Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 22, Number 41, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 February 1901 — CONGRESS. [ARTICLE]

CONGRESS.

In the Senate on Monday Senator Towne- of Minnesota made a speech on the government of the Philippines. Immediately after Mr, Towne’s speech Mr. Clapp, his successor, was sworn in. The remainder of thq day was devoted to consideration of the Indian appropriation bill. District of Columbia business occupied the most of the day in the House. Bill to revise and codify postal laws passed without amendment. Consideration of claims of Americans aggregating $28,000,000 against Spain deferred until the following Monday. Bill to extend charters of national banks twenty years called up, but went over on objection of Mr. Richardson. In the Senate on Tuesday Senator Frye gave notice he intended to keep shipping bill to the front, evep as against appropriation bills, not yielding to them without vote of Senate. This indicated disposition on part of Senate leaders to force to early issue question whether shipping bill is going to pass at this session. Mr. Turner spoke in severe arraignment of bill, declaring it to be “lawless, piratical raid upon the Treasury” in interest of few private beneficiaries and eommit- • ting, government to expenditures aggregating $270,000,000. Committee amendments were in formally agreed to. Indian appropriation bill was passeibearly in day. The House spent day upon agricultural appropriation bill. Mr. Corliss (Mich.) made vicious onslaught upon bureau of animal industry of Agricultural Department, but his attack raised host of defenders, aud his amendment to reduce appropriation for bureau was overwhelmingly defeated. All that portion of bill relating to reorganization of scientific bureaus of Agricultural Department went out on ppint of order raised by Mr. Mahon (Pa.) Wednesday the Senate spent in debate on the shipping bill after an unsuccessful attempt to secure an agreement to the conference report on the army reorganization bill. The House passed thd agricultural appropriation bill. On Thursday the Senate, by a vote of 33 to 25, agreed to the conference report on the army reorganization bill. The shipping bill was discussed during the latter part of the day, and some progress was made on amendments. A speech by Mr. Rawlins of Utah against the bill was in progress at the close of the day. The House passed the fortifications appropriation bill aud made fair progress with the postoffice appropriation bill. During the general debate upon the former bill Mr. Lanham of Texas delivered a notable speech upon the future of the Democratic party, making a strong plea for the necessity of united Democracy and counseled the burial of the hatchet and “the welcoming hack of those who in the last two presidential campaigns have declined to suport the nominees of the party. Many amendments were offered to the postoffice appropriation bill in the interest of various claims of postoffice employes, but they all went down before points of order raised by Mr. Loud, the chairman of the postoffice committee, who was in charge of the bill. The Senate spent Friday considering the shipping bill. The House passed an omnibus bill carrying 191 claims for stores and supplies taken by the Union army during the rebellion. The claims were passed on by the court of claims nnd aggregated $344,450. Practically, all the beneficiaries reside in the South. Considerable opposition to the bill was displayed under the leadership of Mr. Cannon, the chairman of the appropriations committee, but it flattened out later and the bill finally was passed without division. The bill to amend the Chinese ■exclusion act, with a view to preventing the fraudulent entry of .Chinese into the United States, was passed. The Senate met at 11 o’clock Saturday and with the exception of an hour and a half at the beginning of the session devoted the entire day to the discussion of the ship subsidy bill. Mr. Turner and Mr. Mallory were the speakers in behalf of the opposition. Mr. Turner’s speech was based largely upon exceptions which he had taken to Mr. Frye’s criticisms of his former speech. Mr. Mallory opposed the bill on constitutional grounds. Passed bill authorizing the construction of a public building at Hammond, Ind., to cost $125,000. The House spent the day until 3 o’clock in the consideration of the postoffice appropriation bill. The struggle over, the question of restoring the appropriation for pneumatic tube service and of the reduction of railway mail pay were precipitated by amendments offered, but no action was taken. At 3 o’clock public business was suspended to permit the members to pay tribute to the late Senator Davis of Minnesota.