Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 38, Number 79, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 June 1906 — CONGRESS [ARTICLE]

CONGRESS

The meat inspection provision of tho agricultural appropriation bill was discussed in the Senate Wednesday on a motion to grant the conference requested by the House, and speeches were made by Messrs. Proctor, Beveridge and Lodge against some features of the House amendment. Messrs. Morgan and PerThe sundry civil appropriation bill, carrying $102,347,279, a net increase of s<,760,209 over the sum passed by the House, was reported. In order to expedite the consideration of this measure a night session was held. The House cleaned up considerable 1 business, among the bills passed under suspension of the rules being the following: Appropriating $25,000 for the traveling expenses of the President.; increasing the efficiency of the bureau of insular affairs by conferring the rank and pay of a brigadier general upon the chief of the bureau; regulating the checking of baggage by common carriers. The joint resolution increasing the terms of years and providing for the election of Senators by direct vote of the people failed to receive the two-thirds vote necessary for its passage. The same fate was meted out to the bill permitting national banks to make loans on real estate as security. Conference reports on the executive, legislative and judicial appropriation bill and the measure providing for the subdivision of lands entered under the reclamation act wer® adopted. The Senate Thursday declared for a lock canal across the Isthmus of Panama by a vote of 36 to 31. The remainder of the session was devoted to the discussion of the amendment to the sundry civil bill appropriating $25,000 to pay the traveling expenses of the President, and the subject was not disposed of. The conference report on the fortifications appropriation bill was agreed to and the House bill authorizing the city of St. Louis to construct a bridge across the Mississippi river was passed. Before taking up the pure food bill the House discussed the conference report on the naval appropriations bill. By a close vote the conferees were instructed to concur in the Senate amendment providing that the type, displacement and tonnage of the proposed record-breaking battleship must be reported to Congress before any bids, for her construction are accepted. Several minor amendments also were accepted, and then the report was disagreed to, the conferees being reappointed. The pure food measure then occupied the attention of the members until the end of the session, Mr. Mann (Ill.) speaking. I The Senate Friday passed the House bill appropriating $25,000 for the traveling expenses of the President, the amendment to this effect 'being taken from the sundry civil bill. The latter measure also was passed, the provisions prohibiting canteens at soldiers’ homes and authorizing the lock canal at Panama being retained. A resolution expressing sympathy with the Russian Jews on account of the recent massacre was adopted. A measure appropriating $3,000,000 for the purchase of lands in the White and Appalachian mountains for forest reserve purposes was passed. The Senate also accepted the conference reports on : the District of Columbia and postoffice apprq=_ priation bill. Pure food held the atten- ( tion of the House throughout the day, but a vote on the measure was not reached. The leading, lawyers debated the constitutional features of the bill, the Democrats dividing on the question of State rights. The Senate resolution of sympathy for the Russian Jews was adopted by a unanimous vote. Tho conference report on the fortifications bill was accepted. The Senate Saturday sent the agricultural appropriation bill with the meat inspection rider to conference after considerable debate. Senator Long introduced a resolutiori calling upon the Attorney General for information concerning the suits- brought by him under the anti-trust laws, but action on it was postponed. The sundry civil appropriation bill also was sent to conference. A bill was passed creating the Mesa Verde (cliff dwellers) national park in Colorado, and a number of others measures to which there was no objection were put through. In ex- ' ecutive session the appointment of Benjamin F. Barnes, assistant secretary to I the President, as postmaster at Wash- ■ ington was confirmed by a vote of 35 to 16. The pure food bill was passed by the House, the vote being 240 to 17, and the conference report on the railroad rate ■ bill accepted, 216 to 4. Two other conI ference reports were adopted—on the DisI trict of Columbia and postoffice appropriation bills—which passes these measures. The sundry civil bill was sent to conference. The report of the Committee on Election No. 2, seating Harry M. Coudrey as a member from the Twelfth Congressional District of Missouri, was adopted. The House also passed a resolution that M. L. Brooks is entitled to the seat for the'second congressional district of Texas.

In the National Capital. The bill providing for the control of the waters of Niagara river was passed by the Senate. The railroad rate bill was sent back to conference by the Senate, the old conferees being reappointed, with instructions to insist upon the Senate amendments. President Roosevelt was bitterly arraigned by Representative Brundage of Arkansas in a speech in the House, the White House expenditures and the arrest of Mrs. Minor Morris being especially criticised. It is reported in Washington that Gifford Pinchot, chief of the forestry bureau, will succeed Secretary Wilson as head of the Agricultural Department in a few months. The present army retirement law tor officers and enlisted men requires thirty years' service to entitle arsons retiring under it to three-quarters pay. The Senate passed a bill allowing officers and enlisted men credit in computing their service for any aerviee they may have had in the navy or marine corps. The House committee on military affairs authorised a favorable report on this bill.