Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 36, Number 71, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 April 1904 — CONGRESS [ARTICLE]

CONGRESS

The general deficiency appropriation bill, the last before the Senate committee oh appropriations, was reported Wednesday morning. Without comment the Senate passed a resolution by Mr. Dubois for investigation of polygamy among postmasters in Idaho. Mr. Dolliver then spoke nearly two hours on the trusts, defending Republican policies and predicting the election of President Roosevelt. The sundry civil bill was ‘passed after a long discussion of amendments for buildings at Washington. As amended the bill carries $50,000 for a Jefferson monument, $71,000 as the United States share of the cost of the Bureau of American Republics’ building in Washington, provides for a new office and committee building for the Senate and limits to $75,000 the immediate appropriation for extending the east wing of the capitol. When the House met the agricultural appropriation bill was reported from eonfcrcticj* and agreed to. The report of the elections committee No. 2, deciding in favor of Congressman Lorimer of Illinois, was adopted and Mr. Foss called up the conference report on the naval appropriation bill. After an extended debate the bill was sent back, the House refusing to agree to any of the disputed amendments, excepting that providing for construction of two colliers. Mr. Foss secured- the- adoption of his amendment leaving the selection of the great lakes naval training station site to the Secretary of the Navy, but Mr. Cooper of Wisconsin secured the yeas and nays and it was defeated.

In the Senate Thursday the pension appropriation bill, carrying an appropriation of more than $137.(MX),000. and the emergency river ami harbor appropriations bill, carrying $3,000,000, were passed, as was the bill increasing to G4O acres the size of homestead entries in western Nebraska. In the debate on the pension bill Mr. Scott denounced the pension laws, advocating a service pension of $25 per month. In the debate on the emergency river and harbor bill Mr. Gorman criticised the Republicans for not bringing up a general river and harbor bill, and Mr. Elkins replied that the state of business was not such as to justify such a measure. Id the House a substitute for the Kittredge bill for the government of the I’anama canal zone was passed over the protest of Mr. Harrison. A rule was’adopted for the consideration at any time of the bill creating a commission to investigate the merchant marine. The House passed a bill amending the het for the protection of persons furnishing materials and labor in public works so as to give the government priority over subcontractors or furnishers of material in suits on the bonds of the contractors.

The general deficiency appropriation bill occupied the greater part of the Senate’s time Friday, but before its consideration Mr. Gallinger spoke in defense of the tariff policy of the Republican party. While the deficiency bill was being read Mr. Cullom spoke on the Hitt Chinese exclusion bill attached by the House as a rider. He offered an amendment to strike out several clauses. Mr. Lodge also offered an amendment excluding Chinese and other aliens whose immigration is encouraged* by any transportation company. The bill f<vr government of the Panama canal zone was sent to conference. After devoting considerable time to conference reports on routine and private bills, the House listened to a brush between Mr. Lind of Minnesota and Mr. Curtis of Kansas on the former’s substitute for a resolution of inquiry ns to the acts of the Dawes commission. Mr. Lind said the men sent as guardians of the Indians of Indian territory had taken advantage of their official positions for loot and speculation. Mr. Curtis said the charges had not been proved. Mr. Lind’s substitute, which asks the Secretary of the Interior for information as to what action has been taken in the Dawes commission investigation, prevailed, 97 to 91. The sundry civil bill was sent Io conference with Messrs. Hemenway, Gillett and Burton conferees for the House. Two hundred and thirty-three pension bills were passed in forty-five minutes. Consideration of the Alaskan delegate bill was resumed, but was interrupted by Mr. Kitchin of North Carolina, who assailed President Roosevelt and Mr. Grosvenor, the former for his attitude on the race question and the latter for alleged change of front toward Roosevelt after his nomination for Vice President.

In the Senate Saturday the Mann bill for the lowering of the tunnels in the Chicago river was reported from the committee on commerce and was passed without serious opposition. The Semite passed, a.fter a long debate, the general deficiency bill, after killing the House amendment strengthening the Chinese exclusioirlaw. The amendment was amended by striking out all except the first section, which affirms all the exclusion laws now in effect. One amendment accepted was that excluding Chinese ami other aliens from coming in under agreements between other countries and steamship companies, having special reference to n contract betwen the C'unard line ami Hungary to supply 30,000 immigrants annually to the steamship company. The House agreed to the Senate amendment to the pension appropriation bill, and the conference report on the nnval appropriation bill was adopted. Bills were passed for the protection of the public forest reserves and national parks and amending the act to extend the coal land laws to Alaska. The bill for a commission to investigate the merchant marine was passed after a long debate, in which Messrs. Hepburn and Cockran were the central figures,