Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 38, Number 29, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 December 1905 — CONGRESS [ARTICLE]

CONGRESS

Spirited debate was occasioned in the Senate by the introduction of a bill by Mr. Tillman authorizing the interstate commerce commission to fix maximum rates. Mr. Foraker declared that the bill proved that its author believed the present law sufficient to correct all transportation evils except excessive rates. Mr. Tillman responded that he had thought the present laws adequate until the investigation begun by Judson and Harmon into the Santa Fe case had ended in a miserable fiasco. The Panama Canal emergency appropriation bill was received from the House, and after considerable discussion, during which the high salaries paid employes was criticised, it was referred to the Appropriation Committee by a vote of 40 to 23. The death of the late Senator Mitchell of OregofF was not mentioned during the session' and the erasure of his name from tlr4s rolls follows. Announcement of committees was made in the House. A resolution was passed slightly increasing the membership in several important tommittees, owing to the fact that the membership of the House has grown from 356 to 356. Mr. Lamar (Fla.), a Democrat, who with Mr. Shackleford (Mo.) had been left off the Interstate and Foreign Commerce Committee, was stopped from voicing open criticism of Mr. Williams, the minority leader, only by the latter’s strong objection. Mr. Sulzer (N. Y.) introduced a resolution of sympathy for the Russian Jews. The Senate on Tuesday passed a bill authorizing the Rock Island, Arkansas and Louisville railroad to construct bridges across the Ouachita and other streams in Arkansas. In the Senate Wednesday Mr. Allison presented the report of the committee on appropriations on the Panama canal bill, giving notice that he would call it up for consideration Thursday. A communication from Secretary Shaw saying that only a few small campaign contributions had been made by national banks was read. A controversy over committee appointments in which Mr. Lamar (Fla.) and Mr. Shackleford (Mo.) bitterly attacked Mr. Williams (Miss.) took up nearly all the time in the House. The subject under discussion was the committee distribution of the annual message of the President, which was not completed when the House adjourned. The Senate Thursday discussed the Panama canal emergency appropriation bill, but did not come to a vote. A separate bill regulating the frsuance of bonds for the canal and placing them on the same basis as other government bonds was passed without debate. A pure-food bill was reported by Mr. Heyburn. Mr. Elkins made a statement from the committee on interstate commerce expressing the opinion that the committee would report a rate bill within a reasonable time. Debate on the recommendation in the President's annual message regarding insurance regulation occupied the House again without a conclusion. The pending resolution refers the question to the ways and means committee, and in its defense Mr. Payne argued that the only way Congress could control insurance was through the taxing power. After a number of long speeches the House adjourned. The Senate Friday adopted a resolution of Mr. Stone requesting the Postmaster General for information as to whether college periodicals are admitted to the mails as second-class matter and whether a preference is shown some such periodicals over other similar publications. Mr. Gallinger reported the merchant marine bill. The Panama Canal bill was laid before the Senate and Mr. Bacon presented nn amendment requiring quarterly reports giving lists of officers and employes of the commission above the grades of laborer and the salaries paid them. After debate by Messrs. Tillman, Spooner. Money, Hale, Culberson and Allison an agrement for a vote was reached and the Senate adjourned. The House devoted aiearly all of the session to a lively debate on the possibilities of controlling insurance companies. Mr. Sherley (Ky.) stood for the doctrine of States’ rights and Mr. Cockrau (N. Y.) attacked the officers of the big life insurance companies. A message was sent to the Senate returning its bill regarding canal bonds as a usurpation of the constitutional right of the House to originate revenue legislation. The hazing incidents at Annapolis came up for much criticism. The emergency bill appropriating sll,000,000 for the Panama canal was passed by the Senate Saturday, after a debate which practically excluded all other business. A substitute offered by Mr. Hale for Mr. Bacon’s amendment, specifically requiring that Congress shall be supplied with regular estimates of all salaries except those paid to laborers, was accepted. Mr. Hale made the authorized announcement that Secretary Bishop’s duties as press agent would be abolished. The House indulged itself again to the extent of four hours in an academic discusskin of federal control of Insurance. The holiday recess was fixed from Dec. 21 to Jan. 4. For the purpose of bringing out information showing'the existence of a civil pension list the House asked the President for the number of civil employes of the government who have reached the age of 70.