Jasper County Democrat, Volume 11, Number 1, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 April 1908 — NATIONAL LEGISLATURE! [ARTICLE]

NATIONAL LEGISLATURE!

Synopsis of the Proceedings In the Senate and In the House of Representatives. At Washington', Saturday, but little progress hag been made In the bouse In considering the agricultural bilL Consideration of the bill had not been concluded when the house adjourned. The passage of a large number of bills of minor Importance occupied the entire time of the senate Monday. The session was brought to a sudden close by lack of a quorum. Charges of a serious nature against Gifford Plnchot, chief of the forestry bureau, were made in the house by Smith (Cal.) and Mondell (Wyo.), dnrng the consideration of the agricultural appropriation bill. He was charged with secret activity in the matter of water rights at Los Angeles, and with Illegally paying the expenses of delegates to conventions In the west, and having a bureau press bureau. He was defended by Holland (Neb.) and Scott (Kan.). The bill was still pending at adjournment. Time of the senate Tuesday was consumed in consideration of a bill to permit the building of a dam on the Snake river, Wash., and an adjournment was only reached after Hepburn announced that he would not permit a vote to be taken. Some bills of minor Importance were passed. After having undergone many changes the paragraph of the agricultural appropriation bill relating to the bureau of forestry was finally passed by the bouse. A little less than onehalf of the bill had been completed when the house adjohrned. The passage of a bill authorizing the the construction of a dam across the Snake river In the state of Washington and the consideration of a measure for adjudicating public land claims of states against the government aceupded the entire session of the senate Wednesday. Debate of the agricultural appropriation bill In the bouse continued and good progress was made on the bill. Clark (Fla.) made a bitter attack on Attorney General Bonaparte In connection with the peonage prosecutions In the south. Clark said Bonaparte was no lawyer. Caulfield (Mo.) defended Bonaparte.