Jasper County Democrat, Volume 5, Number 43, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 January 1903 — CONGRESS [ARTICLE]

CONGRESS

The statehood bill again occupied the attention of the Senate Friday. During the debate several spirited colloquies occurred, in which Senators on both sides of the question charged the others with obstructing important legislation. Mr. Burnham continued his remarks In opposition to the admission of Oklahoma, Arizona and New Mexico. During tiie morning hour Mr. Fairbanks made an ineffectual attempt to secure consideration of the immigration bill. The House pass--235 private-pension bills. They included pensions to, the widow of Gen. Franz Sigel at SIOO a month, the widow of Gen. Francis Negley at SSO. ami the widow of Rear Admiral Henry Picking nt S4O. The Alaska Delegate bill was passed. It provides for the representation of the territory of Alaska in the House of Representatives by a delegate. It also defines the citizenship and the qualification of electors, and creates the machinery for flic elections, the date of which shall be the lust Tuesday in September. 8Constructively, the statehood bill was on Saturday, as usual, before the Senate, but, as a matter of fact, the admission of the Territories was scarcely mentioned in the course of the day’s proceedings. As soon as the bill was laid before the Senate a number of Senators were afforded an opportunity to call up and secure the passage of bills to which there was no objection. After the passage of a number of such bills the statehood bill was again called up and Mr. Spooner took the floor. He candidly confessed his intention not to speak to the statehood bill, and then discussed the President’s action in discontinuing the postoffice nt Indianola, Miss., and refusing to receive the resignation of the negro postmistress— Mrs. Cox. He defended the President and was responded to by Mr. McLaurin (Miss.), who said there had been no threats against Mrs. Cox. but who admitted that she was objectionable because of her color. The session closed with the passage of a number of private pension bills. The House worked all day on thg agricultural appropriation bill and finally passed it, with only one amendment —an increase of the appropriation for free seeds from $270,000 to $300,000. The House of Representatives on Sunday inaugurated tiie experiment of holding memorial services for deceased members upon the Sabbath. It will be followed hereafter during this session. Mr. Quay, in charge of the omnibus statehood bill, insisted on its consideration to the exclusion of other business in the Senate Monday. When Senator Platt, of New York, attempted to call up a committee report providing for the printing of a document. Mr. Quay objected. Mr. Hale thereupon declared that Mr. Quay was confiscating the time of the Senate.' The latter replied calmly that this could be obviated by allowing a vote on the statehood bill. A resolution offered by Mr. Morgan, of Alabama, questioning the credentials of Dr. Ilerran, the Colombian charge d'affaires, who signed with Secretary, Hay the canal treaty, caused the Senate to go into a long executive session. At its conclusion the diplomatic and consular appropriation bill was passed. The House made a new record in the matter of appropriation bills. Tlig military academy bill was passed without a single word of debate. The Indian bill, which followed, was not completed, as Mr. Burton (Rep., Ohio) made a long speech mi it, in general criticism of the piolicy of the government toward Indians. Senator Quay made an effort Tuesday to hold the Senate in continuous session to consider the statehood bill, but failed to hold a quorum and was compiled on that account to allow the Senate to ndjeurn at 6:20 p. m. He secured another ballot, however, to test the sentiment of the Senate, the vote standing 17 to 29 in his favor. The day was spent in coirsideration of the statehood bill, with the exception of an hour devoted to a speech by Mr. Scott, of West Virginia, oa the pension laws. The House devoted the day to bills reported from the Judiciary Committee, passing about twenty. Most of them were of a minor character relating to the times of bolding court, etc., but two were of general importance. One was to meet the original package decision of the Supreme Court by making intoxicating liquors imported into States subject to the jurisdiction of such States. The bill is designed to prevent evasion under the original-package decision of liquor laws hi prohibition States. The other bill is the Senate bill t<> increase the salaries of Federal judges. In the Senate Wednesday Mr. Rawlins called up his resolution directing the Secretary of War to furnish the Senate the proceedings of a number of courtsmartial in the Philippines. A sharp debate ensued, in which Messrs. Lodge, Beveridge. Carmack, Proctor and Tillman participated, alleged abuses in 'he army being the subject. Mr. Quay stopped the debate by demanding the regular order. Discussion of the st.itehqod bill thereupon was resumed, and Mr. Ixidge addressed the Senate in opjtosition to the omnibus measure, speaking for two hours and n half. An attempt by Mr. Aldrich’to divide the time of the Senate ts-tween the statehood bill and other business failed, Mr. (Bitty objecting. The House made slow progress with the Indian appropriation bill, covering only aliout eight pogos in over four hours. Amendments were agreed to appropriating $21,300 for n survey of the Fine Ridge reservation. South Dakota, mid striking out the appropriation of $1(),(XK) for a warehouse nt St. Louie. The Senate amendments to the bill to amend the bankruptcy act were agreed to.