Rensselaer Journal, Volume 12, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 July 1902 — WEEK'S DOINGS IN CONGRESS [ARTICLE]

WEEK'S DOINGS IN CONGRESS

Business Transacted by the House and Senate in the National Capital. SUMMARY OF CLOSING DAYS Many Measures Rushed Through Both Houses Before Adjournment Ara Signed by the President—Session Was a Busy One. Monday, June 30. Hot words passed toetaween Mr. Bailey (Tex.) and Mr. Beveridge (Ind.) on the floor of the Senate, and after adjournment was followed up by a physical assault by the Texas senator on the senator from Indiana. Mr. Elkins (W. Va.) delivered a speech in favor of the annexation of Cuba, maintaining that it would be in the best interests of both countries. Mr. Platt (Conn.) and Mr. Hanna (Ohic), deprecated any annexation proposition at this time. A bill was passed giving Rear Admiral Schley the pay and allowance of a Rear Admiral on linger (N. H.) made a brief statement linger (N. H., made a brief statement of the work done by the pensions committee during the present session. It showed that ihe bills relating to pensions introduced in the House aggregated 7,518 while the aggregate number introduced in the Senate was 2,552. The total number passed was 1,151. A resolution offered by Mr. Morgan, calling on the Secretary of State for a statement of the expenditures of the isthmian canal commission, was adopted. Bills were passed as follows: To prohibit the killing or taking of seals, porpoises, whales or marine animals or fish of any kind in the waters of the United States by means of explosive materials; to establish regulations in the District of Columbia during the national encampment of the G. A. R.; to authorize tne director of the census to compile statistics relating to irrigation. Conference report on the general deficiency appropriation bill was taken up in the house. Among important items passed was $500,000 for the Buffalo exposition and $160,000 for the Charleston exposition. Philippine conference report adopted—l 49 to 92. Friar lands to be purchase by issuing bonds and to become part of public domain. Public lands to be open to homesteaders. The Dick bill to recognize the militia was taken up and passed.

Tuesday, July 1. The final report of the conferees on the general deficiency bill was presented to the senate and agreed to without debate. The conference reports on the naval appropriation bill and the bill to provide a temporary civil government in the Philippines were agreed to, as was that on the Porto Rico public lands and buildings bill. A bill appropriating $75,000 for the erection of a quartermaster’s warehouse in Omaha was passed. The house concurrent resolution providing for adjournment was adopted. Before adjournment the usual resolutions were adopted, including one thanking President Pro Tempore Frye for “the dignified, impartial and courteous manner in which he had presided over the deliberations of the senate.”

The senate bill to promote the efficiency of the marine hospital service and change its name to the public health and marine hospital service was passed in the house under suspension of the rules. Other bills were passed as follows: House bill to authorize the erection of a quartermaster’s warehouse at Omaha at a cost not to exceed $75,000; senate bill 1 6 reduce the number of appraisers at Philadelphia and Boston. A joint resolution was adopted appropriating $6,000 each to the memories of Gen. Francis Noah and Gen. William Lee Davidson of North Carolina. The conference agreement on the naval appropriation bill was adopted. Bills were passed to appropriate $50,000 each for bronze equestrian statues to Count Pulaski and Baron Steuben, to be erected in Washington; senate bill for the suppression of train robberies; a bill to make confederate soldiers who enlisted in the Union army previous to Jan. 1, 186Jj, pensionable, was passed, 97 to 19. A resolution from the ways and means committee fixing the hour of final adjournment was passed, 137 to 76.