Jasper County Democrat, Volume 5, Number 1, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 April 1902 — Congress. [ARTICLE]

Congress.

The Senate deyoted the entire ‘day Thursday to discussion of the oleomargarine bill, which was passed by a vote of 39 to 31. The Chinese exclusion bill i was made the unfinished business. In I the House the Senate bill to promote the efficiency of thfc revenue cutter service passed by a vote of 135 to 49. The opponents of the measure fought it to the last ditch. very e °d they attempted a filibuster, but were swept aside by the overwhelming majority in favor of the measure. Consideration of the Chinese exclusion bill was begun in the Senate on Friday. Mr. Mitchel) of Oregon made the opening speech. He pointed out what he deemed to be the necessity for the exclusion of Chinese laborers and elaborately analyzed the bill. He said it had been constructed on the basis of existing law, in the light of experience and of the decisions of the courts. While its provisions were drastic, the bill, he said, in some respects was more liberal than the Geary act. During the consideration of the Chinese bill NFinister Wu was in the diplomatic gallery and took a lively interest in the proceedings. The Indian appropriation bill was under consideration for a time, but was not completed, in the House the Chinese exclusion bill occupied most of the session. No opponents of the general principle of exclusion appeared, but members were divided in their support of the two bills presented. Messrs. Hitt (Ill.). Perkins (N. Y.), and Adams (Pa.) supported the majority bill and Messrs. Clark (Mo.). Kahn (Cal.) and Naphen (Mass.) spoke for the minority substitute. Congressman Sulzer (N. Y.) introduced a resolution asking the Secretary of State for such information as he could give, not incompatible with public interests, regarding the charges about an alleged British war camp near New Orleans. After passing the Indian appropriation bill consideration of the Chinese exclusion bill was resumed in the Senate on Saturday, occupying the rest of the session. A bill to supply additional urgent deficiency appropriations, carrying $200,567, was reported from the committee on appropriations and passed. The usual executive session preceded adjournment. In the House debate upon the Chinese exclusion bill occupied the entire day. Mr. Taylor (Ohio) from the committee on elections presented the report on the HortonButler contested election case from the Twelfth Missouri district, which declared the seat vacant. The minority members were given three weeks within which to file their views. Discussion of the conference report on the war revenue tax reduction bill occupied most of Monday in the Senate. The. report, which removes the tax on bucket shops, the chief bone of contention, was adopted by a vote of 36 to 20. A bill was passed appropriating $55,000 tor a public building at Sterling, 111. Consideration of the Chinese exclusion bill was then resumed. Mr. Simmons said he expected to vote for the bill, but was reluctant to do so, especially because the cotton manufacturers of his State and of the South generally were appealing against its enactment. They tear, he said, that it will lead to retaliatory action on the part of China and that their market in the Orient might be checked if not destroyed. He explained that he did not agree with the cotton manufacturers and therefore, as people of the Pacific coast and other sections were demanding the passage of the bill, he would vote for it. The bill was read at length and then the Senate adjourned. In the House the Chinese exclusion bill was passed after several amendments were adopted, the conference report on the war revenue tax reduction bill was accepted and the Senate bill extending the charters of national banks twoaty years was passed. Most of Tuesday in the Senate was devoted to debate on the Chinese exclusion bill. When the session opened Mr. Simon, rising to a question of personal privilege, explained that had he been present when the vote on the ship subsidy bill was taken he would have voted against the measure. Mr. Hoar secured the passage of his resolution providing that rnle XIX. be amended by inserting at the beginning of clause 2 thereof the following: “No Senator in debate shall directly or indirectly by any form of w>:-ds impute to another Senator, or to other Senators, any conduct or motive unworthy or unbecoming a Senator; no Senator in debate shall refer offensively to any State of the Union.” Thirty-nine private pen.sion bills were passed. The House passed a bill to protect fish and game in Alaska and devoted the rest of the day to debate on Cuban reciprocity. Throughout the session of the Senate on Wednesday the Chinese exclusion bill was under consideration. Mr. Gallinger and Mr. Dillingham opposed it, and Mr. Turper supported it. Mr. Fairbanks reported favorably from the committee on immigration the Chinese exclusion bill passed by the House. It was placed on the calendar. Mr. Patterson offered a resolution, which was adopter!, calling on the Secretary of the Treasury for certain regulations regarding the exclusion of Chinese. In the House Mr. Henry (Conn.) asked unanimous consent to disagree to the Senate amendments to the oleomargarine bill, but Mr. Richardson (Tenn.) objected, and the bill went to the committee on agriculture. The rest of the day was devoted to continuance of the debate on Cuban reciprocity.