Jasper County Democrat, Volume 6, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 November 1903 — CONGRESS [ARTICLE]

CONGRESS

The Senate wan In session only twenty minutes, Tuesday, and the greater poxt, of that time was consumed In the intro ductiou of bills nnd presentation of peti tions. Most of the bills were for posi tions and the bulk of the petitions related to tlie case of Senator Smoot, of Utah The session of the House was devoted to consideration of tlie Cuban bill. Mr. Ste vena (Rep., Minn.) spoke In opposition to the measure. The other speakers were Mr. Knapp (Rep., N. Y.), Mr. Clark (Dcm., M.), Mr. McClellan (Dem„ N. Y.), Mr. Crumpacker (Rep., Ind.), Mr. Douglas (Rep. N. Y.), Mr. Morrell (RepPa.), Mr. Mason (Dem., Ark.), Mr. Thomas (Dem., N. C.), Mr. Hughes (Dem., N. J.), and Mr. McDermott (Deni., N. J.). In the Senate on Wednesday Mr. Gallinger presented a petition from “The Dames of 1846” for the increase to S3O a month of all pensions granted on accounl of the Mexican war. He said the pension'committee would give due consideration to the petition, but called attention to the fact that all survivors of the Mexican war now receive pensions of sl2. On motion of Mr. Spooner the Senate or dered printed additional copies of the treaty between the United States and New Grenada, which wns made in 1846, and proclaimed in 184 a The debate upon the Caban bill again occupied the entire session of the House, the speakers being Messrs. Grosvenor (Ohio), Clark (Mo.), Richardson (Ala.), Fordney (Mich.), Loud (Mich.), McMorran (Mich.), Bell (Cal.). Gardner (Mich.), Burgess (Texas), Gillet (Mass.), Shaforth (Colo.), and Jones (Wash.). The Senate transacted no business in open session Thursday beyond the receipt of bills and petitions. The only incident of unusual character was the appearance of Carrie Nation. An executive session was ordered at 12:25, and at 1 o’clock the Senate adjourned. The Hdßse, by a rising vote of 335 to 21, passed the bill to make effective the Cuban reciprocity treaty. The dissenting votes were about equally divided between Republicans and Democrats, but there was no record vote. Those oposing the bill in speeches were Mr. Williams of Mississippi and Mr. Broussard of Louisiana, while those making speeches in its behalf were Mr. Hepburn of lown, Mr. Watson of Indiana, Mr. DeArmond of Missouri, Mr. Sulzer of New York, Mr. Lacey of lowa and Mr. McCall of Massachusetts. The motion of Mr. Williams to recommit the bill was defeated by 193 to 165, a strict party vote. On the passage of the bill a futile attempt was made to secure a yea and nay vote.

The bill passed by the House Friday to carry into effect the Cuban reciprocity treaty was laid before the Senate, and, on motion of Mr. Cullom, was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations, after considerable debate, in which those opposing the motion were Mr. Bailey and Mr. Teller nud those favoring it were Mr. Lodge, Mr. Spooner, Mr. Aldrich and Mr. Allison. The measure was referred without division and the Seuate adjourned till Monday. The House was in session but five minutes. After the oath was administered to Claude Kitehin (North Carolina) the House adjourned until Tuesday. Panama and Cuba engaged the attention of the Senate Monday. Mr. Hale moved to reconsider the vote by which the Newland joint resolution for the annexation of Cuba was referred to a committee, and several speeches were made on the motion without disposing of it. Messrs. Hale, Lodge and Platt (Conn.) disavowed any desire on the pnrt of the United States to acquire Cuba and expressed regret that the resolution had been introduced. Mr. Newlands defended the measure as presenting a neutral solution of the problem of the relationship between the two countries. The Panama question came up in connection with the announcement of reorganization of the Senate committees, Mr. Morgan (Dem., Ala.) being relieved from the chairmanship of the committee on interoceanic canals. Before the order went into effect Mr. Morgan discussed the entire canal question, with liberal criticism of the President for his course. He had not concluded when the Senate adjourned. In executive session several appointments of postmasters, consuls at minor points and promotions in the army were confirmed. On motion of Mr. Allison, Rev. J. F. Prettymnn was appointed chaplain of the Senate for the present session. Mr.. Cullom presented the report of the committee on foreign relations on the put into effect the Cuban reciprocity treaty and it,went to the calendar. Mr. Cullom also presented an agreement that the Cuban reciprocity bill shall be taken up on the convening of the regular session of Congress, Dec. 7, and remain the order of business each day after the routine morning business until the 16th, on which date a vote shall be taken, the time on the 15th nnd 16th to be equally divided between the friends and opponents of the bill. The agreement was accepted without dissent.