Jasper County Democrat, Volume 5, Number 12, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 June 1902 — CONGRESS. [ARTICLE]

CONGRESS.

No business of importance was transacted in open session in the Senate on Friday, .except to agree to a conference report finally disposing of the military academy appropriation bill. Soon after the disposition of routine there was an executive session. In the House day and night sessions were held for discussion of the Philippine bill. The canal bill was sent to conference after (he Senate amendment had been non-concurred in. The House reiterated the position it had taken on the army appropriation bill by ignoring the action of the Senate and sending the bill back to that body after voting to adhere to its disagreement to the objectionable army post amendments. ’ ■ The Senate was not in session Saturday. In the House Mr. Hull (lowat, chairman of the committee on military affairs, called up the conference report of the military academy appropriation bill. Mr. Hay (Vn.l. Mr. Clayton (Ala.i and Mr. Mann (III.) criticised the action of the House conferees in agreeing to the number of cadets at West Point proposed by the Senate. Mr. Hull and Mr. Parker (N. J.) defended the conference report, arguing that the increase was necessary in order properly to officer the army. Finally the conference report was adopted. 88 to 59. Mr. Cannon (111.) then called tip the conference report upon the sundry civil bill. He explained that the agreement was only partial, items carrying $1,283,000 being still in controversy. Mr. Grosvenor (Ohio) moved that the House concur in the Senate amendment for a memorial bridge across the Potomac to cost not to exceed $2,500,000 and appropriating SIOO,OOO for the preparation of plans. This was voted down without division nnd the bill was sent back to conference, after which the debate on the Philippine bill was resumed. In the Senate on Monday a motion was entered formally by Mr. Quay to discharge the committee on territories from further consideration of what is known as the omnibus territorial bill —a measure to admit as States the territories of Oklahoma. New Mexico and Arizona. Mr. Quay spoke briefly in support of his motion, maintaining that both political parties in national convention had pledged themselves to the admission to statehood of the territories. Mr. Beveridge, chairman of the committee, said the measure had been put over until next session by the committee because it was not believed there would be time now to consider it properly. No action was taken on the motion. During the greater part of the session the nnf/iisbcd business, the bill ratifying a convention with the Choctaw and Chickasaw Indians, was under discussion. It was not disposed of. A bill was passed for the classification of salaries of clerks employed in postotlices for the first and second classes. In the House day and night sessions were again held for discussion of the Philippine bill, which occupied practically the entire time. A resolution was adopted calling upon the Secretary of War for information as to any payments made by Gov. Gen. Wood to F. B. Thurber and any other persons or corporation's, together with the dates and amounts of such payments, for advocating reciprocity with Cuba. On Tuesday the Senate passed bills creating a national forest reserve in theSouthern Appalachian Mountains and ratifying the agreement between the Choctaw and Chickasaw Indians of the Indian Territory and the United States. Tlie first bill provides for the purchase of 4.000,000 acres in the Southern Appalachian system at a cost not to exceed $10,000,000. The Secretary of Agriculture is to designate the lands to be purchased and to take measures to preserve the hard wood forests which they bear. Bills were also passed for the suppression of train robbery in the territories of the United States and elsewhere, and to amend the act of March 2. 1893, so as to provide that all locomotives and tenders shall be equipped with train or power brakes and automatic couplers. The House devoted the day to debate .upon the Philippine bill. In the Senate on Wednesday the conference report on the sundry civil bill was agreed to. as was that on the army appropriation bill, the House receding from its announced -purpose not to consider the Senate amendment increasing the appropriation for barracks and quarters from $3,000,000 to $4,000,000 and agreeing to make the appropriation for that purpose $8,350,000. Bills were passed appropriating $2.500.(XX) for the erection of a building for the accommodation of the Department of Agriculture, to regulate the use of the public reservoir sites located on the public lands of the United States, and to promote the circulating of reading matter among the blind. In the House the Philippine civil government bill was thrown open to amendment, but slow progress was made, only fifteen of the fifty pages of the bill being completed. By an amendment offered by Mr. Bartlett (Go.) cases involving the construction of the Constitution can be appealed from the Supreme Court of the islands to the Supreme Court of the United States, and by another, offered by Mr. Littlefield (Me..), one corporation in tlie islands is prohibited from holding stock in another. These were the only amendments of importance adopted. The curlier portion of the day was devoted to consideration of conference reports of the sundry civil, army and navy appropriation bills. The House adopted n proposition agreeable to the Senate with reference to the disputed items in the army bill, and by n vote of 63 to 95 refused to agree to the Senate amendments to the naval bill providing for five submarine torpedo boats.