Rensselaer Journal, Volume 12, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 March 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 Clevsrly Condensed by Special Correspondents. * Tuesday, March 3. In the senate the conference report on the sundry civil bill was agreed to. Mr. Quay asked unanimous consent for a vote on the omnibus statehood bill, the Aldrich bill, the Philippine tariff bill, the pure food bill and the conference report on tne bill to protect the President, but objection was made. It was agreed that the Philippine tariff bill be taken up, displacing the Aldrich bill. After an executive session several minor bills were passed, and at 6 o’clock a recess was taken until 8 o’clock. When the senate reconvened the bill provJdlng for the appointment of three commissioners to report to Congress on claims of the Roman Catholic church to certain property In Porto Rico was adopted. The conference report on the omnibus public building bill was agreed to. A joint resolution was agreed to transferring all the authority and jurisdiction conferred on the Secretary of the Treasury by the immigration bill to the Secretary of the Department of Commerce and Labor. An amendment was agreed to excluding from the free list cigars and cigarettes. The amendment increasing the duty on sugar and tobacco from 25 to 50 per cent of the Dingley rate was agreed to. The conference reports on the naval and general deficiency bills were presented and agreed to. The report on the immigration bill was adopted by the house. The conference report on the sundry civil bill was presented and adopted. The President veto of a Virginia claim bill was presented. A senate bill to authorize the Treasury Department to provide souvenir coins for the Thomas Jefferson Memorial Association was passed. Tho conference report on the omnibus bill was adopted. The conference report on the bill to reduce the population requirements for “reserve" cities for bank deposits from 50,000 to 25,000 was presented and adopted. A bill intended to give former soldiers and sailors preference for appointments and retention in the civil service was passed. A senate bill to pension the widow of Dr. Walter Reed of the army at $125 a month and a bill to Increase the pension of Mexican war veterans from $8 to sl2 a month were passed under suspension of the rules. Wednesday, March 4. When the senate convened Mr. Allison presented a statement on the appropriations of the congress. Mr. Bailey called up a bill amending the rivers and harbors act so as to provide that the $126,000 heretofore appropriated for certain river and harbor improvements in Texas be used for the construction of a channel in Sabine Lake. Messrs. Hoard and Lodge discussed the Philippine bill, the former saying that the failure of this legislation proves that “this nation Is not fit to govern the destinies of people 8,600 miles away, who have no voice In the government,” and Mr. Lodge disputing this statement. Mr. Mason took the floor and talked until time of adjournment, killing the Bailey harbor bill. Messrs. Allison and Jones were appointed a committee to notify the President that the Senate was ready to adjourn. After their report and the adoption of a resolution of thanks to President Pro Tempore Frye the senate adjourned sine die. The conference report on the general deficiency, the last of the appropriation bills, was presented in the house at 3 a. m., and adopted, 181 to 16, after a speech by Mr. Cannon. The house then took a recess from 3:50 until 10 a. m. When the house reassembled there were several calls to secure a quorum, after which Mr. Payne introduced a resolution of thanks to the retiring speaker, which was adopted without a division. The President’s veto of a bill authorizing the use of the power of the Tennessee River at Mussel Shoals, Ala., was presented and referred after Mr. Richardson had. made an unsuccessful attempt to have the bill passed over the veto. Messrs. Payne, Grosvenor and Richardson were appointed a committee to notify the President that the house was ready to adjourn. After this committee had reported and Speaker Henderson had delivered a valedictory address the house was declared adjourned sine die. Thursday, March 5. In obedience to the president’s proclamation the senate of the fifty-eighth congress convened in extraordinary

session at noon. An Immense crowd witnessed the interesting ceremony. Echoes of the fifty-seventh congress had not died away .when President Pro Tem Frye called the body to order, and soon thereafter the Senators who were re-elected and those who were to take their seats for the first time, with the exception of Mr, Gorman, who had seen long service in the senate, were sworn in. Friends and admirers of the senators loaded down their desks with beautiful tributes. One of the features of the opening ceremony was the ovation accorded Mr. Hopkins. Mr. Cannon’s speech in the house of representatives early Wednesday morning in presenting the conference report on the generat deficiency bill, in which he charged that the senate conferees had resorted to “legislative blackmail,” and attacked the rules of the senate formed to the subject of some fervid remarks by Mr. Tillman and by the senate conferees, Messrs. Hale, Allison and Teller. The senate at 3:15 adjourned until Monday. KEEP SOLDIERS IN CUBA. Washington Officials Will Not Withdraw American Troops. Washington dispatch: Washington authorities again announce that there is no present intention of removing from Cuba the American troops new stationed there. This statement Is made in view of the criticisms passed in the Cuban senate in connection with the discussion of the reciprocity treaty. The Cuban government thoroughly understands that the United States always have intended to keep a few soldiers or marines in Cuba indefinitely for the sole purpose of taking care of the naval and coaling stations which have been acquired at Guantanamo and Bahia Honda. The entire strength of this force is only about 800 men. FULLER MAY RETIRE. Chief Justice Is Likely to Be Succeeded by Gov. Taft. Washington dispatch: Chief Justice Fuller will probably retire from the United States Supreme court within the next year, and President Roosevelt is said to have determined to appoint William H. Taft of Ohio, now governor of the Philippines, to succeed him. Governor Taft would have succeeded Justice Shiras had he not considered it advisable to remain at the head of the civil government of the Philippines for the present, conditions in the islands toeing unsettled on account of famine and cholera and the stagnation of business due to inadequate currency laws and absence of effective tariff arrangements with the United States. Loot: for Short Session. Q Washington dispatch: Democratic senators express the opinion that the extra session will be brought to a close about April 1 and that there would be slight opposition to the Panama Canal treaty. The fate of the Cuban treaty is more doubtful. The opposition to its ratification is not well organized and it will require time after the treaty is taken up for consideration to develop how serious the filibuster against it will grow. The impression prevails among the members that reciprocity has strong opposition upon the Republican side as well as among the Democrats, and they do not expect any conclusion to be reached upon the treaty at this session.

Merriam "May Retire. Washington dispatch: A new director of the census is promised In David H. Mercer, who has ended, for the time being at least, his congressional career as a representative from the Omaha district. Owing to a factional fight Mr. Mercer was defeated at the last election. He is widely popular, having, as chairman of the committee on public buildings and grounds, made a host of friends. It is understood that Mr. Merriam, the present director, intends to shortly leave the census office, and Mr. Mercer’s friends are confident that he will be given the vacancy. American Consul Under Fire. Washington dispatch: Complaint has been made to the state department of the conduct of United States Consul W. Maxwell Greene at Hamilton, Bermuda, in connection with j,he casting away of the Madiana. It is alleged that the consul showed absolute Indifference. Enjoin Postmaster General. Washington dispatch: The Equity Court granted Injunctions to restrain the Postmaster General from further refusing to transmit at second-class rates certain publications issued by the Bates & Gould Company of Boston and the Houghton-Miffiin Company, also of Boston. Pays South Carolina Claims. Washington dispatch: The treasury department has issued warrants aggregating $89,137, in favor of the State of South Carolina in Satisfaction of its claims growing out of the war of 1812. The payment was directed by the general deficiency bill approved March 3, 1903.