Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 34, Number 48, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 February 1902 — Congress. [ARTICLE]

Congress.

Debate on the oleomargarine bill continued Tuesday in the House. The opponents of the bill are making a strong fight so far as the presentation of argument is concerned. The speakers on Tuesday were Messrs. Tompkins (N. Y.), Robb (MoJ, Knapp (N. Y.). Bates (Pa.). Davidson (Wis.), Driscoll (N. Y.), and Hepburn (Iowa) in favor and Messrs. Cowherd (Mo.). Lanham (Texas), Grosvenor (Ohio) and Kleberg (Texas) against the hill. After brief discussion the Senate passed the bill providing for a 25 per cent increase in the salaries of United States Judges. All amendments were voted down, including one to increase the salaries of cabinet officers from SB,OOO to $12,500 a year. During the remainder of the day’s session the urgent deficiency appropriation bill was under consideration, the Philippine tariff measure being laid aside temporarily. Mr. Hansborough (N. D.) made a spirited defense of Judge Arthur H. Noyes of the District Court of Alaska, and Alexander McKenzie, upon whom an attack was made in the on Monday.

It was agreed in the House on Wednesday that the oleomargarine bill should come to a vote after two days more of debate. Representative Boutell of Chicago delivered the speech that attracted most attention in Wednesday’s debate. He based his opposition to the bill on alleged discrimination. There is tfo excuse, in his judgment, for discriminating between different brands of the same product. It is conceded on all sides that there is no fraud in the manufacture of oleo, Mr. Boutell explained. The only fraud charged is in its retail, when in some instances dishonest dealers sell it for butter. The pending bill, he asserted. would not prevent these frauds. Representative Crowley of Illinois furnished the House considerable amusement in discussing the bill. li% announced emphatically that lie would not permit himself to be read out of the Democratic party because he supports the bill, and made an earnest appeal for the wife of the poor farmer churhing butter, who, he insisted, should be protected against the product of the oleo manufacturers. Other speakers were Messrs. Kluttz (N. C.), McCreary (Minn.) and Eddy (Minn.) for, and Messrs. Allen (Ky.), Scott (Kan.) and Moon (Tenn.) against the bill. Throughout the day’s session the Senate had under consideration the urgent deficiency appropriation bill, and just before adjournment passed it substantially jn the shape in which it was reported to the Senate by the committee.

For four hours Thursday the Senate had the Philippine tariff bill under discussion. The measure was completed so far as the Philippine corpmittee is concerned, allot the committee amendments being adopted. Toward the close of the session the discussion became heated. In response to a resolution offered several days ago by Mr. Rawlins of Utah, the Secretary of War transmitted to the Sen? ate the sedition laws enacted by the Philippine commission. They were read in full, and immediately drew the fire of : the opponents of the government’s Philippine policy. Mr. Foraker of Ohio had ‘read from the revised statutes of the United States the laws of Congress re-Jaling-ItLlhe crime of treason and similar offenses against the government, and said that the acts passed by the Philippine commission were almost identical in their language with the laws enacted by Congress in the days of the fathers of the republic and that there was nothing unprecedented or unusual about them. The Ohio Senator was interrupted continually and had several warm colloquies with Senators who were opposing him. In conclusion of the debate Mr., Hoar poured oil on the troubled waters of the Senate, maintaining that men might well differ on any of the great questions now before the country, but that all were thoroughly loyal to the country and were doing their duty as they saw it. Early in the day Mr. Scott of West Virginia delivered a speech in which he advocated an investigation of the San Blas route for an.isthmian canal, and Mr. Hansbrotigh made a carefully prepared address on his bill to provide a national system of irrigation of arid lands. The House spent the day on the legislative, executive and judicial appropriation bill. Very rapid progress was made, seventy-four of the 130 pages of the bill being disposed of before adjournment.

The House on Friday passed the legislative. executive and judicial appropriation bill, the second of the regular supply bills. It carries $25,171,909, which is $503,721 in excess- of the current law. Oqly two amendments of importance were adopted. One provides for a commission to redistrict the legislative districts of Oklahoma, and the other authorizes the President, in his discretion, to cover into the civil service the temporary clerical force employed on account of the war with Spain. There are about 1,250 of these clerks still in the service. By the terms Of the amendment the President must place al) or none of them under the civil service. The Philippine tariff bill was taken up early in the Senate. The session was notably quiet. Mr. Turner of Washington delivered a carefully prepared speech on the general Philippine question, and had not concluded when the bill was laid aside for the day. He discussed particularly the legal and constitutional questions involved in the government and control of the Philippine archipelago by the United States. After the adoption of minor amendments the pension appropriation bill was passed early in the session.

The House on Saturday devoted an hour to the transaction of minor business and the remainder of the day to eulogies on the life and public services of the late Representative Burke of Texas.