Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1898-05-12
WORK OF CONGRESS


Washington. May 4-Wbat promised
to be an uneventful and undressing
session of the house was thrown sud,
denly. after three hours consideration
of private bills. into Il session of spir-
tied speechmaking among Democratic
members that savored AT times much
of acrimory. The storm was precipi-
tated by Mr.. Lewis Dem, WaSh.), who
referred in the course of a speech 10
the recent yote of Mr.. Cummings OF
New York In support of the war reye-
nue. bill with its Incorporated BOND
feature. He made reference 10 Mr..
Cummings assertion thar this period
was a time for placing country above
party, intimating that the New York
members had served the Republican
party and perhaps contributed to the
satisfaction of unpatriotic m~onopolists
and capitalists. This brought an I'M
passioned and patriotic speech in re-
ply from Mr.. Cummings, i~nterspersed
with some sarcastic comments that in
tensified the interest and called an out
pouring of members from the cloak
rooms. Mr.. Clark Dem. Mo- entered
the lists and proceeded TO criticise nm
r~eservedly the six Democrats who had
voted for the revenue bill on its final
passage and questioned their Democ-
racy. Messfs. Fitzgerald Mass and
McAleer PENN, two other Democrats
who voted for the bill. were heard in
defense of their votes and in refuta-
ton of the imputations of the Missouri
member. Just before the recess until
the night session was taken the leader
of the Democrats. Mr.. Bailey of Texas,
spoke briefly in depreciation of the
speeches of the Democrats as being
subject TO misCorstruction indicative
of more serious differences in the party
than really existed. He reviewed the
record 4 show that no appreciable
ground for such construction existed.
Washington. May 5.-Quite unexpect-
edly al brief but sharp debate was par
ticipated in by the senate on the in
come tax proposition. The resolution
proposing an amendment to the con-
stitution Of the United States relating
10 the succession 10 the presidency
was under discussion. Mr.. Mills of
Texas proposed an amendment in the
form of a new section intended to au-
thoriZe congress 10 lay a tax levy on
incomes in such forms as TO meet the
requirements of the decision Of the
supreme court. He was sharply criti-
cised for ~endeavoring 10 place such a
rider on a resolution which practical
ly all senators favored. but stood his
ground and insisted upon a vote on his
amendment. The amendment was de.
feated-32 to 29-all of the republicans
voting against the amendment and all
the democrats except Mr.. Caffery of
Louisiana, together with the popuiists
and silver republicans. voting in favor
of it. The joint resolution which was
adopted reads as follows:
In all cases not provided for by arti-
Gle 2, clause 30 of the constitution,
where there is no person entitled 10
discharge the duties Of the office of
president the same shall devolve upon
the vice president. The congress may
Dy law provide for the ease where
there is no person entitled to hold the
office of president or vice president, de-
claring what officers shall act as pres
ident and such officer shall act accord
ingly until the disability shall be re-
or a president shall be elected
The conference report on the fortiti-
cations appropriation bill was present
ed and agreed to.
In the House.