiana State guard participated
were designed to demonstrate the value
and practicability of such policy. In case
the government selects West Point as one
of the sites, land will be acquired on the
Indiana side of the river. AS General Wag-
ner pointed out, the location is an excellent
one in that it would permit of practice
in the construction OF pontoon bridges. He
also stated that the high hills on the In
diana side would afford opportunity for ar
tillery practice.
The report of Maj. John T. French. who
went to Indianapolis to make an investiga-
ton relative to the army post site. will be
submitted to General Humphrey on Mon
day. Major French has just returned and
was in conference with the quartermaster
general to-day. 1t cannot be learned at the
department that Major French has evolved
any plan to settle the complications over
the cemetery tract embraced in the site.
General Humphrey said that ii was de-
sired to keep the site marked out in
| tact and IL is understood that il the land
| cannot be acquired in any other way ii will
be condemned as was contemplated in the
Roberts case.
Senator Fairbanks is much interested in
| the proposition OF increased compensation