Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 38, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 February 1906 — CONGRESS [ARTICLE]

CONGRESS

Right to bridge St. Andrews bay-.. Fla., was granted the Birmingham. Columbus and St. Andrews Railway Company by tlieiHonse on convening Monday. The urgent deficiency bill was taken up, District of Columbia day being passed over until the next Monday. Senatoi-3 Platt' and Depew were in their seats when the Senate convened, the first' appearance of eithcir for some time. , Both gentlemen were giyen warm welcomes and were heartily congratulated upon .their appearing in good health. Senator Clay addressed the Senate on bis resolution relating to the governmental power to fix maximum future charges by .railroads. , _i_ '' . I-,.. ,~ ■ Jv' 1 . 111 - I•• •• ■: —— ' In the genate Tuesday Mr. Spooner defended the course of President Roosevelt in appointing delegates to the Moroccan conference and in relation to Santo Domingo. Messrs. Tillman and Culberson also spoke, insisting that in the Dominican affair the executive had usurped the powers of the Senate. In the House tho urgent deficiency appropriation bill was under consideration. An amendment abrogating the eight-hour day for work* ha the Panama canal was defeated, and another, providing that canal commissioners may not receive additions I compensation besides their, salaries, WiVSL passed. 'The item of $2,(515 to reimburse the Department of Justice for an oil portrait of former Attorney General Knox met defeat. A bill creating a new land district in Montana, to accommodate settlers in the Great Crow reservation, which will be.opcncd for settlement in August, was passed. s

In the Senate -Wednesday Mr. Lodge defended the course of the President with regard to the affairs of Santo Domingo nnd tho Moroccan conference and Mr. Teller spoke in support of the Senate’s in treaty making. At 3n. in. an executive session lasting fifteen minutes was had and then’ tlie private pension calendar was taken up. The forces opposed to tU,e joint statehood bill, consisting of the Democrats and the Republican insurgents, met their first defeat in the House when a motion ordering the previous question on the adoption of the rule for debate prepared by the RCpnblicans was passed by a vote of 192 to 165. Several members had left the chamber when the vote on the rule itself was taken, the result being 187 to 157. Mr. Crumpacker of Indiana took the chair and debate on the bill in committee of the whole was begun at once. After passing a bill to create jury commissioners in, Oklahoma the House at 5 :25. p. m. 'adjourned. * . .* Q A discussion of foreign affairs occupied the session of the Senate Thursday, Messrs. Money and Heyburn speaking. The consular reorganization bill was read at length, but was not acted upon. At 4:15 p. m. the Senate went into executive session and at 4 :25 adjourned until Monday. The House passed the statehood bill by a vote us 194 to 150, according to the schedule. ' Only thirty-three insuron record against the measure. The resignation of Claude A. Swanson, recently elected Governor of Virginia, was presented to' the House. The first attempt at filibustering at this session took place in the House Friday in a Democratic endeavor to defeat the provision of the urgent deficiency bill waiving the eight-hour day for foreign laborers on the Panama canal. The amendment was placed in the bill after' much maneuvering. Wilson came up for censure because of his request that more funds be given the Department of Agriculture for meat inspection. The Senate was not in session. The House Saturday passed the urgent deficiency appropriation bill, with the amendment waiving the eight-hour day for alien labor on tile Panama canal. The vote on the amendment was 120 to 108. By special order the pension calendar was cleared, 262 bills being disposed of in sixty-five minutes. After reading Mr. Mann’s omnibus bridge bill, making it unfinished business for Monday, the House adjourned. There was no session of the Senate.

National Capital Note*. President Roosevelt plans to go tiger hunting in Africa when he retires from the presidency in 1909. Ensign Wade, U. S. N., has been acquitted on all charges in connection with the Bennington disaster nnd has been restored to duty. Among the nominations sent to the Senate wns that of Capt. William S. Cowles, the President’s brother-in-law, to be chief of the burea.u of equipment of the Navy Department. Aljeinnder Goehr nnd Harry J. Collins, at one time officers in the United States army, were arrested at San Francisco on the Arrival of the transport Sherman from MnnifaT They will be held pending investigation. The Secretary of the Interior has withdrawn from all forms of disposals except under the mineral laws, 1,300,000 acres of public lands lying in Missonla and Flat Head counties. Montana nnd Kootenai county, Idaho, fpr the proposed cabinet forests reserve. Burgeon Major Ixmis Livingston Seaman is pushing vigorously his crusade ta bring about a reform of the medical department of the United States army, after studying the sanitary conditions in the Boer war and being present in Pekin during the Boier troubles. William I. Buchanan hns been selected by the President as one of the delegates to the pan-American congress in Rio de Janeiro next July. Mr. Buchanan was a delegate to the second congress, which met in Mexico five years »*o. - . Charges against James W. Raynolda, renominated by the President as secretary for New Mexico, are being considered by the Senate committee on territories, and the confirmation will be held up until they can be investigated. Ha is charged with being an offensire partisan.