Rensselaer Journal, Volume 12, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 January 1903 — ROUTINE WORK IN CONGRESS [ARTICLE]

ROUTINE WORK IN CONGRESS

Outline of Business Transacted by the Members of Both Houses. WITH NATIONAL LAWMAKERS Brief Summary of the Doings of the People's Servants in Session at Washington Cleverly Condensed by Special Correspondents. -*■ - Tuesday, Jan. 20. The senate passed the legislative, executive and judicial appropriation bill. 'When the statehood bill was taken up Mr. Quay demanded an immediate vote, coupling his demand with the statement that he did not care whether or not any senator desired to speak on the subject. The bill, he said, was being wilfully obstructed by discussion. Mr. Beveridge denied this, and then discussed the measure, opposing statehood for Oklahoma; Arizona and New Mexico. On the conclusion of his remarks Mr. Quay submitted a number of propositions for thd fixing of a day when a vote dould be taken, but to all such Mr. Beveridge objected. Senator Hanna spoke briefly in opposition to the bill. The house passed the District of Columbia appropriation bill, and subsequently began consideration of the Philippine coinage bill. The general debate on the district bill was largely devoted to discussion of the Alaska boundary line dispute. Mr. Barthold (Mo.) arose to a personal explanation to deny his connection with what he termed a “quixotic scheme.” It had been represented that Mr. Bartholdt was going to call a meeting of Ger-man-American citizens to protest against ill-considered utterances against Germany. Mr. Bartholdt explained that he had no such purpose. Mr. Cooper (Wis.), chairman of the insular affairs committee, entered upon an explanation of the Philippine currency bill, and had not concluded when the house adjourned. Wednesday, Jan. 21. For three hours Mr. Burnham of New Hampshire addressed the senate in opposition to the omnibus statehood bill. Mr. Cullom explained the necessity for considering the Cuban reciprocity treaty, and appealed to Mr. Quay to permit an executive session. The latter refused, and the matter was put to a vote, with the result that the senate refused to go into executive session by a vote of 37 to 27, which was the first test vote on the statehood bill. Toward the end of the day Mr. Hoar criticised the president for expressing approval or disapproval of bills before congress had acted on them. His remarks were called forth by Mr. Burton offering a bill, which, he said, had been vetoed once by the president, but that it now met with his approval. By unanimous consent a bill amending the bankruptcy act was passed, and the senate adjourned. The house spent the day in debate on, the Philippine coinage bill. The minority offered a substitute providing for the introduction of the American currency system into the island, and it received powerful support from Mr. Hill (Rep., Conn.), who declared on the floor that the proposition for the extension of the American system had the support of Secretary Shaw and other high officials of the treasury department. The military academy appropriation bill was reported, and the house adjourned. Thursday, Jan. 22. Mr. Fairbanks decided not to call up the immigration bill in the senate. The statehood hill was then taken up on motion of Mr. Quay. Mr. Qiay yielded to permit the passage of a bill to appoint Brigadier General H. C. Merriam, retired, to the grade of Major General on the retired list. Mr. Burnham then resumed his speech on the statehood bill. He did not conclude his remarks. The legislative, executive and judicial appropriation bill was sent to conference. The house passed a resolution authorizing the committee on naval affairs to investigate the charges of attempted bribery brought by Representative Lessler. The Philippines currency bill was then discussed. A resolution was adopted calling upon the Secretary of the Treasury for a list of the national banks holding government deposits, other than deposits of disbursing officers, Dec. 31, 1892, and on each succeeding Dec. 31 up to the present time, with the arncunt held and the average amour t of/such deposits in each year. The house then proceeded to the consideration of the Alaska delegate bill. I Friday, Jan. 23./ The statehood bill again ! occupied the attention of the senate. During the debate several spirited colloquies occurred in which senators on both sides of the question charged the others with obstructing important legis-

lation. Ur. Burnham continued his remarks in opposition to the admission of Oklahoma, Arizona and New'Mexico. During the morning hour Mr. Fairbanks made an ineffectual attempt to secure consideration of the immigration bilL The house passed 235 private pension bills. They included pensions to the widow of Gen. Franz Sigel at 5100 a month, the widow of Gen. Francis Negley at SSO and the widow'of Rear Admiral Henry Picking at S4O. The Alaska delegate bill was passed. It provides for the representation of the territory of Alaska in the house of representatives by a delegate. It also defines the citizenship and the qualification of electors, and creates the machinery for the elections, the date of which shall be the last Tuesday in September. The first delegate is to be elected next autumn and is to hold a seat in the Fifty-eighth congress. Saturday, Jan. 24. The Senate had barely assembled when Mr. Quay, in charge of the omnibus statehood bill, moved that when the Senate adjourned it adjourn to meet at 11 o’clock Monday, an hour in advance of the usual time. He gave as liis reason for this motion the fact that the diplomatic appropriation bill is to be taken up Monday. Mr. Hale objected to the motion as being opposed to the real expedition of business, and the, request was withdrawn by Mr. Quay, who said he did so in deference to the wishes of the appropriations committee. A bill increasing the limit of cost of the public building at Indianapolis to the extent of $400,000 was passed. On Mr. Quay’s motion the omnibus statehood bill was then taken up, but he gave way while a number of bills to which there was no objection were passed. At 1:30 the statehood bill was again called up, and Mr. Spoone# took the floor. He said he did not propose to speak of the pending bill and began discussing the Indianola, Miss., postoffice ease* The session closed with the passage of a number of private pension bills. After some routine business the House went into committee of the whole and took up the consideration of the agricultural appropriation bill. Mr. Wadsworth explained that it carried $5,238,860, being $29,000 in excess of the current law. One of the increases consists of an appropriation of SIO,OOO for investigating the best method of exterminating the cotton boll weevil. The appropriation for the distribution of seed was increased from $270,000 to $300,000 on motion of Mr. Chandler (Miss). The bill was then passed, and the House adjourned until Sunday, when eulogies will be delivered on the life and public services of the late Representatives Degraffenreid and Sheppard of Texas. Sunday, Jan. 25. The house of representatives institute'd the experiment of holding memorial "services for deceased members on Sunday. It will be followed hereafter during this session and probably will become the general practice in the house in the future. Tribute was paid to the life of Representatives Russell of Connecticut and Sheppard and Degraffenreid of Texas, all of whom died during the congressional recess. The attendance in the galleries was large, and there was a numerous assemblage of the friends of the deceased members on the floor.