Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 39, Number 37, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 January 1907 — WORK Of CONGRESS [ARTICLE]

WORK Of CONGRESS

.The Senate devoted its two and a half hours’ session Thursday to the further discussion of President Roosevelt's order dismissing the negro troops of the Twen-ty-fifth infantry for. “shooting up” Brownsvije, Texas. Senator Culberson of that State defended the order, closing with an impassioned statement of the position of the South on the negro question. Senator Foraker replied briefly, urging speedy action on his resolution for an investigation. Senator Lodge proposed an amendment admitting the President’s authority as commander in chief of the. army to take the action he did. On motion of Senator Hale the resolution was given the-right of way the following Monday. Adjournment to Monday was taken. Immediately after the approval of the journal in the House the credentials of W. F. Englebright of the First California district to fill a vacancy eaused by the resignation of James Norris Gillett. and Charles G. Washburn of the Third Massachusetts District, vice Rockwood Hoar, deceased, were read, and these two gentlemen proceeded to the bar, where the Speaker administered the oath. No quorum being present and no committees being ready to report, adjournment was then taken until Friday, after a fifteen minutes’ session.

The Senate was not in session Friday. The “omnibus” claims bill, so-called, carrying appropriations for claims under the Bowman and Tucker acts, and miscellaneous claims on which favorable reports have been made by the war claims committee, was before the House, and for nearly five hours the merits of the measure were exploited. Speaker Cannon announced the appointment of Engelbright of California to a place on the committee on mines and mining, viee Williamson of Oregon, removed. The Speaker based action on the ground that Williamson had failed to attend a single session of the Fifty-ninth Congress. He has been convicted of participation in land frauds in Oregon.

National Capital Notes. Senator Lodge introduced a bill to improve the consular service by filling the higher positions by promotion from the lower grades. The sword of John Paul Jones now rests in the library of the Navy Department, where it has been placed by Commander Reginald Nicholson. The last bid for government land in the Kiowa and Comanche reservation, known as the “big pasture,” was received. The total number is 7,621. With a view to securing action at the present session, Senator Beveridge re-in-troduced his general child labor bill as an amendment to the District of Columbia child labor bill. Senator —Rayner gave notice that he would ask the Senate to consider resolutions commemorating the life and character of the late Senator Arthur Pue Gorman on Saturday, Jan. 26. Minister Rockhill has cabled the State Department from Pekin that by agreement with Russia the Chinese government Will open to international residence and trade Jan. 14 next the cities of Kirin, Manchurie and Harbin. L. Klopsch, editor of the Christian Herald, was the first to subscribe funds for the relief of the starving Chinese in response to the President’s message, sending $5,000 to be expended by the American Red Cross in China. The most important engineering problem of the present day affecting marine propulsion is that of the steam turbine, according to the report of Rear Admiral C. W. Rae, chief of the bureau of steam engineering, inst made public. The condition of the famine sufferers in China is worse than at first supposed, according to reports from consuls, and the matter was brought to the attention of the cabinet at the instance cf the American National Red Cross.

Ambassador Thompson has as-vised the State Department that President Diaz of Mexico has taken prompt action toward remedying the damage to property in the Imperial valley as the rjsult of the overflow of the Colorado liver into Salton Sink. Delegations representing the eastern rye whisky distillers and the blendets of New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Massachusetts and New Hampshire were given a hearing by Secretary Wilson of the Department of Agriculture and Dr. Wiley, chief of tlie bureau of chemistry, as to the regulations respecting the labeling of their products under Uie new pure food law.. _ The Jamestown exposition commission met in the office of Assistant Secretary of the Treasury Edwards to receive a report from President I. W. Johnson and Director General G. B. Jackson of the N’egro Development Exposition Company as to what is being done to prepare an exhibition of negro progress. The commissioners were not satisfied with the situation.

Withdrawal of all restrictions upon the issue of $5 notes by national banks is proposed in a bill introduced by Representative Fowler of New Jersey, chairman of the committee on currency. There is frequent complaint of inability to obtain sufficient small notes and at present national banks are restricted so that they cannot take out more than one-third of their circulation in $5 notes. Secretary of the Interior Hitchcock declared that his withdrawal of 4.000,000 acres belonging to the five civilized tribes, which was criticised by a Senate committee, will stand unless the investigation now in progress shows that he exceeded his authority. The War Department has issued a circular to recruiting officers urging redoubled efforts to secure then to fill vacancies in the army. Itvs said a great many men refuse to re-enlist because of the lock of a canteen, while the general prosperity and labor scarcity keep away new recruits.