Was taken up and read at large a first time and ordered to a second reading.

House Bill No. 58, a bill for "An act to amend an act entitled 'An act to prevent and punish abandonment of wife and children by husband," approved June 17, 1893, in force July 1, 1893,

Was taken up and read at large a first time and ordered to a second reading.

The House proceeding upon the order of House bills on third reading.

House Bill No. 41, a bill for "An act to amend section three of an act entitled 'An act to extend the jurisdiction of county courts, and to provide for the practice thereof, to fix the time for holding the same, and to repeal an act therein named,'" approved March 26, 1874, and in force July 1, 1874,

Having been engrossed and the amendments adopted thereto having been printed, was taken up and read at large a third time.

And the question being, "Shall the bill pass?"

Thereupon, Mr. Needles moved to postpone the further consideration of this bill four weeks from this day.

House Bill No. 39, a bill for "An act making appropriation for the State Board of Arbitration."

Was taken up and read at large a second time.

And the question being, "Shall the bill be engrossed and printed for a third reading?" it was decided in the affirmative.

Senate Bill No. 25, a bill for "An act to provide for the ordinary and contingent expenses of the State Government incurred, or to be incurred, and now unprovided for until the first day of July, A. D. 1897."

Was taken up and read at large a second time.

And the question being, "Shall the bill be ordered to a third reading?" it was decided in the affirmative.

Pending discussion, Mr. Schwab moved to amend the motion by striking out the word "four" and inserting the word "one."

The motion prevailed.

The question now recurring on the original motion as amended, it was decided in the affirmative, and the consideration of said bill was made a special order for one week from to-day, immediately after the reading of the journal.

Mr. Schubert offered the following resolution and moved its adoption:

WHEREAS, The free-delivery service of the post office department of the United States is self sustaining; and

WHEREAS, There is now pending before the House of Representatives of the Congress of the United States a bill introduced by Hon. H. D. Sperry, of Connecticut, entitled, "A salary bill," adopted by the sixth annual meeting of the National Association of Letter Carriers a bill to increase the pay of letter carriers, known as H. R. 260, providing that the pay of letter carriers in ·

cities of more than 75,000 population for the first year of service shall be $600, for the second year of service shall be $800, for the third year of service shall be $1,000, for the fourth year of service and thereafter shall be $1,200, and the pay of letter carriers in cities of less than 75,000 population shall be for the first year of service $600, for the second year of service $800, for the third year of service and thereafter shall be $1,000; and

WHEREAS, The Senate of the Congress of the United States, on the 10th day of June, 1896, by a unanimous vote, passed a similarly worded bill, introduced by Senator Mitchell, of Oregon, known as S 3058, said bill now being on the Speaker's table in the House; therefore, be it

Resolved, by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring: That the Representatives of the State of Illinois in the National Congress be requested to favor and assist in securing an early day for its consideration, and to use every honorable effort to secure the passage of the aforesaid Senate Bill No. 3058; and be it further

Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be forwarded by the Clerk of the House to each of the Congressmen from the State of Illinois and to the Speaker of the House of Representatives in the National Congress.

And the resolution was adopted.

Mr. Bovey presented the following resolution, which was adopted by a rising vote:

WHEREAS, Honorable Frank N. Tice, a Representative in the Thirtieth, Thirty-first and Thirty-second General Assemblies of the State of Illinois, departed this life at his home in Mount Morris, Ogle county, Illinois, on the 25th day of July, 1896; and,

WHEREAS, Mr. Tice was one of the valuable members of said General Assemblies, a man of honor and integrity, and a citizen who reflected credit upon the State; therefore, be it

Resolved, That in the death of the Honorable Frank N. Tice the State of Illinois has lost a useful citizen, his neighbors a kind and generous friend, his wife and children a loving and indulgent husband and father, and that the sincere sympathy of this House is extended to his family.

Resolved, That this resolution be spread upon the journal of the House, and that the Clerk is directed to send a suitable engrossed copy to the family of the deceased.

Mr. Revell offered the following resolution, which was read at large, to-wit:

FOR THE INVESTIGATION OF THE CHICAGO DRAINAGE DISTRICT.

WHEREAS, There is now in course of construction in the Chicago Drainage District a canal known as the Chicago Drainage Canal; and,

WHEREAS, Said canal was designed and intended for drainage purposes, and for the purpose of general navigation; and,

WHEREAS, Said canal was originally estimated to be built and completed by 1897 at a cost of about $20,000,000; and,

WHEREAS, There has already been expended a sum in excess of $31,000,000, according to the report of the trustees of said district; and,

WHEREAS, Said canal was created by an act of the Legislature of the State of Illinois, which said act, although general in terms, was passed for the specific purpose or forming said district; and,

WHEREAS, The trustees of said drainage district are to-day seeking the passage of further legislation, the sole object of which is to take millions of dollars from the pockets of the tax-payers of said district; and,

WHEREAS, Contractors are paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in excess of their original contract for extras;" and,

WHEREAS, The said trustees are about to erect and are constructing stationary bridges, thereby making it impossible to carry out the original intention of the act which created them; and,

WHEREAS, Immense premiums have been paid to bankers and stock brokers for the furtherance of the sale of bonds of said canal; and,

WHEREAS, Large sums of money have been paid for lands through which said canal is being built; and,

WHEREAS, Plans and dimensions of said canal have been changed from time to time for no apparent reason except to allow contractors "extras;" and,

