Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 34, Number 66, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 April 1902 — Congress. [ARTICLE]

Congress.

Most of Tuesday in the Senate was devoted to debate on the Chinese exclusion bill. When the session opened Mr, Simon, rising to a’ffuartldn STUgßßnra 1 privilege, explained that had he been present when the vote on the ship subsidy bill was taken he would have voted, agaiust the measure. Mr. Hoar secured the passage of his resolution providing that rule XIX. be amended by inserting at the beginning of clause 2 thereof the following: “No Senator in debate shall directly or indirectly by any form of words impute to another Senator, or to other Senators, any conduct Or motive unworthy or unbecoming a Senator; ho Senator in debate shall refer offensively to any State of- the Union.” . Thirty-nine private pension bills were passed. The House passed a bill to protect fish and game in Alaska and devoted the rest of the day to debate on Cuban reciprocity.

Throughout the session of the Senate on Wednesday the Chinese exclusion bill was under consideration. Mr. Gallin.ger and Mr. Dillingham opposed it, and Mr. Turner♦suppoftsTit. Mr. Fairbanks reported -favorably from the committee on immigration the Chinese exclusion bill passed by the House. It was placed on the calendar. Mr. Patterson offered a resolution, which was adopted, calling on the Secretary of the Treasury for certain regulations regarding the exclusion of Chinese. In the House Mr. Henry (Conn.) asked unanimous consent to disagree to the Senate amendmeijts to the oleomargarine bill, but Mr. Richardson (Tenn.) objected, and the bill went to the committee on agriculture. The test of the day was devoted to continuance of the debate on Cuban reciprocity.

In the Senate on Thursday the Chinese exclusion bill was under discussion during the entire session, except for about an hour, in which lime the postotiiee appropriation bill was considered andjassed. iThree speeches were made against the Chinese bill in its present form, Mr. Dillingham concluding his remarks and Mr. Stewart and Mr. Hoar stating their objections to the bill. Mr. Stewart said "fie wbitTd vote for the measure if it was tlie best that could be obtained, as he favored the exclusion of Chinese laborers, but he was opposed to many of its provisions. Mr. Hoar, with considerable feeling. announced his vigorous opposition to the bill, declaring he never would vote for it. An amendment was agreed to eliminating section 56 of the bill and substituting a provision that nothing in the act should be construed to prevent any foreign exhibitor from any country from bringing to the United States such assistants as might be necessary to enable him to make an exhibition at any fair or exposition authorized by the government. Mr. Depew spoke briefly against the adoption of the resolution providing for the election of Senators by popular vote. In the House, aside from the debate on the Cuban reciprocity bill little was done. Resolutions were passed calling upon the Secretary of .State for information regarding the alleged removal by Canadian officials of landmarks along the Alaskan border, and calling upon him for the report of the Governor of Louisiana and all other correspondence relating to the establishment of a British base of supplies near Louisiana and the shipment of horses and mules for the use of the British army in South Africa.

Some remarks which Mr. Depew made Thursday concerning the proposed amendment to the constitution providing for the election of Senators by pbpulaf rote, in the course of whieh -he adverted to Southern election methods, precipitated a lively, three hours’ debate in the Senate on Friday. When the Chinese exclusion bill was taken up an agreement was reached that voting upon it should begin the next Wednesday. Mr. Teller of Colorado supported the measure iu a brief speech, maintaining that it was necessary and that it was not in contravention of treaty obligations with China. In the House the Speaker announced the appointment of the following committee to attend the funeral at Arlington”cemetery, Washington, of Gen. Rosecrans: Mr. Hepburn (Iowa), Mr. Grosvenor (Ohio), Mr. Loud (Cal.X Mr. Steele (Ind.), Mr. Lessler (N. Y.), Mr. Elliott (S. C.l, Mr. Clark (Mo.), Mr. Cummings (N. Y.) and Mr. Clayton (Ala.). The postoffiee appropriation bill was sent to conference. Messrs. Loud, Smith (Ill.) and Swanson (Ya.) were appointed conferees. The rest of the day was devoted to consideration of the Cuban reciprocity bill.

Continuation of the debate on the Chinese exclusion bill occupied most of Saturday in the Senate. The conference report on the postoflice appropriation bill was agreed to, and a bill authorizing '.he Quincy Railroad Bridge Company to rebuild the draw span of its bridge across the Mississippi river nt Quincy, 111., was passed. In the House the calendar was entirely cleared of private pension bills, all of those reported being passed, 177 in all. and including that giving $5,000 a year to Mrs. McKinley. Bills were also passed providing for an additional circuit judge in the Second judicial circuit of New York, and. for the creation of the pet rifled forest national park in Arizona.