The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1900-04-06
WHAT CONGRESS IS DOING.
from Day to Day I'm Condensed Form
RESOLUTIONS aud Bills.

me senate on the 18th agreed TO vote
on the Puerto Rican government and
tariff bill on the afternoon of the Sd of
April. Senator Davis (Minn.), in the de-
bate on the measure, advocated free
trade between the United States and the
island. The Alaskan civil code bill was
discussed for q short time. Senator Gal
linger On. H.) presented n resolution
from the committee on pensions provid-
ing for additional help for the committee.
stating that there were 1,750 senate bills
before the committee and hundreds of
house bills yet to come. The house de-
voted nearly the whole day to the army
appropriation bill, a good deal of talk
taking place, little of which was pertinent
to the bill. The senate bill to approve a
revision of certain sales of Otoe and Mis-
passed and the conference reports on the
urgent deficiency and pension appropria-
ton bills were agreed to.
In the senate on the 18th the propo-
sition to strike from the Puerto Rican
measure the provision levying Is per
cent. of the Dingley duties the is
lands products was defeated by a vote
of 16 to 80. Senator Beveridge Und)
made a speech advocating reciprocity
between the United States and Puerto
Rico. Senator Platt On. " introduced an
amendment to the Indian appropriation
bill. providing for n congress of the rep
resentatives of the various Indian tribes
CT the United States at the Buffalo PAN
American exposition and appropriat;ng
$4,000 for the payment of the expenses
of the congress-. The house passed the
army appropriation bill One of the
amendments adopted opens the soldiers
homes to the officers and men of the vol
unteer and regular armies. incapacitated
by service during or since the Spanish
war.
Senator Pettus (Ala.) delivered the
funniest speech on the 30th heard in the
senate for many years. 1t sparkled with
wit and sarcasm at the expense of SEN
atorS Gallinger On. HI and Beveridge
Qnd). 1t was occaSioned by the debate
on the Puerto Rican bill. Senator Davis
N1inn) introduced bill for the extern
sion of the provisions of the laws re-
lating to the soldiers homes SO as to
include soldiers who participated in the
Spanish war and the wars succeeding and
also to those participating in the Indian
wars. The house devoted most of the
day to war claims, three small bills being
passed. The conference report on the
diplomatic and consular appropriation
bill was adopted.
The feature of the senate's session on
the 3lst was an exhaustive discussion
of the Puerto Rican bill by Senator Fair
banks Und). He supported vigorously
the pending measure. Senator Pettus
(Aia.) offered an amendment that the
legislative assembly of Puerto Rico shall
nave no power OF authority to enact any
law in conflict with the constitution of
the United States. The amendment was
lost. Is to 81. The house finished up
hard weeks work by passing the forth
fcatfons appropriation bill. Not a single
amendment was offered and the bill
passed as it came from the committee.
1t carries s7,093 ass. A resolution was
adopted re-electing the present board of
managers of the national soldiers home.
Advocates and opponents of the Puerto
Rican tariff bill: waged vigorous war in
the senate on the I'd for more than seven
hours. The speeches were good and the
running debate unusually bright and live
ly. brief executive session was aft
erwar6s held. In the house Mr.. Payne,
of the ways and means committee. intro
duced a resolution calling upon the sec
rotary of the treasury for information as
laws would create during this and the
coming fiscal year. 1t was adopted. Dis
trict of Columbia business was then con-
sidered. Mr.. Curtis (Kan.) moved the
passage under suspension of the rules of
the senate bill to ratify the agreement
with the Bannock and Shoshone Indians
of the Fort Hall reservation in Idaho.
The house committee amended the bill
to ratffy the Kiowa, Comanche and Apa-
che agreement for opening to settlement
ESQ. 900 acres in Oklahoma. The land in
the Fort Hall reservation aggregates 49,
600 acres. Mr.. Wilson EIda.). and others
advocated the passage of the bill and
1T was passed without division.