Jasper County Democrat, Volume 2, Number 51, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 March 1900 — CONGRESS [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

CONGRESS

The Senate devoted most of the day Thursday to discussion of the $2,000,000 Porto Rican appropriation bill. Heard Mr. Wellington io opposition to the seating of Mr. Quay. When Mr. Penrose asked to have time set for a vote on the Quay case Mr. Gailiuger said be desired to speak on the subject. Mr. Penrose said the New Hampshire man had told him he did not wish to speak thereon, and Mr. Gailiuger replied by passing the lie direct. The proposition to fix a time for a vote was postponed one day. The House passed the District of Columbia appropriation bill carrying $6,098,378, and also a bill granting the abandoned Fort Hays military reservation to the State of Kansas for experimental station ' and normal school purposes. On- Friday the Senate passed the $2,000,900 Porto Rican appropriation bill ‘without division. Agreed to take up the Quay case Tuesday. April 3, and to discuss it until disi>osed of. the discussion not to interfere with the unfinished business, the Spooner bill authorizing the President to govern the Philippines until otherwise directed, the appropriation bills or conference reports. Voted to adjourn to Monday. March 19, In the House it was first private bill day under the new rule. About two hours was spent in the discussion of a bill to pay Representative Swanson $1,769 for extra ex|»enses incurred by him in his contest in the last Congress, but the bill was ultimately abandoned. Six bills of minor importance were passed. The Senate was not in session Saturday. In the House members pronounced eulogies upon the late Monroe L. Hayward, Senator-elect from Nebraska, who died before taking the oath of office. No other business of importance was transacted. On Monday th.e Senate passed the legislative, executive nad judicial appropriation bill, carrying more than $25,999,099, and the measure providing for the appointment of a commission to adjudicate and settle claims of the people of the United States growing out of the war with Spain. For a brief time the Porto {lican government and tariff measure was under consideration. Mr. Foraker, in charge of the bill, submitted some committee amendments. A few of them were agreed to, but the important ones were left pending. A free trade amendment to the bill was offered by Senator Beveridge. The House refused to concur in the Senate amendments to the Porto Rican tariff bill and conferees were appointed. Rest of the day devoted to District of Columbia business.

The Senate on Tuesday received majority report from the committee on privileges and elections declaring Senator Scott of West Virginia entitled to his seat. Listened to extended speech by Mr. Morgan on the Porto Rico bill. In the House Mr. Sulzer of New York attacked administration in a speech upon his resolution calling upon the War Department for information as to what fortifications Great Britain was erecting on the Canadian border. The committee on military affairs submitted a reply of Adjutant General Corbin, saying such information was secret, but that Great Britain was erecting no works which threatened American rights. The committee recommended that the resolution ,lie upon the table, and this was done by a vote of 110 to 97. Consideration of the Loud bill to restrict the character of publications entitled to pound rates as sec-ond-class mail matter was then taken up. Mr. Loud defended it in a long speech. The other speakers were 11. C. Smith (Mich.), in favor of the bill, and Messrs. Little (Ark.), Bell (Colo.). Henry (Miss.), Stokes (S. C.) and Brown (Ohio) in opposition to it.

In the Senate <>n Wednesday Mr. Turner (Wash.) stated he was informed by the Governor of Alaska that exclusive concessions for gold mining in the bed of the sea near Cape Nome, Alaska, had been granted by the Secretary of War, and upon that Statement he based a resolution of inquity. Senator Turner said jf such a grant had been made it was “a shame, a reproach and a scandal.” The resolution was agreed to. The additional urgent deficiency bill was passed. During the debate in the House upon the Loud bill relating to second-class mail matter Mr. McPherson (Bep., Iowa) charged that Mr. Lentz (Dem., Ohio) was the attorney of the lobby which is fighting the bill. Otherwise the debate was without incident. Mr. Loud agreed to accept amendments to increase the number of sample copies which newspapers can send out at seeopd-class rates from--000 to 2,000 and to limit the provision requiring newspapers to separate their mail to those having in excess of 5,000 circulation. The speakers were Messrs. Bromwell (Ohio), Griggs (Ga.), McPherson (Iowa), Burke (Texas), Bingham (Pa.), Hentwoie (Minn.) and Latimer (8. C.) in favor of the bill and Messrs. Moon (Tenn.), Lentz (Ohio), Vandiver (Mo.), Snodgrass (Tenn.), Cochran (Mo.) and Neville (Neb.) against it.