Democratic Sentinel, Volume 22, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 June 1898 — CONGRESS [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

CONGRESS

The Senate remained in secret legislative session for three hours on Tuesday. The entire time was given to a rather free discussion of the Hawaiian question based bn a motion declaring It to be the sense of the Senate that the question of annexation should not be discussed in open session. At the conclusion of the debate the Senate voted viva voce not to pursue the subject further except behind closed doors. Consideration of the pending war revenue measure was continued in open session, but no real headway was made. The House passed a bill authorising the construction of a railway bridge across Lake St. Francis, near Lake City, Ark. A concurrent resolution, directing the commission now codifying the criminal laws to prepare and submit a code of civil law and procedure for Alaska, was also approved. A number of private bills were passed and the House, in committee of the whole, passed a bill authorising tbe Secretary of the Treasury to keep open during June and July this year such lifesaving stations on the Atlantic and gulf coasts as he might deem advisable. Wednesday’s session of the House was given to the consideration and passage of a bill called up by Mr. Jenkins (Rep.) of Wisconsin to remove all political disabi.ities incurred by the third section of the fourteenth amendment to the constitution. The debate gave rise to notable, apeeches from Mr. Grosvenor (Rep.) of Ohio and Mr. Settle (Dem.) of Kentucky, upon the obliteration of all section feeling and the reality at last of a reunited country. Incidental to the debate several members reviewed she conclusion that a member of Congress could not hold simultaneously a military and civil office. Upon its passage the bill received a unanimous vote. Marked progress was made by the Senate toward the final disposition of the war revenue measure. The committee amendments on nearly sixty pages of the bill were passed upon. The interest of the session centered in the action taken upon the amendment of Mr. Gorman (Dem.) of Maryland, levying a tax of one-quarter of 1 per cent, upon the gross receipts of all corporations doing a business exceeding $260,000 a year. By a direct vote upon It the amendment whs rejected—27 to 84. The Gorman amendment so modified that It levies a tax of one-quarter of one per eent. on all corporations engaged in the refining of sugar or petroleum was passed: Yeas, 33; nays, 20. The Senate continued its consideration of the war revenue bill through its session of Friday, completing everything but the bond provision and the amendments proposed by the Democrats to take its place. The speech of the day was made by Mr. Butler (Populist) of North Carolina. The House, practically without debate, passed the urgency deficiency bill providing for emergency expenses of the army and navy departments incident to the war. j Two very important votes were taken Friday in (he Senate. In lieu of the seigniorage amendment offered by the majority of the Finance Committee, Mr. Wolcott (Rep., Colo.) proposed an amendment directing the Secretary of the Treasury to coin the silver bullion in the treasury and to issue silver certificates against it. The amendment was agreed to, 48 to 31, several Republicans voting for It. Mr. Aldrich (Rep., R. I.) then pressed the amendment of the Finance Committee providing for the issue of $100,000,000 of certificates of indebtedness and $300,000,000 of bonds, to be used exclusively for the payment of the expenses of the war. After an extended debate the question was brought to an issue, and by the decisive vote of 45 to 31 the bond amendment was incorporated in the bill as a substitute for the amendment to issue legal tender notes. The war revenue measure was passed by the Senate Saturday evening at 7:05 o’clock. A score or more of attempts were made to amend it, but in only three or four instances were the attempts successful. The most notable amendment adopted was that offered by Mr. Tillman of South Carolina, placing a duty of 10 cents a pound on all tea imported into the United States. The amendment created no debate and was adopted by a vote of 88 to 82. As finally completed the bill was passed by a vote of 48 to 28. Mr. Allison moved that the Senate insist upon its amendments and that conferees be appointed. The motion was agreed to and Messrs. Allison, Aldrich and Jones of Arkansas were named as conferees. In the House Mr. Lacey of lowa secured consideration of the Senate bill to protect homesteaders who may enlist and serve in the forces of the United States. After some delay it was passed. The war revenue bill was advanced a step further. It was received in the House as amended in the Senate, and the lower branch of Congress accordingly became the center of legislative interest. Mr. Dalzell, from the Committee on Rules, presented a resolution introduced by Mr. Dingley providing for an Immediate vote upon general non-concurrence and sending the bHI to conference. After some debate the vote was taken upon the resolution. Mr. Bailey demanded the yeas and nays, the roll call resulting: Yeas, 137; nay*, 106. It was a party vote. The House then voted to non-concur and agreed to the conference, and the Speaker named Messrs. DfSgley, Payne and Bailey as conferees. Under suspension of the rules the Senate bill ratifying an agreement between the Dawes commission and the Seminole Indians providing for the allotment of the latter’s lands, was passed. Beyond the passage of an urgent deficiency bill, made necessary by the war with Spain, the Senate accomplished little. The deficiency measure carries appropriations for ahe war and navy establishments aggregating $17,745,000.