Jasper County Democrat, Volume 4, Number 51, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 March 1902 — Congress. [ARTICLE]

Congress.

In the Senate on Friday passage of the bill to protect the President by a vote of 52 to 15, and of the war revenue repeal till, without division, occupied practically all of the session. A bill appropriating $125,030 for a marine hospital at Buffalo, N. Y„ was also passed. On motion of Mr. Proctor, chairman of the committee bn agriculture, the oleomargarine bill was made the unfinished business. After an executive session adjournment until Monday was taken. In the House the river and harbor bill was passed without division. Mr. Sulzer (N. Y.) attempted to force a record vote, but only three inembers, Messrs. Smith (Iowa), Fitzgerald (N. Y.) and Cochran (Mo.), supported him. Several minor committee amendments were adopted, one authorizing the Michigan Power Company, with certain restrictions, to take water from the St. Mary river for use in its power canal. During the debate H. C. Smith (Mich.) complained that the $20,000,000 charged to Michigan in the bill benefited the commerce of Chicago. Duluth, Buffalo and Cleveland, and not a single port in Michigan. Adjournment followed final action.

Consideration of the contested election case of Moss versus Rhea from the Third Kentucky District, occupied most of Saturday in the. House. The committee on elections divided on party lines, the majority sustaining the view that Mr. Moss had been elected and the minority that Mr. Rhea, the Democrat, was entitled to retain his seat. In the face of the returns Mr. Rhea bad 156 plurality. According to the contention of the majority certain votes rejected under the Goebel election law would transform this plurality for Rhea into a plurality for Moss of 71. Mr. Mann (III.) and Mr. Smith (Iowa) spoke for the majority, and Mr. Burgess (Texas) for the minority. An agreement was made whereby the vote shall be taken on Tuesday. Before taking up this case the unanimous report of the committee in the case of Speais versus Burnett from the Seventh Alabama District, confirming the title of the sitting member to his seat, was adopted. Several bills of minor importance were passed at the opening of the session, including one to authorize the Secretary of War to loan tents for the use of the Knights of Pythias encampment

Consideration of the oleomargarine bill was begun in the Senate on Monday. The •measure places a tax of 10 cents a pound on oleomargarine colored in imitation of butter and reduces the present tax of 2 cents a pound on oleomargarine to onequarter of 1 cent a pound in its uncolored form. Mr. Proctor, chairman of the committee on agriculture, made the opening statement in support of the measure. He concluded with the observation that the pending bill was “a measure to protect an honest product against a fraud." A few bills of minor importance were passed before the oleomargarine bill was taken up. Among these was one authorizing the establishment of a life-saving station at Eagle Harbor, on Keweenaw Point, Mich. In the House Mr. Boreing (Ky.) injected an attack on the Goebel election law into the continued discussion of the Moss-Rhea contested” election case from the Third Kentucky District, but Mr. Rhea declined to be drawn into an extended debate on an issue not directly involved in the case. He contented himself with paying his respects to Mr. Boreing, charging the latter with ignorance of the law of his own State. Mr. Rhea had not concluded presenting his case when the House adjourned. The Senate amendments to the bill to repeal the war revenue taxes were non-concurred in. A similar course was taken with reference to the legislative, executive and judicial appropriation bill.

A sharp attack on the oleomargarine bill was made by Mr. Money in the Senate on Tuesday. He denounced the measure as “unconstitutional, immoral, dishonest and unjust.” He said it was. a proposition»to tax out of existence one industry tor the benefit of another. Mr. Hansbrough, a majority member of the committee on agriculture, denied there was any attempt in the measure to destroy the oleomargarine industry. Fortyfour private pension measures were passed. as was the bill to amend the act establishing a code of laws for the District of Columbia. In the House, by a vote of 137 to 127 it was decided to unseat Mr. Rhea of Kentucky, a Democrat, and seat in his place J. McKenzie Moss, who was formerly a Democrat, but who. according to his brief, is in accord with the Republican party on the dominant issues. Consideration of the army appropriation bill was then begun, with the understanding that general debate should continue for ten hours. Mr. Scarborough of South Carolina discussed the Southern election laws and Mr. Gaines of Tennessee the Philippine situation. Mr. Hull of lowa, who was in charge of the bill, explained its provisions briefly. It carried $91),880,934. being $11,025,005 less than the estimates.

Continuation of the debate on the oleomargarine bill occupied Wednesday's session of the Senate. Messrs. Dolliver, Hansbrough, Hoar and Ixidge spoke in supiiort of the and Mr. Stewart against it. A b'.ief executive session preceded adjournment. In the House general debate on the military appropriation bill was concluded during the day and consideration of the bill under the live-minute rule began. During the debate Mr. Burleson (Texas) renewed his attack on Secretary Hay on account of the allegations regarding the Boer relief funds subscribed in Illinois. Mr. Hitt (111.), chairman, of the foreign affairs committee, replied briefly. At the beginning of the session the Burleson resolution calling on the President for information relative to the application of General Miles to go to the Philippines was. adopted without debate.