Jasper County Democrat, Volume 4, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 February 1902 — Congress. [ARTICLE]

Congress.

The House on Friday passed the legislative, executive and judicial appropriation bill, the second of the regular supply bills. It carries $25,171,969, which is $503,721 in excess of the current law. Only two amendments of importance were adopted. One provides for a commission to redistrict the legislative districts of Oklahoma, and the other authorizes the President, in his discretion, to cover into the civil service the temporary clerical force employed on account of the war with Spain. There are about 1.250 of these clerks still in the service. By the terms of the amendment the President must place all or none of them under the civil service. The Philippine tariff bill was taken up early in the Senate. The session was notably quiet. Mr. Turner of Washington delivered a carefully prepared speech on tho general Philippine question, and had not concluded when the bill was laid aside for the day. He discussed particularly the legal and constitutional questions involved in the government qod control of the Philippine archipelago by the United States. After the adoption of minor amendments the pension appropriation bill was passed early in the session. The House on Saturday devoted an hour to the transaction of minor business and the remainder of the day to eulogies on the life and public services of the late Representative Burke of Texas. General debate on the oleomargarine bill was closed Monday. The friends of the bill have decided to offer an amendment to make the 10-cent tax apply to oleomargarine, in imitation of butter, “of any shade of yellow.” The amendment is designed to meet the charge of tho opponent 3 of the bill th at wi t hou t this amendment the language of the bill might be construed to absolutely prohibit the sale of oleomargarine. Throughout nearly the entire session of the Senate the Philippine tariff bill was under consideration. Mr. Turner (Wash.) concluded his speech begun the previous Friday on £he legal and constitutional phases of the Philippine question. He held in the main that as the Filipinos had established nn independent government in the islands prior to the fall of Manila, the United States under the principles of international law had no right iu tho islands. Mr. Teller (Colo.) took the floor to deliver a speech on the pending measure, but had scarcely introduced bis argument before he requested that he be allowed to continue his address the next day. By n vote of 155 to 106, the opponents of the oleomargarine bill forced adjournment in the House late Tuesday afternoon before the bill had been disposed of. The temporary defeat of the bill was complete, but not squarely upon its merits. The dairy forces were repeatedly routed during (he day. Without competent lenders the “cowboys.” as the friends of the bill have been dubbed, were frequently stampeded. The unusual anil wholly unexpected spectacle was presented of a measure that was supposed unquestionably to command the support of a safe majority, being torn to pieces and kicked about the chamber. The joint resolution proposing a constitutional amendment making the commencement nnd termination of Congress and of the President's nod Vice-President's terms of office the last Thursday in April instead of the 4th day of March was taken up in the Senate, and after some opposition by Mr. Stewart of Nevada was passed. The amendment is to become effective with the expiration of the Fifty-eighth Congress in April, 1905. It is believed the House will concur in the resolution. It it does President Roosevelt’s term of office will be extended nearly two months. A stirring debate on the genera! Philippine question was precipitated in the Senate late in tho day, the principal participants being Mr. Platt of Connecticut and Mr. Hoar of Massachusetts. The House of Representatives on Wednesday passed the oleo bill. The test of strength of the contending forces camo on the motion of Mr. Wadsworth of New York to refer the bill back to the committee on agriculture, with instructions to report the substitute or minority measure. This motion was defeated by a majority of forty-four, the vote being 162 to 118. War claims occupied the attention of the House after the passage of tho oleomargarine bill, and the day was made notable for the passage -of the first bill for the payment of claims of United States citizens arising out of the Spanish war. It carried something over $55,000 for the payment of 202 claims for property taken within the United States for the use of the army. An omnibus bill carrying claims aggregating $2,114,552 for stores aud supplies taken from loyal citizens during the Civil War also was passed. These claims were allowed under the provisions of the Bowman act, and the bill was identical with one passed by the House at the last session. Two other bills, which have been before Congress for twenty-eight years, to refer certain claims for additional compeueatiou by the builders of certain monitors during the Civil War to the court of claims, were passed. With the exception of a sharp dash between Mr. Lodge and Mr. Patterson over tho matter of admission of representatives of the press to the investigation which the Philippine committee is conducting, the discussion of the Philippine tariff bill in the Senate was quiet. Mr. Teller occupied the attention of the Senate during the greater part of the session, and did not conclude his speech before adjournment.