WHEREAS, Expensive departments are kept and maintained by said trustees which are of no further benefit whatsoever, and whose usefulness, if they ever had any, have long since ceased; and,

WHEREAS, Millions of dollars are about to be expended to erect a controlling works at or near Joliet, Illinois, which are entirely unnecessary; and, WHEREAS, A paid lobyist is at present in attendance at the session of this Honorable body; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That a committee of five members be appointed by the Speaker of this Honorable body to investigate the said Drainage Board and district afore mentioned and report the same to this Honorable body. That said committee be authorized and empowered to subpoena witnesses to attend this session, that the trustees and officials of said board be compelled, when so requested, to appear before said committee and testify regarding such facts as the committee may deem necessary. That said officials be compelled to produce all papers and books pertaining to said drainage district as said committee may request of them, or that may be necessary. That said committee

be empowered to employ a stenographer and such help as may be necessary in the pursuance of this investigation, and that said expenses be paid out of the contingent expense fund of this body.

Mr. Nohe moved that the resolution be referred to the Committee on Drainage and Waterways.

Mr. Schwab moved as a substitute that it be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Mr. Revell moved to lay the substitute on the table, and the motion prevailed.

The question now recurring on the motion of Mr. Nohe, it was decided in the affirmative,

Mr. Craig presented the following resolution, which was referred. under the rules to the Committee on Military Affairs:

WHEREAS, The several uniformed organizations of the State of Illinois are desirous of holding their annual encampments at the city of Springfield, and, WHEREAS, The said several uniformed organizations have no tents or camp equipage with which to properly conduct said encampment, therefore,

Resolved, by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring therein, That the Adjutant General of the State, with the approval of the Governor, be and is hereby authorized and directed to allow the said several uniformed organizations to use, for the purpose of said encampment, the grounds of the State known as Camp Lincoln, with a sufficient number of State tents and appurtenances, bed sacks and other camp equipage, cooking and table utensils, horse equipments, etc., as will accommodate said several uniformed organizations at such a time as the commanding officers of said organizations shall desire, and after the use thereof by the National Guard in its annual encamp

ment.

Provided,. That the officers of said organizations making requisition for said property as above shall execute and deliver to the said Adjutant General, a good and sufficient bond, in double the value of said property of the State, providing for the payment of all expenses connected with the supply and return of said property and for any loss or damage the State may sustain in said property, by reason of the use of the same as above.

Mr. Busse offered the following resolution, and moved its adoption:

WHEREAS, The attention of the Illinois Legislature has been called to the fact that there now exists in the United States Postal Service one class of employés who never have been legislated for and therefore have no fixed salaries, and

WHEREAS, All other branches of the Government service, including railway postal clerks and letter carriers have received favorable legislation and their salaries classified and fixed according to the duties they perform and the length of time connected with the service, and

WHEREAS, The postoffice clerks have no classification, no definite number of hours to constitute a day's work, and no law by which either qualification or seniority will enable a faithful employé to be properly advanced, and WHEREAS, The present ancient system in vogue by the Congress of the United States in alloting bulk sums of money for the payment of postoffice clerks is so uncertain, so unbusinesslike and un-American in principle that it should at once become obsolete, and

WHEREAS, We are informed there is now pending before the Fifty-fourth Congress, a bill for the classification of postoffice clerks, known as House Rule No. 3,273, introduced by the Hon. N. D. Sperry, of Connecticut, the same being favorably reported by the unanimous vote of the Committee on Postoffice and Post Roads, and

WHEREAS, The passage of said bill will greatly relieve the condition of worthy and efficient postoffice clerks, and will also be a scientific classification which will furnish a remedy for existing evils and prove a salutary incentive to better service and the retention of trustworthy, ambitious young men by the reward of merit which will in turn be of immense advantage to the general public; and since it requires no additional appropriation to put the same into operation, therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of Illinois, the Senate concurring: That we respectfully request the Senators and Representatives from this State in the National Congress, to use their best endeavor in securing a day for the consideration of this bill, H. R. 3,273, and then use every honorable effort to secure its passage, and be it further

Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be forwarded the Hon. Thomas Reed, Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Secretary of the House, the Clerk of the Senate and each of the senators and congressmen from the State of Illinois in the National Congress.

Mr. Allen, of Vermilion, offered the following amendment:

Resolved, That the word female shall be substituted for the word male.

The amendment was declared out of order.

Mr. Needles moved that the resolution be referred to the Committee on Federal Relations, and the motion prevailed.

Mr. Daugherty presented the following resolution, and moved its. adoption:

WHEREAS, The occupancy of the rooms in the Capitol Building which were constructed for committee rooms, and always have been used as such, for the storage and display of geological specimens and natural curiosities, deprives the committee of this House of the needed quarters for the transaction of the public business; and,

WHEREAS, These rooms are needed for immediate use by such committees; therefore,

Resolved, That the Speaker of the House be requested to appoint a committee of three to confer with the Governor and Secretary of State and make provision in some way for the removal of such specimens from rooms that are required for committee work.

Mr. Selby moved that the resolution be referred to the Committee on History, Geology and Science, pending discussion, Mr. Schwab moved to lay the motion upon the table, which motion was lost.

The question now recurring on the motion of Mr. Selby,

The yeas and nays being demanded by five members present, a call of the roll was ordered, resulting as follows: Yeas, 53; nays, 76. Those voting in the affirmative are:

Messrs.

And the resolution was referred to the Committee on History,

Geology and Science.