Jasper County Democrat, Volume 6, Number 33, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 November 1903 — CONGRESS [ARTICLE]

CONGRESS

The Senate on Thursday entered upon a discussion of the eligibility of Reed Smoot of Utah to a seat in the upper house, to which he has been elected, Senator Dubois of Idaho taking exceptions to the statement by Senator Hoar that petitions from organizations against seating Mr. Smoot were out of place. ?fr. Dubois argned that these petitions represented the moral thought of the country, and should be approached in the proper spirit. A large number of bills wese presented, followed by a brief executive session. Resolutions of the House on tbe death of Representatives Foerderer of Pennsylvania and Boring of Kentucky were received, and out of respect to their memory the Senate adjourned until the next Monday. In the House Mr. Payne introduced a bill to make effective the Cuban reciprocity convention. It was referred to the ways and means committee. Following the reading of the jodrnal Mr. BalUof Texas was sworn in, and.the Speaker announced the ways and means committee. The House was in session seventeen minutes on Friday, adjourning at 12:17 p. m. until Monday. Mr. Payne (N. Y.). chairman of the committee on ways and means, reported the Cuban bill nnd gave notice that on Monday he would call it np for consideration. By unanimous consent the minority of the ways and means was given* further time in which to submit a minority report. Mr. Livemast (Cal.) rose to a question of personal privilege, and started to criticise President Roosevelt’s Panama policy, but was ruled out of order. Several petitions protesting against Senator Reed Smoot, of Utah, retaining his seat in the Senate on the grounds that he is a Mormon were presented in the Senate on Monday, nnd referred to the Committee on Privileges nnd Elections. A large number of appointments of ministers, secretaries and other, legation officers and army promotions was confirmed. In the House consideration of the Cuban reciprocity bill was taken up, Mr. Dalzell, of Pennsylvania, reporting a resolution providing that the bill reported from the Ways and Means Committee should be considered to the exclusion of all other business until 4 o'clock Thursday, when a vote will be taken without intervening motion. On a yen nnd nay vote this resolution was adopted by 176 to 155. Those opposing the resolution in speeches were Mr. Williams, of Mississippi, minority leader, and Mr. De Armond, of Missouri. Those speaking in support of it were Mr. Dalzell of Pennsylvania. Mr. Grosvenor of Ohio and Mr. Payne of New York. Mr.

AVilliams asked unanimous consent to propose an amendment to the rule for a yea and nay vote on the amendment proposed by the minority, with twenty minutes’ debate on each side, a vote then to be taken on the bill. Objected to by Mr. Payne. The minority voted solidly against the rule, in company with the following Republicans: W. A. Smith, Fordney, McLoud and McMorran of Michigan, Brooks and Hogg of California. The message from the President was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affair® and the House went into committee of the whole, with Mr. Sherman of New York in the chair. Mr. Swenson of Virginia discussed the perils which he fears threaten our foreign commerce by the tariffs passed in other countries in retaliation for the Dingley act. Mr. Robinson as Indiana made a speech arguing against the Republican financial policy. The Senate was in session only twenty minutes, Tuesday, nud the greater part of that time was consumed in the introduction of bills and presentation of petitions. Most of the bills were for positions and the bulk of the 'petitions related to the case of Senator Smoot, of Utah. The session of the House was devoted to consideration of the Cuban bill. Mr. Steveus (Rep., Minn.) spoke in opposition to the measure. The other speakers were Mr. Knapp (Rep., N. Y.), Mr. Clark (Dcin., M.), Mr. McClellan (Dem„ N. Y.), Mr. Crumpacker (Rep., Ind;), Mr. Douglas (Rep. N. Y.), Mr. Morrell (Rep., Pa.), Mr. Mason (Dem., Ark.), Mr. Thomas (Dem., N. C.), Mr. Hughes (Dem., N. J.), and Mr. McDermott (Dem., N. J.). In the Senate on Wednesday Mr. Gallinger presented a petition from “The Dames of 184(5” for the increase to S3O a month of all pensions granted on account of the Mexican war. He said the pension committee would give dne consideration to the petition, but called attention to the fact that all survivors of the Mexican wat now receive pensions of sl2. On motion of Mr. Spooner the Senate ordered printed additional copies of the treaty between the United States and New Grenada, which was made in 1846, and proclaimed in 1848. The debate upon the Cuban bill again occupied the entire session of the House, the speakers being Messrs. Grosvenor (Ohio), Clark (Mo.), Richardson (Ala.), Fordney (Mich.), I.bud (Mich.), McMorran <Mich.), Bell (Cal), Gardner (Mich.), Burgess (Texas), Gillet (Mass.), Shaforth (Colo.), and Jones <W ash.).