Rensselaer Journal, Volume 11, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 January 1902 — MAKING LAWS AT WASHINGTON [ARTICLE]

MAKING LAWS AT WASHINGTON

The Record in Brief of Legislative Work in Senate and House. NEWS FROM THE CAPITAL. Senator* Hanna and Hale Clash on Commercial Expansion, the Latter Declaring the United State* Ha* All the Foreign Trade Worth Having. Thursday, January S 3. There was a clash in the Senate between Senators Hanna and Halt. It was over the question of whether the United States should expand Its commerce, and arose during the discussion of the proposition to establish a Department oj Commerce. The debate began by a discussion of the amendment ot Mr. Pettus that the Department of Labor be not transferred to the proposed Department of Commerce. Messrs. Pettus, Nelson and Bacon all spoke in favor of the amendment. Mr. Hanna said the establishment of the new department was in the interest of both capital and labor. He believed the labor interests of the country would not object to the transfer of the labor department. The time had come, he said, when we must expand our commerce or restrict our production. ;| He was Interrupted by Mr. Hale (Me.), who said that the United States already had captured all the foreign trade worth having. "We have invaded England, Germany, Austria, Italy and Russia. We do not need further action nor do we need additional markets.” Mr. Hale then offered an amendment transferring to the new department the Interstate Commerce Commission, and further consideration was deferred. The consideration ot the urgent deficiency bill, which has been under debate in the House was completed, but owing to the lateness of the hour passage of the bill was postponed. The pay of rural free delivery carriers was increased from SSOO to SOOO per annum. Mr. Cummings (N. Y.) explained his action on the Philippine army post. He said: "There is no politics In a question where the lives of American soldiers are at stake.” Representative Clark of Missouri introduced a joint resolution expressing sympathy for the two South African republics and regret over the suffering caused by the war. Friday, January Z 4. The House passed the urgent deficiency appropriation bill and devoted the remainder of the session to private pension legislation. It theu adjourned until Monday. The Republicans forced a record vote on the amendment to the urgent deficiency bill to appropriate $500,000 for the "protection and shelter” 'of American ■soldiers in the Philippines, and sixteen Democrats voted for it. The Philippine committee of the Senate decided to make a full investigation of the Philippine situation. Gov. Taft will be the first witness to appear

before the committee. The committee will examine such other witnesses as profess to have any knowledge regarding conditions in the Philippines, so that it may be fully informed before it concludes its consideration of the Lodge bill providing for civil government in the Philippines. The Democrats express the purpose not to allow the Philippine tariff bill to come to a vote until all possible information is brought before the Senate. They expect to make their fight on this rather than on the civil-government bill, and they will utilize the information developed by the committee in their opposition to the tariff bill. The Democrats of the House in caucus, by a vote of 90 to 17, accepted the report of the steering committee of twelve and declined to formulate a policy. It was the sense of the caucus that the minority was powerless and could not amend or revise the platform of the party as framed at the last national convention.