Jasper County Democrat, Volume 5, Number 42, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 January 1903 — CONGRESS [ARTICLE]

CONGRESS

The Senate on Thursday passed the Hoar resolution calling nnon the President to inform the Senate what government is now existing in the Island of Guam and asking why Mabini is detained in that island. Mr. Tillman continued his arraignment of trusts and monopolies and again charged that the Attorney General was responsible primarily for lack of action against trusts. The statehood bill was under discussion for a short time, Mr. Foraker urging the right of Oklahoma, Arizona and New Mexico to be admitted into tL? Union. At 4:50 p. m. the Senate went into executive session and soon afterward adjourned until Monday. The House passed the army appropriation bill without further amendment and began consideration of the department of commerce bill, under a special rule making it a continuing order until disposed of. The opposition to the measure came entirely from the Democratic side. The House devoted Friday to private war claims, passing about twenty. The two features of the day were the defeat by a vote of 70 to 30 of a claim of B. F. Moody & Co., of Keokuk, lowa, for the payment of the amount deducted from their contract for furnishing equipment to the Third lown Cavalry by the famous commission which unearthed the army contract fraud in St. Louis in 1863, and the fight of Mr. Payne, the floor leader of the majority, against an omnibus resolution to refer ninety Southern claims, aggregating $400,000, for stores and supplies taken by the Union army during the Civil War to the Court of Claims for finding of fact under the Tucker act. The combination in favor of the omnibus claims resolution was too strong for Mr. Payne, but on the final vote the quorum failed. Saturday in the House was devoted to debate upon the Senate bill to establish a Department of Commerce and Labor, a substitute being finally passed by a vote of 137 to 40. In the Senate on Monday Mr. Bailey of Texas, objected to consideration by unanimous consent of all bills from the Republican side on the ground that the Senators from New York had interfered with a matter purely local to the State of Texas. A discussion arose which was terminated by Mr. Cullom moving an executive session to consider the Cuban reciprocity treaty. After half an hour in executive session, the doors were reopened and Mr. Foraker continued his remarks favoring statehood for Oklahoma, Arizona and New Mexico. In the House several miscellaneous measures were passed, among them the Senate Hawaiian fire claims bill. The consular and diplomatic appropriation bill, the third of the regular budgets, was passed, and fair progress was made with the District of Columbia appropriation bill.

The Senate on Tuesday passed the legislative, executive, and judicial appropriation bill. When the statehood bill was taken up Mr. Quay demanded an immediate vote. The bill, he said, was being wilfully obstructed by discussion. Mr. Beveridge denied this, and then discussed the measure, opposing statehood for Oklahoma. Arizona and New Mexico. Senator Hanna spoke briefly in opposition to the bill. Tlie House passed the District of Columbia appropriation trill, and subsequently began consideration of the Philippine coinage bill. The general debate on the district bill was largely devoted to discussion of the Alaska boundary line dispute. •J—!For three hours on Wednesday Mr. Burnham, of New Hampshire, addressed the Senate in opposition to the omnibus statehood bill. Becoming fatigued he suspended his remarks until Thursday. Mr. Cullom explained the necessity for considering the Cuban reciprocity treaty, and appealed to Mr. Quay to permit an executive session. The hitter refused, and the matter was put to a vote, with the result that the Senate refused to go into executive session by n vote of 37 to 27, which was the first test vote on the statehood bill. Toward the end of the day, Mr. Hoar criticised the President for expressing approval or disapproval of bills liefore Congress had acted on them. By unanimous consent n bill amending the bankruptcy net was passed, and the Senate adjourned. The House spent the day in debate on the Philippine coinage bill. The minority offered a substitute providing for the introduction of the American currency system into the Island. Those who participated in the debate were Messrs. Cooper (Wis.l, Join's (Vn.), Maddox ((In.), Patterson (Tenn.), Shnfroth (Colo.), Crumpaeker (Ind.), Williams (111.1, Hill (Comi.i, Cannon (III.), Robinson (Ind.),. and Wrfliams (Miss.)