Jasper County Democrat, Volume 1, Number 43, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 February 1899 — CONGRESS [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

CONGRESS

The opposition to the army reorganization bill on tbe Republican side of th* House had become so strong that on Friday Chairman Hull, after Mr. Henderson of- lowa, one of the floor leaders of the majority, had threatened to vote to recommit the bill, decided it would be wise, in order to secure its passage, to abandon the idea of providing directly for a regular army of 100,000 men. Speeches were made by Congressmen Henderson (Iowa), Prince (Illinois), Cousins (Iowa), Hall, and Robinson (Ind.). This ended the general debate, and several amendments were considered. At 5 o’clock the House recessed until 8, the evening session being devoted to private pension legislation. Particular interest was manifested in the Senate in a brief speech delivered by Senator T. _C. Platt of Now York on the general subject of expansion. Under the arrangement concluded the previous evening consideration of the pension appropriation bill was resumed, Mr. Gorman of Maryland submitting some remarks upon it. Mr. Perkins of California, in charge of the measure, replied briefly to Mr. Gorman. The pension bill was then passed. The House on Saturday continued the consideration of the army reorganization bill until 2 o’clock, when the members paid their tributes to the memory of the late Representative Simpkins of Massachusetts. Very little progress was made with the army bill. • The time before the eulogies began was chiefly devoted to a continuation of the debate on the advisability of retaining the Philippines. A spirited debate was precipitated iu the Senate while the diplomatic and consular appropriation bill was under consideration. The Appropriations Committee was sharply criticised for not providing adequate salaries for some of the consular officers anti secretaries of legations of this Government in foreign countries, and the parsimony of the nation in this respect was denounced as a disgrace. The bill, which appropriates $1,710,533, was finally passed. A bill amending the law relating to the apportionment and election of representatives in Congress so as to permit the use of voting machines was passed. The House put in a hard day’s work on the army bill Monday, and when it adjourned thirteen of the twenty pages had been completed. Much of the time was occupied in short speeches on the general proposition to increase tbe army and annex the Philippines, and there were several lively personal controversies. At the opening of the session of the House Mr. Hopkins (Rep., III.) reported the census bill and gave notice that he would caR it up the next Monday. An effort on the part of Mr. Allison to obtain consideration in the Senate for the Indian appropriation bill precipitated a running debate, which occupied all tbe time until the Senate, at 2 o’clock, went into executive session on the peace treaty. The President sent to the Senate correspondence on file in the State Department bearing upon the peace treaty, and it was read in the executive session.

The bill to reorganize and increase the standing army to about 100,000 men, but giving the President authority to reduce the size of infantry companies and cavalry troops to sixty men each, thus fixing a minimum of about 50,000 enlisted men, passed the House on Tuesday by a vote of 108 to 125. Mr. Burton (Rep., O.), chairman of the Tlivpr and Harbor Committee, called up the river and harbor bill. The House went through the form of going into committee in order to put the river and harbor bill under consideration. The committee then rose and the House at 4:35 p. in. adjourned. During almost the entire morning hour the Senate had under discussion the policy of this country to be pursued in the Philippine Islands. Mr. Berry (Ark.), in a speech upon the resolution offered by Mr. Vest, discussed the policy of expansion. An attempt by Mr. Bacon (Ga.") to secure a vote upon his resolution which, in brief, declares that the United States Government will not make war upon a people seeking for their freedom, precipitated a lively debate, which was participated in by Mr. Platt (Conn.) and Mr. Teller (Colo.). No action on the resolutions was taken. A bill was passed at the opening of the Senate session granting extra pay to the officers and men of the temporary force of the navy—two months’ extra pay to those who served beyond the limits of the-United States and one month’s pay to those who served within the United States.

The House entered upon the consideration of the river and harbor bill on Wednesday, and made rapid progress. Fifty of the eighty-eight pages of the bill had been completed when the House adjourned. The bill appropriates directly about $12,500,000 and authorizes contracts to the extent of $18,000,000 additional. The general debate was unusually brief. Its feature was a speech in opposition to the bill by Mr. Hepburn of lowa. Practically the only amendment adopted was one striking out an appropriation of $250,000 for a channel from Galveston to Texas City, Texas. Mr. Rawlins (Utah) addressed the Senate upon the Vest antiexpansion resolution. Mr. Lindsay (Ky.) offered a resolution declaring that territory not a part of the continent of North America shall not be admitted into the Federal Union as a State or States. During Mr. Rawlins’ speech a message was received from the House transmitting the army reorganization bill. It was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs. At the conclusion of Mr. Rawlins’ speech the Bacon resolution was laid before the Senate. Mr. Sullivan (Miss.) then offered his own resolution as a substitute fur the Bacon resolution. Senators Teller and Hoar were the speakers In the executive session of the Senate. Mr. Teller made a set speech in support of the treaty, and Mr. Hoar replied.