Rensselaer Democrat, Volume 1, Number 8, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 June 1898 — CONGRESS [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

CONGRESS

In the Senate on Wednesday Mr. Hale of Maine reported an appropriation bill to supply deficiencies in pensions and for other purposes. As reported the bill carries $8,498,405, of which $8,075,872 is for pensions and the balance for the army,, navy and courts. After a brief discussion of that feature of the measure which makes possible temporary appointments of clerks without civil service examination, it was passed. Discussion of the war revenue measure was resumed. Mr. Stewart of Nevada and Mr. Allen of Nebraska made speeches against a bond issue. Mr. Caffery of Louisiana argued: against the proposed tax on corporations, and upon motion the McEnery amendment was .laid on the table by a vote of 36 to 10. The Senate then passed bills granting additional powers to railroads created by laws of the United States and operating lines in Indian territory and appointing commissioners to revise the statutes relating to patents, trade and other marks and trade and commercial aames. Mr. Lacy of lowa, from the Committeeon Public Lands, called up. and the Housepassed, the House bill granting certain* lands to the territory of New Mexico for common school, college, university, charitable institutions, public buildings, irrigation and Rio Grande river improvement purposes. Pursuant to an arrangement the House then listened to eulogies upon the late Senater J. Z. George of Mississippi. Consideration of the war revenue bill was continued in the Senate on Thursday, speeches upon it being made by Mr. White of California and Mr. Teller of Colorado. A bill was reported by Mr. Sewell providing for the employment of retired army officers during the present war. It was passed. Mr. Money of Mississippi, being recognized, presented the resolutions upon the death of Mr. Walthall. The eulogies were pronounced by Mr. Money, Mr. Hawley of Connecticut, Mr. Berry of Arkansas, Mr. Proctor of Vermont, Mr. Gorman of Maryland, Mr. Cannon of Utah, Mr. Cockrell of Missouri, Mr. Bate of Tennessee, Mr. Pasco of Florida and Mr. Pettus of Alabama. The House passed resolution directing the Secretary of War to prepare and submit plans and estimates for the improvement of Aransas Pass channel and harbor, Texas. A bill providing for the sale of unallotted lands of the Pottawattamie and Kickapoo Indians in Kansas and a bill amending the law for times and places for holding terms of United States courts in Idaho and Wyoming were also passed. Mr. Cannon of Illinois called up the pension deficiency bill as amended and passed by the. Senate, and, after discussion, the House concurred in the Senate amendments to the bill. The Senate amendments to the bill granting additional powers to railroad companies operating lines in the Indian territory were concurred in. A roll-call upon the amended bill to amend internal revenue laws relating to distilled liquors was pending when the House adjourned. Soon after the Senate convened on Friday Mr. Carter reported from the Military Affairs Committee a bill providing for a second assistant Secretary of War to be named by the President, and to receive a salary of $4,000. The bill was passed. Discussion of the war revenue measure was then resumed, and speeches were made by Messrs. Teller of Colorado, Nelson of Minnesota, Cockrell of Missouri and Gorman of Maryland. These measures were passed: Donating a condemned cannon to the thirty-second national encampment, G. A. R.; providing for a survey of the harbor at Sheboygan, Wis., and extending the time for the completion of the Fort Smith and Western Railroad. In the Honse a yea.and nay vote was taken npon the bill to amend the internal revenue law relating to bondage and outage periods of distilled spirits. The bill passed, 132 to 65.

Most of the day Saturday was spent by the Senate in discussion of the war revenue bill, several Senators being beard upon different features of the measure. A prop«tion was made to vote upon theameijimcnt offered by Mr. Gorman of Maryland limiting the excise tax "upon railroad, steamboat, electric light, telegraph, telephone, express and other corporations to those whose gross receipts exceed $230,000 annually and making the tax one-half of 1 per eent. Mr. Aldrich moved to lay upon the table the amendment pffered by the committee for which Mr. Gorman's amendment was intended as a substitute. This brought on the moot important vote yet taken in the Senateupon the bill. The vote resulted in yeas 41, nays 27. The Senate remained in secret legislative session for three hours on Tuesday. The entire time was given to a rather free discussion of the Hawaiian question based on a motion declaring it to be the sense of the Senate that the question of annexation should not lx* discussed in open session. At the conclusion of the debate the Senate voted viva voce not to» pursue the subject further except behind closed doors. Consideration of the pending war revenue measure was continued in open session, but no real headway was made. The House passed a bill authorizing the construction of a railway bridge across Lake St. Francis, near Lake City. Ark. A concurrent resolution, directing the commission now codifying the criminal laws to prepare and submit a code of civil law and procedure for Alaska, was also approved. A number of private bills were passed and the House, in committee of the whole, passed a bill authorising the Secretary of the Treasury to keep open during June and July this year such lifesaving stations on the Atlantic and gulf coasts as he might deem advisable.