Democratic Sentinel, Volume 22, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 June 1898 — CONGRESS [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

CONGRESS

The Senate spent most of the day Tuesday in discussion of the war revenue measure. Paragraphs relating to corporation taxes were under consideration. Speeches were made by Mr. Frye of Maine, Mr. Platt of Connecticut, and Mr. Lindsey of Kentucky. In the Senate on Wednesday Mr. Hale of Maine reported an appropriation bill to supply deficiencies in pensions and for other purposes. As reported the bill carries $8,498,405, of which $8,075,872 is for pensions and the balance for the army, navy and courts. After a brief discussion of that feature of the measure which makes possible temporary appointments of clerks without civil service examination, it was passed. Discussion of thq war revenue measure was resumed. Mr> Stewart of Nevada and Mr. Allen of Nebraska made speeches against a bond issue. Mr. Caffery of Louisiana argued against the proposed tax on corporations, and upon motion- the McEnery amendment was laid oM the table by a vote of 36 to 10. The Senate then passed bill« granting additional powers to railroad ■» created by laws of the United States an I operating lines in Indian territory and aj>pdlnting commissioners to revise the statutes relating to patents, trade and other marks and trade and commercial names.. Mr. Lacy of lowa, from the Committee on Public Lands, called up, and the House passed, the House bill granting certain lands to the territory of New Mexico for common school, college, university, charitable institutions, public buildings, irrigation and Rio Grande river improvement purposes. Pursuant to an arrangement the House then listened to eulogies upon the late Senator J. Z. George of Mississippi. \ Consideration of the war revenue bill was continued in the Senate on Thursday, speeches upon it being made by Mr. White of California and Mr. Teller of Colorado, A bill was reported by Mr. Sewell providing for the employment of retired army, officers during the present war. It was passed. Mr. Money of Mississippi, being recognized, presented the resolutions upon the death of Mr. Walthall. The eulogies were pronounced by Mr. Money, Mr. Hawley of Connecticut, Mr. Berry of Arkansas, Mr. Proctor of Vermont-, Mr. Gorman of Maryland, Mr. Cannon of Utah, Mr. Cockrell of Missouri, Mr. Bate of Tennessee, Mr. Pasco of Florida and Mr. Pettus of Alabama. The House passed a resolution directing the Secretary of War to prepare and submit plans and. estimates for the improvement of Aransas Pass channel and harbor, Texas. A’ bill providing for the sale of unallotted lands of the Pottawattamie and Kickapoo Indians in Kansas and a bill amending the law for times and places for holding terms of United States courts in Idaho and Wyoming were also passed. Mr.i Cannon of Illinois called up the pension: deficiency bill as amended and passed by the Senate, and, after discussion, the House concurred in the Senate amendments to the bill. The Senate amendments to the bill granting additional powers to railroad companies operating lines! in the Indian territory were concurred in.i A roll-call upon the amended bill to' amend internal revenue laws relating to' distilled liquors was pending when the House adjourned. Soon after the Senate convened on Friday Mr. Carter reported from the Military Affairs Committee a bill providing for a second assistant Secretary of War to be named by the President, and to receive a salary of $4,000. The bill was passed. Discussion of the war revenue measure was then resumed, and speeches were made by Messrs. Teller of Colorado, Nelson of Minnesota, Cockrell of M» n souri and Gorman of Maryland. These were passed: Donating a condemned cannon to the thirty-second national encampment, G. A. R.; providing for a survey of the harbor at Sheboygan, Wis., and extending the time for the completion of the Fort Smith and Western Railroad. In the House a yea and nay vote was taken upon the bill to amend the internal revenue law relating to bondage and outage periods of distilled spirits. The bill-passed, 132 to 65. Most of the day Saturday was spent by the Senate in discussion of the war revenue bill, several Senators being heard upon different features of the measure. A proposition was made to vote upon the amendment offered by Mr. Gorman of Maryland limiting the excise tax upon railroad, steamboat, electric light, telegraph, telephone, express and other corporations to those whose gross receipts exceed $250,000 annually and making the tax one-half of 1 per cent. Mr. Aldrich moved to lay upon the table the amendment offered by the committee for which Mt. Gorman’s amendment was intended as a substitute. This brought on the most important vote yet taken in the Senate upon the bill. The vote resulted in yeas 41, nays 27.