Jasper County Democrat, Volume 3, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 May 1900 — CONGRESS [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

CONGRESS

The Senate on Friday passed the army reorganization bill, which practically revolutionizes the present staff arrangements of the army. The bill provides for an increase in several branches of the service. The fortifications appropriation bill, carryipgfcs7,733,62B, an increase of $640,140 over the House measure ,was also passed. In the House seventy-three of the 132 pages of the sundry civil appropriation bill were completed. Members of the naval committee made efforts to crippje the coast and geodetic survey in retaliation for the refusal of the House to place the survey of waters of our insular possessions in the hands of our navy. A message from President McKinley vetoing the bill authorizing the adjustment of settlers on the Navajo Indian reservation was laid before the House. An order was made giving the day following the disposition of the sundry civil bill to the committee on claims. The Senate held no session Saturday. In the House the Senate amendments to the army appropriation bill were disagreed to and the bill was sent to conference. The House resumed the consideration of the sundry civil appropriation bill. There was a protracted contest over several propositions to buy 140 acres additional for the St. Elizabeth insane asylum at $1,500 an acre. Although it was urged that the land was badly needed for additional quarters for the insane, every proposition was defeated. _ A few minor amendments were adopted. The committee then rose and the bill was passed. The fortifications appropriation bill was sent to conference. On Monday, in the Senate, Mr. Teller delivered n speech in which he strongly urged the Senate to extend its sympathy to the Boers in contest With Great Britain., ’Hie adoption of his resolution of sympathy, he maintained, could not be considered as qn unfriendly act by the British Government. During most of the session the Senate had under consideration the naval appropriation bill. Mr. Chandler's amendment to curtail the increase of the marine corps created some debate, and finally was laid on the table, 30 to 14. The bill was not completed. Notice was given that the armor plate provision would be considered in secret session, on account of certain facts that were to be called to the Senate’s attention. A bill was passed to provide for a survey of the Illinois river. In the House it was suspension day and a number of bills were passed. The most important was the Senate bill to amend the general pension laws so as to provide for aggregating disabilities under the act of 1890 without regard to service origin, and to increase the net income a widow may have without destroying her righf to a pension from $96 to $250. The purpose of the bill is to modify rulings of the pension office in accordance with the recommendations of'the G. A. R. It was passed without a dissenting voice. The bill to Increase the appropriation for the National Guard from $400,000 to $1,000,000 was among those passed. Mr. Sulzer (N. Y.) attempted to secure action upon his resolution expressing sympathy with the Boers, but was cut off by the Speaker. On Tuesday the Senate concluded consideration of the naval appropriation bill, with the exception of that section relating to armor and armament. This went over until Wednesday. A number of minor bills were passed, among them one to reimburse various collectors of internal revenue for internal revenue stamps charged against them, but not accounted for. The debate on the mrml bill was practically confined to the paragraph relating to the commissioning of naval cadets. The committee’s amendment striking out the proposition in the House bill which sought to commission the cadets at the expiration of the four years’ term at the naval academy, abolishing the preliminary two years at sea, was carried after a warm debate. The House devoted most of the day to the consideration of private bills recommended from the committee on claims and ten bills were passed. The most important wns one to remit the penalties imposed by the Government on the Union iron works of San Francisco, the builders of the monitor Monterey, for her failure to make contract speed. Resolution was adopted calling upon the Secretary of the Treasury to inform the House of the material used in the manufacture of oleomargarine.

PractiraHy the entire session of the Senate on Wednesday was devoted to the section of the naval appropriation bill relating to armor and armament. The debate largely binged on the proposition that the Government should erect nn armor plant of its own. Senator Tillman presented, nu amendment limiting the price to be paid for armor to S3OO per ton, and providing also that the Government should erect a plant of its own. Senators Tillman. Money nnd Chandler advocated the erection of a plant, while Mr. Hale supporhMl the committee amendment providing for a plant in the contingency that armor could not be produced for $445 per ton. No action wa* taken on the proposition, the bill going over until Thursday. The House considered the contested election case of Pearson versus Crawford from the Ninth North Carolina district. The report of the majority was against the sitting Hiember, a Democrat, on the general ground that Mr. Pearson’s election was prevented by fraud, intimidation, bribery and bloodshed. The minority deny all the allegations of the majority. The debate wa* on party lines.