Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 40, Number 41, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 January 1908 — WORK OF CONGRESS [ARTICLE]

WORK OF CONGRESS

- The recent issue of bonds by the Secretary of the Treasury was the occasion of an animated debate in the Senate Monday. The discussion was precipitated by an inquiry by Senator Culberson and was participated in by Senators Aldrich, Tillman and Bailey. It resulted in an agreement to postpone further controversy until a statement can be received from Secretary Cortelyou. Mr. Tillman's resolutions directing the Finance Committee to inquire into the operations of the Treasury Department was referred, with his consent, to that committee. The unfinished business in the form of a bill to codify the criminal laws of-the United States was placed before the Senate and the reading of the bill was begun. Vigorous defense of State's rights uPflealing with violations of civil rights or with special State elections where troops have been called into service served to enliven the debate in the House in connection with the bill to codify the penal laws of the United States. A number of Democrats, mostly from the Southern States, strenuously sought by amendment to reserve to the States themselves the discretion as to the qualifications of voters, aad of persons to serve on juries, and to limit the power of federal judges on certalh cases; but every attempt failed.

The recent federal bond issue was again the subject for discussion in the Senate Tuesday, being brought forward for a resolution offered by Senator Culberson, calling on the secretary for additional information concerning the reasons that induced him to award bonds to national banks instead of to individuals who offered a higher price. Mr. Aldrich insisted that the resolution should not be adopted until after Secretary Cortelyou’s reply to a resolution formerly adopted by the Senate was received, but promised to aid in securing additional information. Mr. Culberson's resolution went over under the rules. Senator Tillman offered a resolution embodying a new series of inquiries concerning the financial situation. The amount of the fine and the length of the term of imprisonment to be meted out to officers and directors of corporations for violating the law with respect to money contributions for political purposes furnished material for debate in the House in connection with the consideration of the penal code bill. All amendments to increase the penalty were voted down. Earlier in the day-there was a sharp debate over the section prohibiting the enticing of artificers and workmen from government arsenals or armories by private employers, and all attempts to amend the provision so as to make it applicable only in time of war or public emergency were voted down. When adjournment was taken eighty-six sections of the 342 had been disposed of.

The Senate did not receive a reply Wednesday from the Secretary of the Treasury to its resolution calling for information concerning the financial situation, and in its absence Senator Aldrich assented to the passage of Senator Culberson’s resolution on th’e same subject. A joint resolution reducing from $24,000,000 to $11,000,000 the war indemnity of the United States from China was passed. The remainder of the session was devoted to the discussion of the penal code bill. The committar on revision of the laws in the House finally consented to pllow amendments to the bill codifying the penal laws of the United States, and as a result the measure was changed in some important particulars. When the House adjourned there were pending a number of important amendments.

The Senate calendar was cleared of nearly every bill upon it Thursday, and the bill to revise the criminal laws of the United States w r as taken up and discussed until adjournment. A complete change of front was exhibited by the majority in the House of Representatives in the consideration of the bill to codify and revise the penal laws of the United States. The pacific spirit displayed by the committee on revision of laws, toward the close of Wednesday’s session, when it appeared as though the several gmeudnieuts strengthening certain provisions of the bill regarding corruption in the appointment of persons to public offices would be adopted, vanished, and instead every inch of ground was fought over to keep ameudments out of the bill. When adjournment was taken only six additional pages had been disposed of and but one or two verbal amendments by the committee had been inserted.

The Senate was not in session Friday. After passing a large number of pension bills the House at 1:25 p. m. adjourned until Monday. The penal code bill was not taken up. NATIONAL CAPITAL VOTES. A free art bill was introduced in the House by Mr. Burton of Ohio. It was referred **to the committee on ways and means. Representative Mann of Chicago Introduced a bill permitting railroads to give free transnortation to officials aud employes of otUer lines. The Senate committee on buildings and grounds recommended the purchase, at a cost pf $9,000,000, of the ground between Pennsylvania avenue nnd the Mall, es* tending from the capitol to the treasury building, and the erection thereon of buildings for the State Department, the Department of Justice and the Department of Commerce and Labor. Senator Tillman la swamped daily with letter's from all parts of the country praising him for hU efforts In behalf of prohibition. Senator Ouren of Oklahoma introduced a bill providing for the taxing of deposits in national banka to raise a fund to guarantee ail depositors. The joint resolution extending to Jan. 21, 1910, the time allowed militia companies of the various States to conform their organisation to that prescribed for the regular army, was passed by the House and goes to the President for his