Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 36, Number 138, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 December 1904 — CONGRESS [ARTICLE]

CONGRESS

‘ ... V - President Pro Tem. Frye ealled the Senate to order at 12 o'clock Monday. On motion of Senators Lodge and Penrose, resolutions of respect to the memory of Senators Hoar of Massachusetts and Quay of Pennsylvania wereadepted. Speaker. Cannon culled the House to order tft 12 o’clock. Nearly 400 bills were introduced, nmoug them .measurijs by Mr. Bassett of New York, providing for better protection against fire on steam vessels *carrying passengers; bf Messrs. Spalding of North Dakota ana Fordney of Michigan, providing for ft tariff commission; by Mr. Baker of New York declaring the tariff a fraud, anjJ ordering the suspension of the duty on steel rails. . Resolutions of respect tp the memory of Senators Hoar and QuSjr were adopted. In the Senate Tuesday Senator Gaiihager read a preliminary report of tup merchant marine commission, and on bis motion the time for the final report wop extended until Jan. 5. After the ing of the President’s message a short executive session was held, in which nominations made by the President werft referred to committees. In the Hougp bills were introduced by Mr. Hull, chairman of the committee on military affairs, appropriating $1,000,000 annually to promote rifle practice; by Mr. Hill of Connecticut, for the redemption of silver certificates in gold coin and directing the Secretary of the Treasury to set apart $150,000,000 in gold and bullion for the purpose; by Mr. Littlefield of Maine, requiring corporations to make annual reports to the commissioner of corporations, and by Mr. Roberts of Massachusetts, providing a pension of sls a..month for the widows of Union soldiers, sailors and marines. The President’s message was read, referred to the committee of the whole House on the State of the Union and ordered printed.

The Senate on Wednesday decided to vote Dec. 1G on the bill providing for the construction of railroads in the Philippines. Mr. Scott asked consideration of a bill pensioning telegraph operators who served during the Civil War. Mr. McCumber spoke in favor of the bill, while Messrs. Gallinger and Cockrell opposed it, and no action was taken. Mr. Latimer reported favorably from the committee on agriculture and forestry a bill appropriating $24,(XX),000 for national aid in building good roads in the States. In the House Mr. Bingham of Pennsylvania reported the legislative, executive and judicial appropriation bill. In committee of the whole parts of the President’s message were referred to committees having jurisdiction over the several subjects. In the Senate Thursday a resolution authorizing the payment of the Senate expenses incident to the funerals of Senators Hoar and Quay was adopted. Mr. Hepburn of Idaho called up the pure food bill. Mr. Aldrich asked that the measure be read and it went over on objection by Air. Tillman. It is thought the bill will not pass. In the House hills to reduce Southern representation were introduced by Messrs. Sherman of New York and Mon-ell of Pennsylvania. Mr. Bingham of Pennsylvania called up the legislative, executive and judicial appropriation bill, explaining its provisions. The nnnual attack on the Civil Service Commission was'begun, Messrs. Mnddox of Georgia, Grosvenor of Ohio and Hepburn of lowa severely criticising the system. -T». The Senate was not in session Friday. A concurrent resolution providing for adjournment from Dec. 21 to Jan. 4, 1905, was adopted my the House. Consideration of the legislative, executive and judicial appropriation bill was resumed in committee of the whole, the pending question being a motion by Mr. Hepburn, of lowa, to strike out the appropriation for the civil service commission. This was lost on a viva voce vote. Mr. Baker of New York severely criticized the Bureau of Corporations, saying too much money had been spent for specialists while nothing had been accomplished toward an investigation of the trusts. By a vote of 45 to 03 the House restored to $5,000 the salary for stonograpliers for House committees, which was cut Thursday to $3,000. The bill was then passed.