The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1898-05-13
CONGRESSIONAL.

May Gone war measure was passed by
the Senate 1t was bill TO increase 10
fifteen the number of surgeons in the
United States army, and to authorize
the secretary of war to employ
as many contract surgeons as ne
may deem necessary. Almost the en-
tire session was consumed by discus
sion of an amendment to the postofice APP
propri alton bill offered by Mr.. Pettigrew OF
South Dakota, providing for reduction OF
20 per cent in the compensation of rail-
roads for the transportation of mails. The
amendment was still pending when the
Senate adjourned until Monday.
May 5.-The Senate passed the postoflce
appropriation bill carrying S99,224, 3Oo'
An amendment was adop.ed reducing the
number of deliveries in all cities to num-
Der not exceeding four each day. A lively
debate was pre- cipitated by an amendment
of the committee striking out the appro-
priation OF $500. 900 for rural free delivery.
BY the close vote of 25 to %, however. the
committee was sustained, and the Dill now
carries no appropr alton for sue delivery.
An importan amendment to the bill was
one which will prevent sta- route con-
tractors from sub letting their contracts
In order to get their money they must be
able to swear that they performed the SER
vice themselves Just before adj tournament
the Senate passed an important war meas
ure authorizing the President and general
officers of the army to supply the Cuban in
surgents with arms and munit ons OF war.
The House disposed of two important
measures. The Alaskan land bill, extend
ing the homestead laws to and providing
for certain railway rights of way in the
district of Alaska as amended by the SEN
ate and agreed upon in conference, was
passed. The labor arbitration measure,
providing for the arbitration OF labor dis
putes between employees and certain COM
XII .,,hf Ch had ntNyad
very wide Endorsement by labor organiza-
tons throughout the country. received the
approval of the House. A number of minor
bills were also passed
May ACUTE unexpectedly brief but
sharp debate was precipitated in the Sen
ate on the income tax proposition. The
resolution proposing an amendment TO
the constitution OF the United States
relating to the succession to the presiden-
cy. was under discussion Mr. Mills OF
| Texas proposed an amendment in the for IN
| of new section intended to authorize
| Congress to lay a tax on incomes in
such form as to meet the requirements OF
the decision of the supreme cour~ He was
sharply criticised for endeavoring to place
such rider on a resolution W hich practic-
ally all senators favored but stood his
ground and insisted upon vote on his
amendment The amendment was defeat
ed, 81 to % all the Republicans voting
against the amend ment and all the DEM
| ocrats, except Mr.. Caffery of louisiana to-
gether with the Populis and Silver Re-
| publicans, voting in favor of it
May 3.-What promised to be an unevent-
full and uninteresting session of the House
| was thrown sudd emily, after three houEs'
| consid err alton of private bills, into session
| of spirited speechmaking among Demo-
cratic members. The storm was precip-
| 1t tied by Mr.. Lewis, Democrat, of Wash
| ington. who referred in the course OF
| speech to the re ent vote of Mr. Cummings
of New York, in support of the war revenue
| bill with its incorpor ated bond feature.
| He made reference to MIR. Cum mings
| assertion that this period was time for
| placing country above party. intimating
| that the New York member had served the
| Republican party and perhaps contributed
| to the satisfaction of unpatriotic monopo-
lists and capitalists. This brought an i'm
| passioned speech in reply from Mr.. Cum
| mings, interspersed with some sarcastic
| comments that intensified the interest and
| called an outpouring of members from the
| cloakroomS Mr.. Clark, Dem of Missouri,
| entered the lists and proceeded to critlcise.
| unreservedly the six Democrats who had
| voted for the revenue bill on its final pas
| sage and questioned their Democracy He
| character lied the votes of Mr.. Cummings
and other Democrats who voted for the
| bond bill as unpar donable. He said that
| they should be read out OF the party. AL
| dressing the Republican side, he said that
| they talked of the war as Republican war.
| This he denied. I'VE took you by the scrtf
of the neck and dragged you into it. he
said Its our war"
| Nav 2-Several war measures we're
passed by the Senate and, notwith standing
| their importance not one of them ELECTED
| the slightest de bate. Probably the most
| important measure passed by the Senate
was the emergency war deficiency bill,
| carrying $35, 100 945. Not more than ten
| minutes were consumed in passing it, that
| time being occupied in read ing the meas
| ure. Mr.. Hawley. chairman of the military
| affairs committee, secured the passage of
| bill providing for the enlistment of vol
| unteer brigade of engineers and of 10000
| men in the South, who are Immune to yell
| low fever. Two other war measures were
| passed, one suspending. for the duration
| Of the war, the restrictions placed by exist
ing laws upon the quartermaster's depart
| ment of the army. in order that supplies
may be purchased without the present for
malities; and the other providing that own
ers of mini ng claims shall not forfeit them
for not performing assessment work upon
them. providing they enlist for the war.
The passage of the emergency war ap-
preparation bill was the feature of action by
the House The naval appropriation BILL
with the Senate amendment providing for
the payment of officers of the navy for the
use of their inventions by the government
stricken out was reported from the con-
ference and passed 1t now goes to the
president
- -" 1881 ~