Jasper County Democrat, Volume 3, Number 41, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 January 1901 — Congress. [ARTICLE]

Congress.

The assaults upon the river and harbor appropriation bill, which were begun the previous day in the House in a speech delivered by Representative Corliss of Michigan, were continued with vindictive emphasis Thursday afternoon. Representatives Grosvenor, Hepburn and Cushman were the principal member* who spoke in opposition. Mr. Hill of Connecticut announced the death of Representative Frank G. Clarke of New Hampshire and at 4, o’clock the House adjourned. Considerable progress was made by the Senate with the army reorganization bill, but the final vote upon the measure seemed to be still far off. An appeal was presented by Mr. Teller of Colorado from more than 2,000 persons in Manila urging the United States government to cease its operations against the Filipinos. The appeal is sensational in its statements and so unusual iu form that Mr. Hawley of Connecticut made a vigorous objection to its publication as a document.

The Burleigh reapportionment bill will probably become a law within ten days. The Senate committee on census reported the measure favorably without a dissenting vote and the Senate late Friday afternoon passed the bill as it came from the House. A House of Representatives of 386 members, twenty-nine more than there are in the House at present, is the meaning of the reapportionment measure. Not since the Fifty-first Congress has the House passed.as many private pension bills at a single sitting as it did Friday. In all 170 special pension bills were passed at the session. The tnos( important was one to increase the pension of Gen. Americus V. Rice from $36 to SIOO. Gen. Rice was wounded several times during the Civil War and lost a leg at Vicksburg. He was formerly a member of Congress from Ohio and was the author of the arrearages of pension act. The Senate had passed a bill to increase his pension to S6O and the House raised the amount to SIOO. Representative Loud of California, from thepostoffice, committee, reported to the House a bill revising and codifying the postal laws. No radical changes in existing laws are proposed in the bill. The Senate bill relating to the accounts of United States marshals and clerks of the district courts of Utah was passed. The Senate devoted Saturday to eulogies of the late Senator Davis of Minnesota. In the House the river and harbor bill again occupied nearly all the session. On Monday the Senate again devoted the day to consideration of the army reorganization bill, but made no progress. Messrs. Teller and Pettigrew resorted to. filibustering tactics. The House postponed District of Columbia business until Monday, Jan. 21, and proceeded with the river and harbor bill. Good progress was made, fifty-nine of the ninety-seven pages of the bill being completed. Many amendments were offered, but all failed. Some progress was made by the Senate on Tuesday in the consideration of the army reorganization bill. One amendment that has created much debate was disposed of and a tacit agreement has been ruached for a “vote very soon.” M-r. Cockrell (Missouri) emphasized his opposition to the increase in the army proposed by the bill and his intention to vote against it, but expressed his opinion that the bill ought to be disposed of speedily. Mr. Sewell (New Jersey) also urged speedy action on the measure on account ot the serious embarrassment the government was laboring - under iu preparing for the return of the volunteers from the Philippines. The principal speeches against the bill were made by Mr. Berry (Arkansas),'Mr. Bacon (Georgia) and Mr. Teller (Colorado). Mr. Warren (Wyoming) delivered an extended argument iu support of the bill. Bill granting pension of SSO a month to Horatio N. Davis, father of the late Senator Davis of Minnesota, was passed. Mr. Davis was captain iu commissary■ department. In the. House the day was devoted to consideration of river and harbor bill. The Senate on Wednesday decided to take final vote on reorganization bill at 4 o’clock Friday. Speeches in opposition to the bill were delivered by Messrs. Allen, Teller and Butler, while Mr. MrCumber made argument in support of the measure. Feature of debate was denunciation of practice of hazing nt West Point Military Academy. The House passed river and harbor appropriation bill substantially ns it came from committee, It carries slightly less than $60,000.000, of which $23.0<M).000 is in direct appropriations. Scttiou empowering the President to negotiate with Great Britain for maintenance of suitable levels on great lakes was broadened so as to provide for joint commission to conduct negotiations. De Armond resolution calling upon War Department for all information relative to alleged action of Gen. Chaffee in protesting against looting in China was laid upon the table