Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 39, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 January 1907 — WORK OF CONGRESS [ARTICLE]

WORK OF CONGRESS

The Brownsville .affair occupied most of the time in the Senate Monday, the principal discussion being on a resolution offered by Senator Lodge providing for an investigation and By silence conceding the authority of the President to take the action he did in dismissing colored soldiers. Senator Gearip made an address on the Japanese question, advocating a resolution directing negotiations for a revision of the treaty with Japan. The House.passed a bill providing for a judicial review of orders excluding persons from the use of United States mail facilities. A day iu February was set apart for eulogies on the life and public service of Rock wood Hoar, late member for the Third Massachusetts District.

The Senate occupied itself Tuesday in discussing to a more limited extent the Unusual Brownsville affray. Senator Daniel of Virginia made a speech in support of the President’s action. Senator Foraker said that other speeches were to be made and indicated that he would defer closing the argument he began until a later date. Senator Overman of North Carolina spoke in opposition to the proposed federal child labor laws, his opposition being based on the broad ground of State rights. The bill limiting the hours of service of railway employes, which is the “unfinished business," was discussed for nn-hpnrr—Tbe-Hciu-sfr began consideration of the military appropriation bill. Chairman Hull began general debate'by a comprehensive statement of the contents of the army budget, which carries $2,500,000 more than last year. Other speeches were by Mr. Slay den of Texas on his bill to discontinue the enlistment of negroes in the army; by Mr. Zenor of Indiana, against the ship subsidy bill, and by Mr. Gaines of Tennessee,. Jwho spoke in commemoration of the ninetysecond anniversary of the battle of New Orleans.

In the Senate Wednesday much time was devoted to the bill limiting the hours of railway employes. The Brownsville matter was postponed at the suggestion of Senator Forakcr, who gave as the" reason that Senator Tillman, who is indisposed, desired to make an address on the subject. The House began the consideration of the army appropriation bill by sections under the five-minute rule. A point of order was made against the paragraph abolishing the grade of lieutenant genera], with the retirement of the present lieutenant general. Arthur McArthur, which point was sustained. By a vote of 27 to 50, the committee of the whole refused to strike out the appropriation of $1,000,000 to defray the expenses of national guard organizations attending encampments in conjunction with regular troops, although the maneuvers were severely criticised by Representatives Grosvenor of OhKf,. Hepburn of lowa and Hay cf Ly ai of lowa reported the fortification's appropriation bill.

After five hours’ debate on the subject of limiting the hours of service of railway employes, the Senate on Thursday passed a substitute for the pending bill of Senator La Follette, limiting the -time of train employes to sixteen consecutive hours of service, to be followed by ten hours of rest. Senator Tillman gave notice he would address the Senate Saturday on the Brownsville affray, and Senator Foraker‘announced he would endeavor to get a vote on the investigation resolution on that day. The House was the center of a threatened personal encounter between Representative Gaines of Tennessee and Representative Mahon of Pennsylvania, growing out of Mr. Gaines’ bill to “dock” members for chronic absence. The army appropriation bill was passed and consideration of the fortifications bill begun.

• The Senate Friday passed a general service pension bill which will give survivors of the Civil and Mexican wars sl2 per month at the age of 62, sls at 70 and S2O at $75. Senator Hopkins of Illinois defended Reed Smoot, arguing against the right of the Senate to pass "bn the private acts of its members. The legislative appropriation bill was taken 41 j) and read, after which the Senate adjourned - The TToT^e"*!l IV-w - record ,by passing 628 private pension bills in an , hour and thirty-five minutes. A bill was .passed, making the limit of cost of five lighthouse tenders $200,000 instead of $135,000, and at 1:45 p. m., in the absence of a quorum, the House adjourned* until Monday. The time of the Senate Saturday was devoted mainly to the discussion of the race question, in which Senator Tillman attacked the President’s action in the Brownsville affair and Senator Patterson defended the executive. Senator Foraker gave notice that on Monday he would endeavor to secure action on tbe resolution for an investigation es the matter. The Senate adjourned until Monday. Th# IJouse was not in session.

National'Capital Notea. Representative Hay of Virginia introduced a resolution in the House seeking information concerning the death of Robert Vance Freeman, a former member of the “poison squat?” of the Department of Agriculture. Chairman Hull of the House committee on military affairs, reported the military appropriation bill, carrying $73,000.000. The bill provides that the office of lieutenant general of the army shall cease to exist as soon as it becomes vacant. » The House committee on appropriations haN finished its consideration of fortifications and decided to rejtort a bill carrying an appropriation of $1,411,000, $337,000 below the amount appropriated last year and nearly $7,000,000 less than the estimates. ; Postmaster Bussc is working before the department anti the House committee on postoffices for improvements in the postal service at Chicago, lie conferred with members of the-Chicago oongres sional delegation and appeared before the House committee framing the postoffice appropriation bill.