Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 39, Number 41, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 January 1907 — WORK OF CONGRESS [ARTICLE]

WORK OF CONGRESS

The Senate Monday passed the legislative, executive and judicial appropriation bill carrying $30,855,833, and devoted the remainder of the day to the Brownsville affair, following the receipt of a message from the President submitting additional evidence, and a cigar box filled with bullets and shells. The message was ordered printed. Senators who participated in the debate were Mallory, Clay, Tillman, Bacon and Spooner, the latter’s speech being unfinished when adjournment was taken. The House spent most of the day considering legislation pertaining to the District of Columbia, after which consideration of the fortifications appropriation bill was resumed. The message of the President regarding the Colorado River was read.

The time of the Senate Tuesday was taken up by the speech of Senator Spooner on the Brownsville affair, and at its conclusion the Senate adjourned. The House spent almost the entire day in considering the fortifications bill, among the amendments defeated being one to increase the appropriation for sea coast batteries in the Hawaiian and -Philippine Islands to $1,000,000. Speaker Cannon announced the appointment of Representative Sherley of Kentucky to a place on the judiciary committee made vacant by the resignation of Representative Little. At 4:15, after a roll call demanded by the Democrats, the House adjourned.

The Brownsville affair again occupied the time of the Senate Wednesday. Senators Carmack. Stone. Money and Knox defended the action of the President. Senator Foraker offered a substitute for his previous resolution providing for an investigation of the matter and started to make his closing speech on the incident, but had not concluded when the Senate adjourned. The House passed the fortifications appropriation bill without amendment and began consideration of the District of Columbia appropriation bill. Mr. Foster of Vermont delivered a speech supporting the President for his message on the Japanese situation in California, and Mr. Sheppard of Texas discussed politics and the State of the nation. Sunday, Feb. 24, was fixed for eulogies of the late Representative H. C. Adams of Wisconsin.

Senator Foraker, in the Senate Thursday, concluded his argument against the action of the President in the Brownsville matter and opposed an amendment to his compromise investigation resolution, of which Senator Blackburn gave notice. Consideration of the resolution was deferred until Monday at The conclusion of Mr. Foraker’s address. Eulogies for the iate Senator William B. Bate of Tennessee were delivered, after which the Senate, as a mark of respect to his memory, adjourned. The House resumed consideration of the District of Columbia appropriation bill under the five-minute rule. During the day an emergency bill was passed for the relief of the sufferers from the earthquake in Jamaica. After completing forty pages of the district budget the House adjourned.

The Senate on Friday deferred further action on the Brownsville matter until Monday, passed a bill authorizing relief for earthquake-smitten Jamaica, agreed to a resolution directing an investigation of the “lumber trust” and passed a bill increasing the artillery corps of the army. Senator Whyte of Maryland delivered a protest against any encroachment on State powers by the federal government, and Senator Kittredge spoke on the “lumber trust.” The session adjourned until Monday. The House, by a vote of. 133 to 92, voted that the salaries of Senators, Representatives and delegates be increased to $7,500 a year after March 4, 1907, and fixed the salaries of the Vice President, Speaker and members of the cabinet at $12,000. The urgent deficiency bill, carrying an appropriation of $344,650, was considered in committee of the whole and later passed, after which bills on the private calendar were considered.

The Senate was not in session Saturday. The House, after passing a number of bills under unanimous consent, took up bills on the private calendar, and at 3:15 adjourned until 2 o'clock Sunday, when memorial addresses were to be made on the life of the latd Senator Bate of Tennessee.

National Capital Notes.

Representative Sherley of Kentucky asked to be relieved from service on the judiciary committee, to which he was appointed by the Speaker. The House passed a bill creating a new division of the southern judicial district of lowa and providing for terms of court at Ottumwa and for a clerk. Secretary Shaw has selected F. Jerome Slarek of Cleveland as his private secretary, to succeed Agthur F. Statter, recently appointed assistant Secretary of the Treasury. The House committee on judiciary decided. bj’ a vote of 9 to 7. not to consider the Hepburn-Doniver bill making liquor carried in interstate commerce subject to the laws of any State it enters. ( hairman Burton of the rivers and harbors committee received a delegation of Illinois and Missouri business men and refused to grant more than an appropriation of $190,000 for a survey of the prol>osed water way between Chicago and St. Louis. The Mexican government has dispatched Senor Don Jose F. Godoy, the Megi-, can minister to Cuba, to Washington to take charge of the embassy pending the trrival of Senor Enrique Creel, the newly ippointed ambassador, who will not arrive until early spring. Representative Lacey, chairman of the House committee on public lands, introlaced a bill to place the Salton Sea probein in charge of the tJnited States gov■rnment. The bill creates a reclamation (’serration in the Colorado river valley ind appropriates $2,000,000 for dams ami ditches..