Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1898-05-12
CONGRESSIONAL.

May Gone war measure was passed by
the Senate. It was bill to increase to
fifteen the number of surgeons In the
United States army and to authorize
the secretary of war to employ
as many contract surgeons as he
may deem necessary. Almost the en-
| tire session was consumed by a discus
sion of an amendment to the postoffce APP
Precipitation 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 500. 224, 800.
An amendment was adOp;ed reducing the
number of deliveries in all cities to a num-
Der not exceeding four each day. lively
debate was precipitated by AN amendment
of the committee striking out the appro-
priation of $500 ,00J for rural free delivery.
BY the close vote of 25 to %, however. the
committee was sustained, and the bill now
carries no appropriation for sue h delivery.
An important amendment to the bill was
one which will prevent star 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 ournment
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 Sem
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
mon carriers bill which had received
very wide Endorsement by labor organiza-
lions throughout the country, received the
approval of the House A number of minor
bills were also passed
May 4.-Quite unexpectedly brief but
sharp debate was preclpitated 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 form
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 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 20 all the Republicans voting
against the amendment and all the DEM
ocrats except Mr. Caftery of Louisiana, to-
gether with the Populis s and Silver Re-
publicans, voting in favor of it.
May 3.-What promised to be an unevent-
full and uninteresttng session of the House
was thrown suddenly, after three hours'
consideration of private bills, into session
of spirited speechmaking among Demo-
cratic members. The storm was precip-
ltlted by Mr.. Lewis, Democrat of Wash
ington, who referred in the course of a
speech to the gent vote of Mr. Cummings
of New York, in support of the war revenue
bill with its incorporated bond feature.
He made reference to MIR. Cummings
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
FASHIONED speech in reply from Mr.. Cum
mings, interspersed with some sarcastic
comments that intensified the interest ana
called an outpourinE of members from the
cloakrooms Mr.. Clark, Dem } of Missouri,
entered the lists and proceeded to crltlcise,
unreservedly the six Democrats who had
sage, and questioned the.c Democracy. He
character lied the votes of MI Cummings
and other Democrats VINO voted for the
bond bill as unDar donable. H. said that
they should be read out of the party Ad-
dressing the Republican Side he said that
they talked of the war as a Republican war
This he denied. I'VE took you by the scru6
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, notwthi standing
their importance not one OF them ELECTED
the sill gnteSt de bate. Probably the most
important measure passed by the Senate
was the emergency war deficiency bill,
carrying s35, 7209i5. Not more than ten
minutes we're consumed in passing it, that
time being occupied in reaiing the meas
ure. Mr.. Hawley, chairman OF the military
affairs committee, secured the passage of 4
bill providing for the enlistment of a 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 suspeading for the duration
OF the war, the restrictions placed by exist
ing laws upon the quartermasters depart
ment of the army in order thai supplies
may be purchased without the present for
malities; and the other providing that own
ers of min ng claims shall not forfeit them
for not performing assessment work upon
them. providing they enlis: for the war.
The passage of the eme rgen:y war APP
preparation bill was the feature of action by
the House The naval appropriation bill,
with the Senate amendm mt 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 It now gosS to the
president
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