Congressional News

Work of the Past Six Days in Senate and House.

The Urgent Deficiency Bill Passed by the House by a Vote of 182 to 53 - A Weekly Summary of the Important Bills and Resolutions Introduced into the Two Houses.

Washington City, Feb. 16. - Bills were reported to the senate Wednesday to reward, Esquimaux Indians for aid to castaway sailors and providing for an international maritime conference to consider safety of life at sea; also a bill to promote the progress of American nations. Beck introduced a bill to re-imburse the states for moneys expended in suppressing the rebellion. The Blair educational bill was then taken up and after speeches by Hale in opposition to it and others briefly pro and con, Blair closed the debate and a vote was taken resulting in its passage - yeas, 39; nays, 29. Several amendments, were defeated, one being to distribute the money in proportion to population instead of illiteracy, and another (by Berry) to pay no money for the maintenance of mixed (white and negro) schools. Berry voted aye on the passage of the bill in accordance with the wishes of his constituents, but against his own judgment. A secret session was then held, Marshall McDonald, as fish commissioner, confirmed, and the senate adjourned.
The vote in detail on the educational bill was as follows:
Yeas - Allison, Berry, Blair, Bowen, Brown, Call, Cameron, Chandler, Colquitt, Cullom, Daniel, Dawes, Dolph, Eustis, Evars, George, Hampton, Hearst, Hoar, Jones of Arkansas, Manderson, Michell. Morrill, Palmer, Pasco, Payne, Platt, Pugh, Quay, Ransom, Riddleberger, Sawyer, Stanford, Stewart, Stockbridge, Teller, Vance, Walthall, Wilson of Iowa - 39.
Nays - Aldrich, Bate, Beck, Blackburn, Blodgett, Butler, Coke, Davis, Farwell, Faulkner, Frye, Gray, Hale, Harris, Hawley, Hiscock, Ingalls, Jones of Nevada, Kenna, Morgan, Plumb, Regan, Sabin, Saulsbury, Spooner, Turpie, Vest, Voorhees. Wilson of Maryland - 29.
Gibson, Edmunds, Sherman, and Paddock, who would have voted for the bill, were paired with Chace, Cockrel, Gorman, and McPherson, who would have voted against it.
The house adopted a resolution to appoint a committee to investigate the cause of delay in constructing the new library building and then went into committee on the deficiency bill. Randall complained that the department of justice estimates were unreliable, and he suggested some sort of legislation to improve matters. An amendment was adopted making appropriations for the completion of public buildings in over thirty cities, where the original estimates have been exceeded. Pending further action the committee rose and the house adjourned

Washington City. Feb. 17. - Bills were reported to the senate Thursday authorizing bridges across the Missouri river at Sioux City and the Muskingum river in Ohio; also to regulate the importation of foreign merchandise. A bill was introduced to authorize G. A. R. members to wear badges. The resolution for an inquiry into the alleged inefficiency of the mail service was agreed to. Teller advocated the public consideration of nominations to office by the senate, and spoke generally against the secret session except in particular cases, as debates on treaties. Private pension bills were then taken up and 108 passed, after which an executive session was held, and at its close the senate adjourned until Monday.
An adverse report was made to the house on the bill to change the meeting day of congress to the first Monday in October. The senate amendments to the bill providing for eleven division superintendents of the railway mail service were concurred in, and the house went into committee of the whole on the deficiency bill. The debate, as usual, was switched off, and Kerr of Iowa, Randall and others advocated repeal of the internal revenue laws. Without final action the house took recess until 8 p. m., and upon assembling in evening session debated the Pacific railway telegraph bill until adjournment.

Washington City, Feb. 18. - A memorial from the authorities of Bluffton, Ind., was presented to the house Friday, asking that public buildings be built in every town of 3,000 inhabitant, and over, at the rate of cost of $2,000 for each 1,000 inhabitants, the money to be provided in a general appropriation bill. The Blair educational bill was referred to the education committee. The deficiency bill then came up, and after amending it so as to require the public printer to rigidly enforce the eight-hour law in his office, the bill was passed. The bill for the relief of Nathaniel McKay and others was passed. A warm fight then took place over adjournment, and after much disorder and an avalanche of parliamentary questions that nearly overwhelmed the speaker pro tem., McMillan, the house adjourned until Monday.

Washington City, Feb. 22. - A petition with 15,000 names was presented in the senate Monday asking legislation to protect women and girls from rape; also several Prohibition petitions. It was agreed that on Wednesday after the morning business the chairman read Washington's farewell address. A debate on the Washington Electric railway bill resulted in an amendment requiring the rails to be of American manufacture. The bill was laid aside and a bill reported to establish a bureau of animal industry. After an executive session the senate adjourned.
The reply of the secretary of war to Boutelle's battle flag resolution was laid before the house. It is to the effect that no flags have been disposed of contrary to law, and none returned to ex-rebels. Bills were introduced: regulating the classification and pay of postmasters; apportioning on the basis of illiteracy $65,000,000 for educational purposes; a resolution directing the education committee to report back the Blair bill before March 20; limiting homestead entries to eighty acres instead of 110, and to American citizens only; constitutional amendment extending the presidential term to eight years; for the erection of public buildings at Sterling, III.; South Bend, Ind.; Burlington, Ia.; Canton, O.; Sheboygan, Green Bay and Manitoba, Wis.; Yankton, D. T., and Oberlin, Kan. A motion to suspend the rules and pass the resolution proposing a constitutional amendment making April 30 inauguration day, and extending the Fiftieth congress to April 30, 1889, was defeated- yeas, 129; nays, 128 - not the necessary two-thirds, and the house adjourned.

Washington City, Feb. 23.- Invitations were received by the senate Tuesday for the partic pation of the United States in the Internation at Geodetic association to meet at Berlin, and from the Belgian government for our participation in the International Exposition of Science and Industry at Brussels. The Washington City street railway charter was then considered without final action and the senate, alter refusing to adjourn until Thursday, went into executive session and when the doors reopened adjourned.
The bill to refund the direct tax was reported to the house, after which, in committee of the whole bills appropriating in the aggregate $375,000 for public buildings at Charleston, S. C, and Lancaster and Allentown, Pa., were passed. The house then adjourned until Thursday.