Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 39, Number 43, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 February 1907 — WORK OF CONGRESS [ARTICLE]

WORK OF CONGRESS

The Senate Tuesday passed the compromise Foraker resolution authorizing the Committee on Military Affairs to investigate the facts of the affray at Brownsville without questioning the legality or justice of any act of the Fresh dent in relation thereto. Several substitute measures were voted down. One by Senator Mallory, declaring that the President had authority for his course, was tabled by a vote of 43 to 22. Another, by Senator McCumber, simply providing for an investigation with reference to the President, was tabled by a viva voce vote. A third, by Senator Culberson, simply indorsing the President’s action and providing for no investigation, was tabled by a roll call vote of 46*to 19. Senator Sutherland occupied the first three hours with a speech defending the right of Reed Smoot to a seat in the Senate. The Brownsville debate then followed. The House passed the diplomatic and'eonsuiar appropriation bill, which carries over $3,000,000, and the military academy appropriation bill, carrying $1,915,483. During the consideration of the diplomatic bill, speeches were made by Representative Sherley of Kentucky on the “treaty-mak-ing power;’’ Representative Slayden of Texas, who urged a move liberal recognition of the South in diplomatic appointments. The Senate Wednesday accepted the House proposition to increase the salaries of Senators, members and territorial delegates to $7,500 annually, and those of the Vice President, Speaker of the House mid cabinet members to $12,000, by a vote of 53 to 21. Amendments confining the increase to cabinet officers and the presiding officers of the Senate and House and to postpone the increase until 1913 were defeated. President Roosevelt gave his views in advocacy of ship subsidy in a special message. Senator Beveridge began an extended address in support of his peuding bill prohibiting interstate commerce in articles the product of child labor. An Urgent deficiency appropriation bill was reported by Senator Hale. The pension appropriation bill afforded at: C'ppoifunity for speeches by Mr, Hayes of California favoring the exclusion of Japanese coolies: by Mr. Grosvenor of Ohio on the tariff and by Mr. Crumpacker of Indiana and Mr. Taylor of Ohio on pension legislation. Without reaching the pension appropriation bill under the five-minute rule, the House adjourned. The Senate, upon assembling Thursday, was notified of the sudden death of Senator Russell A. Alger of Michigan, and after passing appropriate resolutions as a mark of respect, immediately adjourned, The House passed the pension appropriation bill, carrying a total of $138,000,000. An amendment offered by Mr. Dalzell restoring the number of pension agencies to eighteen was defeated by a vote of 58 to 114, and one by Gardiner of Michigan to abolish all agencies and centralize the payment of pensions in Washington was adopted without a division. A message from the President was read relative to insurance, and at 2:30, out of respect to the memory of the late Senator Alger of Michigan, the House adjourned.

Resolutions to check naval officers from “lighting a fire under Senators and members to compel the enactment of the naval personnel bill at this session" wore presented in the Senate Friday by Senator Hale. The urgent deficiency appropriation bill, with an amendment granting a loan of $1,000,000 to the Jamestown exposition, was passed. Pension bills were then discussed. The House passed a number of bills of a local nature, iuclmling 3SO private pension hills. The agricultural appropriation bill was then taken up, and Representative Kalin of California addressed the House on fire insurance companies and their relation to the San Francisco earthquake. Tho question of the free seed distribution occupied the remainder of the day. The Senate was in session only for a little more than an hour Saturday, the early adjournment being taken to permit attendance on the funeral of the late Senator Alger. A few bills of minor importance were passed, and Senator Hale’s resolution for an inquiry into the personal interest manifested by naval officers in ths navy personnel bill was referred to the Committee on Naval Affairs. The House spent the greater part of the clay debating the agricultural appropriation bill. Action on the question of the free distribution of seeds, by a vote of 71 to 69, was postponed until Monday. The Senate bill incorporating the international Sunday School Association of America was passed. The river and harbor bill was reported. National Capital Notea. The President nominated Richard A. Ballinger of Seattle, Wash., to be commissioner of the general land office, to aucceed W. A. Richards, who is to retire March 4. The bill appropriating $1,000,000 as a loan to the Jamestown exposition was sfdded as a rider to the urgent deficiency bill by the Senate appropriations committee. Petitions from the National Business League of Chicago protesting against the Lodge bill carrying amendments to the consular reform act, and asking a revision or repeal of certain parts of the land laws, were presented to the Senate by Senator Cullom. It is scmi-officially announced that Brig. Gen. William S. McCaakey, commanding the department of Texas, will be promoted to the grade of major general on the statutory retirement on April 14 of Major Gen. James F. Wade, commanding the Atlantic division at New York. A petition for a writ of certiorari was receivc-1 by the clerk of the Supreme Court in the case of Kdward L. Flickinger, under sentence in Ohio to seven years’ Imprisonment on the charge of conspiring to Wreck the Ge l *"" National bank