Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 36, Number 64, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 April 1904 — CONGRESS [ARTICLE]

CONGRESS

Senator Dick took the noth of office at. the opening of the Senate session Wednesday. Consideration of the Indian appropriation bill was resumed. A controversy over Choctaw Indian land leases dating back to President Harrison’s administration was revived in the runendment to pay a claim of $50,000 of J. Hale Sypher. as attorney in making the leases. Mr. Patterson moved to amend the amendment by reducing the amount to $25,000. and in this form the original was lost, 25 to 23. The amendment to exempt farmers at Indian agencies from civil service rules was agreed to. The House disposed of only six pages of the postoffice appropriation bill, •although it made considerable progress in reading-the bill for amendment. The appropriation for inland mail transportation by star routes was sealed from $8,100,000 to $7,850,000. A n-am end men tby Mr. Tawney of Minnesota fixing the life of a postal car at fifteen years, by providing that none be retained in the service after having-been n-ed so long, was agreed to. The Hou“e accepted an amendment by Mr. Hughes of New Jersey that in future the Posjotlice Department shall make no contracts for supplies made by convict labor.

The Senate Thursday passed the Indian appropriation bill. It was amended so as to permit the attendance of Alaska Indians at the Indian school in Salem, Oregon, and to pay for their transportation to and from the school. Mr. Bacon raised the question of civil service appointments, contending that the Southern States practically were disfranchised under a Republican administration. Mr. Gibson spoke in support of the bill for the repeal of the desert land, timber and stone laws and of the commutation clause of the homestead law. The House again put itself on record against any investigation of the I’ostoffice Department, an amendment by Mr. Williams providing for a select committee of five members of the .Senate being voted down, 133 to 99, on a point of order. The chair sustained a point of order by Mr. Mann against the provision in the bill that rural carriers after July 1, 1904, shall not solicit business or receive orders of any kind during their hours of employment or carry merchandise for hire. Mr. Overstreet made a point of order, which was sustained, against tfrnt-pwt- of the same paragraph providing that riiral "carriers" shall receivo a salary not exceeding $720 per annum. ' Tlfis leaves the salaries at S6OO per year, as now.

In the'Renate Friday Mr. Hansbrough charged that the movement to secure the repeal of the desert land and the timber and —stone laws and the commutation' clause qf the homestead act were due to the efforts of a lobby composed mainly of the holders of lands bought in large tracts from railroad companies. He held that their desire was to increase the demand for their property. Senator Dubois intimated that the pressure for repeal was due to the large holdings of forest lands by the railroads. Mr. Newland# fftvSred modifications of the law. Tho Senate took up the private pension calendar, passing a large number of bills. The House passed the postoffice appropriation bill, after a prolonged ddbate on the paragraph affecting rural letter carriers. This was stricken out Thursday, but restored under a special order of the committee on rules, It increases salaries to $720 a year and prohibits the soliciting of business or the reception of orders by.carriers from any person, firm or corporation, but permits the carriers, under certain restrictions. to carry merchandise for hire for and upon the request of patrons residing on the routes. The paragraph appropriating $5,000 for tho salary of a purchasing agent for the Postoffice Department was restored and passed. The fortifications appropriation bill was sent to conference.

The Senate Saturday continued consideration of the District of Columbia appropriatiomr'bill. "Senators Hoar and McComas spoke in favor of a high-pres-sure water system for Washington. Mr. Foraker gave notice that the services In memory of the late Senator Hanna would be held April 7 instead of March 31. After passing pension bills the Senate went into executive session and adjourned to Monday. The House began consideration of the sundry civil appropriation bill. Chairman Hemenway of 11io appropriations committee estimated the expenditures for 1905 at $591,802,324, to which must be added the interest on the public debt, estimated at $84,971,820. The revenues for the ydnr uro estimated at $701,472,060. Several minor bills were passed by unanimous consent, and special orders were mnde for the consideration of pension bills. It was decided that after the sundry clvib bill shall, have been disposed of tho omnibus claims bill- will follow as n special order. Mr. Pou of North Carolina attacked the Republican party. Mr. Baker of. New York spoke in opposition to ship subsidies.