Getting Down To Biz

Washington, Dec. 7. - The house of representatives settled down to the customary routine. Rev. Henry Louden, the regular chaplain, daiivered the invocation. In nis appeal to the throne of Grace he asked for the divine blessing upon the president in his hour of trial and anxiety. After the reading of the journal leave was asked by several of the more important committees to sit during the sessions of the house and for the printing of documents for the use of the committees. These were the cusomary requests incident to the serious work of the session and were grant. ed. The president's message transmttting the report of the special commission on the Paris international exposition In 1900 and recommending a liberal appropriation for our representation at the exposition was laid before the house. Iti'Milutioii by Dlngley. Dingley fiom the committee on ways and means then presented a resolution adopted by that committee for the distribution of the president's message to the several committees having jurisdietion of the various subjeets treated. Walker, Republican, of Massachusetts, chairman of the banking and currency committee, asked for a re-reading of the portion of the resolution giving the ways and means committee jurisdiction of all the portions relating to "The revenues, the national ftnances. the public debt and the preservation bf the public credit." At 2 o'clock the debate in ,the house on the resolution for trie distribution of president's message closed after sharp debate on the civil service question. Dingley modified the resolution so as to make it agreeable to Walker and others of the currency committee, after which it was agreed to without further división and the house adjourned. Senate Prooeetlinfjs. The invocation at the opening of the senate was delivered by the Rev. Charles A. Berry, D-, of Wolverhampton, Eng. He prayed that the'Almighty might take into his care all the interests of the nation, that from this natlon may emana te such feelings of brotherhood as would be a blessing to all mankind. Walthall of Mississippi presented the eredentials of Hon. H. D. Money of Mississippi to succeed the late Senator George. The credentials read that he should have and hold such office until his authority should be "revoked by competent authority." Senators Chandler and Hoar insisted that they were not in constitutional form, but raised no objection to the senator being sworn in, ivhich was done after Walthall, Allen and Teller had characterized the objections technical and cavilling. SECRETAKY GAGE'S REPORT. Revenues and Expentliture of the Xational Government. Washington, Dec. 7. - The annual report of the secretary of the treasury is a particularly interesting document this year. lt is set forth in the clear yet concise style characteristic of Secretary Gage and covers the financial operations of the government for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1897, and such necessary comparisons with former years as gives adequate view of the country's condition. The revenues of the government from all sources for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1S97, were $430.387.167.89, of whioh $176,554, 126.65 was from customs and $82,665,462.73 from the postal service. The expenditures for the same period were $448.439.622.30, of which $141,053,164.63 went for pensions. The year's deficit is $18,052,451.41. As compared with the previous year ifeere waa an increase of receipts amounting to $20.911,759.11; of this the customs alone showed an increase of $16,532.374.98. and the sale of Indian lands $273,811. There is an increase of $13.594,713.49 In the ordinary expenditures, of which $1,902,257.73 was in the postoffice department. The salary and expense account of the war department shows a decrease of $251,799.63 as compared with the preceding year, and the navy department cost $3,932.86 more. Secretary Gage estimates the revenues of the year 1S98 at $441,227,076.68, and the expenditures at $469.227,076.68- or a deficit of $28,000,000. For the fiscal year of 1S99 the estimated revenues are $482.874.647.37 and the expenses at $504, 522,533.22- being an estimated deficit of $21,647,885.85 for that year. Secretary Gage recommends that the sum of $200,000.000 in the legal tender notes of the T'nited States, known as greenbacks, be collected as hereinafter described and deposited in the said issue and redemption división, to be disbursed therefrom only upon the receipt in exchange therefor of an equivalent amount of -gold coin: such bond. when bo secured, to be held In said división as part of the general redemption fund. That provisión be made for the issue of refunding loan bonds, payable after ten years at the pleasure of the government, such bonds to bear interest at the rate of 2% per cent. per annum, payable. principal and interest, in gold coin: and that the secretary of the treasury be authorized to issue such bonds and receive in payment therefor, vrith an equitable allowance for the difference in interest, any part or all of the outstanding loans of the United States vvhich may mature by their terms of payment . in the years 1904, 1907 and 1925. WAYS AND MKANS COMMITTEE. Re.ioliition Agreed on for Dlstrlbutlon of the Message. Washington, Dec. 7.- The ways and means committee held a meeting at which a resolution was agrreed upon for the distribution of the president's message to the various committees having jurisdiction. In a large measure referente of the several questions dealt with in the message is formal and the jurisdiction of the committee is beyond question, but it was very significant that the president's recommendations with regard to tih eurrency and the retirement of the greenbacks were divided. Only those matters strictly relating to banking and eurrency are to go to that committee by the terms of the resolution. The question of retiring the greenbacks and of the reduction of the tax on national bank notes is to go to the ways and means committee. This indicates that if any legislation is to be proposed in line with the president's recommendations it will come from the ways and means and not from the banking and eurrency committee. Sale of the Kansas Pacific. Washington, Dec. 7. - Senator Morg-an has introduced a resolution in the senate directingr the attorney general to send to the senate a full statement of the authority for and the proceedings under whlch the sale of the Kansas Pacific railroad is to be made and requesting the president to obtain a postponement of the sale "to such a time as will give congress a reasonable time to consider and act upon hi9 recommendations. The resolution quotes the president's message in relation to the Kansas Pacific as a preamble. Moiie.v Ki-ol ut ion. Washington, Dec. 7. - There was a large batch of bilis introduced in the house. They included a joint resolution by Evans of Kentucky pledging the faith and credit of the United States to the payment in gold coin of certain of lts outstanding obligations; to the malntenance of the par value in gold of all previously coined silver dollars, and prohibiting the further coinage of any silver dollar unless it shall contain sufflcient standard silver to make the dollar when coined intrinsically worth par in gold. Two Years' Time for Itailways. - Washington, Dec. 7. - The interstate commerce commission has decided to extend for two years the perlod within ■which railroads must comply with the act of congress requiring all railroads to be equipped with safety appliances for the proteetion of the employés and passengers.