Evening star., 1900-05-31
SENATE AND HOUSE
Caustic Criticism Of Expositions and
Commissions.
ON NAVAL BILL
Lower Body Takes Up Proposed
Anti Trust Laws
PARTY LIN ES ORA IN

Clay, from the committee on commerce. re-
ported the bill creating Calais, Me-, sub
port of entry, and the bill was passed.
Mr.. Gallinger, from the committee on
commerce, reported an amendment to the
sundry civil bill. authorizing commission
to investigate trade conditions in the orient.
The amendment is the same offered by Mr..
Gallinger in the Senate on Tuesday.
Mr.. Beveridge introduced a resolution
providing for the appointment of a woman
commissioner from the Daughters of the
American Revolution to be present at the
unveiling of the statue of Lafayette In
Paris. In response to an objection that
one such appointment had been made, Mr..
Beveridge said that while this was true
there were two organizations of the
daughters and that this resolution was
meant to give representation to the one
not now represented.
Mr.. Daniel sought to secure considera-
tion for the bill providing for the payment
of the Hawaiian debt, but Mr.. Allison OBJ
jected, saying he did SO in the interest OF
early adjournment, and that there would
be time to take up the Hawaiian bill after
the passage of the appropriation bills, of
which only the sundry civil, general de-
ficiency and Military Academy bills re-
LltiIleu " De uispoSVu VI.
St. Louis Exposition Fund.
The sundry civil appropriation bill was
then taken up, and Mr.. Gallinger addressed
the Senate in explanation of his motion to
reconsider the vote by which the amend
ment providing an appropriation of S3,oOO,-
coo for the Louisiana purchase exposition
was passed. In doing he attacked the
Senate rule against Incorporating general
legislation on an appropriation bill. COM
pairing it to the fiction of Eli Perkins and
the idealism Of Jules Verne. He then cited
numerous Instances of general legislation
in the pending bill contrary to the rule.
AS to the amendment which he offered to
provide for a commission to investigate the
trade and commerce of China and Japan,
and which had been objected to by Mr.. Alli-
son. he felt he had not been treated fairly.
However, he said he did not desire 10 stand
in the way of the St. Louis fair proposition,
and therefore withdrew his motion to re-
consider the vote by which 1t was adopted.
Mr.. Morgan gave notice that when the
bill was reported from the committee OF the
whole to the Senate he would demand
separate vote upon the proposition to vote
s., ,O0OO 900 to the Louisiana purchase expo
stion.
Criticism of Commissions.
Mr.. Gallinger offered an amendment ap-
p,opriating $4,000 to pay the salaries and
expenses of a commission of five persons to
investigate and report upon the trade OF
China, Japan and other countries.
Mr. Allison, in charge of the bill, said that
as he had been lectured by Mr.. Gallinger,
he felt it his duty to say that in only two
or three instances had new legislation been
added to the pending bill. He said he
would not make point of order against
Mr.. Gallinger's amendment, but would re-
serve the right to make such point later.
Mr.. Platt (ConnD protested against the
creation of further commissions and
against the making of further appropria-
tions for expositions. He declared that GER
tain promoters made a business Of orSaniZ-
ing expositions and using the local feeling
aroused to work upon Congress for an ap-
preparation.
AS soon as one exposition was over an
other was started, and thus Congress was
under constant and powerful importantly
He said that throughout the present ses-
sion of Congress senators mad been pursued
by people who desired places on this pro.
posed commission. II, for one am tired of
it, exclaimed Mr.. Platt 81 think we can
get along without this commission for at
least one year. We ought to proceed with
some idea of economy. Ihat may be an
old-fashioned idea, but I'm an old-fash-
iOned man..
Enough Already.
In support of his amendment, Mr. Gal
linger said that the President of the United
States was the first promoter Of the
commission, having twice recommended in
messages it's creation.
Mr. Pettigrew expressed the opinion that
commissions enough had been created by
this Congress.
Mr. Gallinger pointed out that no COM
missions had been created by the present
Congress.
Mr. Pettigrew said commissions without
number had been appointed by the Pres
ident. Instead Of appointing commissions
he thought the better way to obtain infor
nation was to get 1t through the United
States consuls. He had no confidence in
such commission as was proposed and be-
lieved it meant simply the furnishing of
five good places for as many politicians.
Conferees Named.
Mr.. Hale at this point presented dis
agreement on the naval appropriation bill.
The points in disagreement were the pro-
visions for armor plate and ocean surveys
and the course Of instruction at the Naval
Academy. The Senate. after some further
discussion agreed to further conference
and Messrs Hale, Perkins and Tillman
were named as conferees.
The Senate agreed to a conference on the
Alaskan civil code bill. and Messrs. Shoup,
Carter and Bate were named as conferees.
Consideration of the commission amend
ment being resumed Mr.. Jones (Ark.) made
a vigorous attack upon the administration
Of the Paris exposition commission by Com
missioner Ferdinand w. Peck.
"WhO is This Person Peck3"
Mr. t1ale, III reply, sdiu tIldl tiie greater
part of 1t had been made for the compile
ton of buildings. The committee on ap-
propriations believed the sum was neces-
sary, although he personally was inclined
to the opinion that the Paris exposition was
bad performance.
"Who is this person Peck?" inquired Mr..
Stewart of Nevada
IT do not know" replied Mr.. Jones.
'If he Is a business man." suggested Mr..
Stewart, there might be a suspicion OF his
honesty; If not, his recklessness may be at
tributed to his ignorance"
What 1 complain Of" continued Mr.
JONES' 'is not that the committees Of Con-
gress have not acted with due diligene, but
that no detailed statements of the expendi-
lures of public money have been made.
The air has been full OF rumors that there
have been the most extravagant and un-
reasonable expenditures of the fund pro-
vided for the American exhibit. and we all
| know there never has been any satisfactory
| report as to how this money was used"