Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1899-01-12
OF CONGRESS

washington, Jan. 6.-Ine nrSt session
Of me senate after the holiday recess
occupied only fourteen minutes, al
though in that brief time two open ses-
sions and Ii executive session were
held. The galleries We're filled with
spectators before the senate convened,
the general expectation being that the
peace treaty would be presented, The
senatorial members OF the peace COM
mission appeared on the floor and were
given n hearty greeting. In the alb
sence of the vice president Mr.. Frye OF
Maine, president pro TEN, called the
senate to order. The chaplain in his
invocation said:
I'VE come together under a sense of
bereavement by the absence OF the
senior senator from Vermont. whose
counsel and presence shall no more en-
rich the proceedings in this chamber.
We bless thee. -, Lord, for his noble
life, for his example to all men, and we
pray that his spirit may ever abide
within these walls"
Scarcely had the clerk began to read
the journal Of the last session Of the
senate when Mr.. Davis moved that the
further reading be dispensed with.
The motion prevailed. Mr.. Frye i'm
mediately recognized Maj. Pruden, as
sistant secretary to the president, who
presented a message from the presi-
dent. The message contained the
treaty of Paris. On motion of Mr..
Davis the senate went into executive
session in order that the treaty might
be referred to the committee on for
eign relations. In a few minutes the
senate reconvened In open session. Mr..
Allison announced the death Of Sena-
tor Merrill. The usual resolutions
were adopted, and as a mark of re-
spect the senate adjourned at 1915.
The House.
The house spent the day considering
the bill to define and punish crimes in
Alaska and provide a code OF criminal
procedure for the territory. Slxty-sev-
en- pages We're completed and the bill
was made a continuing order until dis
posed of. not, however, to interfere
with appropriation bills on special or
ders. The house adjourned out OF re-
spect to the memory of the late Senator
morrill,.
Washington, Jan. 6.-The judiciary
committee had the right of way in the
house for three hours, ard quite a
number of bills of minor Importance
reported from the committee were
passed. The remainder Of the day was
occupied in continuing the considera-
ton of the bill to codify the laws Of
Alaska. Some t~wenty-one pages were
disposed OF, making eighty-three in all
of the 231 pages. A section In the bill,
copied from the statutes Of Oregon,
providing punishment by fine and i'm.
Of persons who prevent or
endeayor to prevent employees from
working, aroused a protracted debate
on the ground that it was an attack on
organized labor. 1t was finally strick-
by the judiciary committee, were
passed; To provide additional circuit
Judges for the Third and Sixth judicial
districts; 20 regulate the terms of court
In the eastern district of Tennessee
and the district OF Butte, Mont; to re-
tire Cassius s. Foster, United States
district judge of Kansas; to amend the
statutes so as to allow the
States five peremptory chal-
in criminal cases; to permit ship
owners to file indemnity bonds; to al
legally appointed guardians of in
persons TO prosecute patent claims
and TO release the International Cotton
Press Company Of New Orleans from
liability for $3,4S9 of internal revenue
In the Senate.
Little business except that of a rou
tine character was transacted by the
A resolution, offered by Mr..
Hoar of Massachusetts, directing II
on foreign relations to re-
port to the senate whether the treaty
Of Paris makes any provision for h
of citizens of the United States
against Spain, which were In existence
the present war, and the status
Of such claims after the ratification OF
the treaty was adopted. Mr.. Caffery
Louisiana continued and concluded
his speech begun before the holiday re-
cess in opposition to the pending Mic.
avaguan canal bill.
Washington, Jan. Z. - Immediately
after the senate convened the resolu-
ton offered by Mr.. Hoar Of Massa.
chusetts, calling for information as to
the instructions of the commissioners
who negotiated the treaty of Paris, to-
gether with all correspondence and re-
ports relating to their work, was laid
before the senate. Chairman Davis.
one of the commissioners, desired that
it be referred to the foreign relations
committee, but Mr.. Hoar insisted that
the senate had as much right to such
information as the members OF the
foreign relations committee, and that
the president should determine wheth-
er the senate should have it. The res
olution was adopted In secret session.
In support Of the resolution offered
some time ago by Mr.. Vest of Missouri
IN opposition TO expansion, Mr.. Gallery
OF Louisiana delivered an extended
speech. At the conclusion of Mr..
Caffery's argument Mr.. Morgan of Al
ALBANIA announced on behalf OF the
Nicaragua canal committee the accept
ance, in a modified form, Of the amend
ments offered by Mr.. Berry before the
holidays to the pending canal bin.
The amendments were not passed.
In the House.
The anti-civil service reformers Sc
cured n victory in the house. The
legislative, executive and judicial APP
preparation bill was taken up for con-
s%ideration. and when the appropriation
for the civil service commission was
..aa1,I1 Mr. INt~os,a Dan Nv r,Nn1n