The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1900-05-23
IN CONGRESS-.

WASHINGTON, May 15.-In the Sem
ate Mr.. Ross of Vermont called up his
bill Regulating appointment to and re-
movals from civil offices in outlying
dependencies of the United States"
and addressing the Senate in an extend
ed argument, maintained that the APP
pointments should be non-partisan and
no office holder should be removed
without having an opportunity to meet
charges properly made and duly estab-
lished.
Mr.. Hale of Maine said he did not
share in the expectations of Mr.. Ross
as to the carrying out of the perfect
programme marked out by him for our
insular possessions, said he, "from
the days of the Romans to the present
time is history of robbery, specula-
ton, extravaganza, wrong doing in
high quarters and corruption broad and
large. do not think that the examples
of today are going to show that the
American people are to be exempt from
the monstrous evils which always have
attended colonial policy"
Mr.. Ross having called for vote on
his bill, Mr.. Scott of West Virginia
moved to postpone the bill indefinite
ly. The motion was lost, 10 to 35.
Final action on the bill was not taken.
The House has sent to the Senate the
last of the general appropriation bills
the military academy billiard will be
ready to adjourn as soon as the Senate
disposes of those it has not passed and
the two Houses adjust the differences
in conference. Tomorrow the House
will take up the bill to establish civil
government for Alaska.
The trust question led to an Animal
ed discussion in the House committee
on judiciary today, a constitutional
amendment being finally adopted by a
party vote, giving Congress power to
define, regulate, control, prohibit or
dissolve trusts, monopolies or combina-
tions whether in the form of corpora
ton or otherwise. This amendment
and bill restricting trusts were framed
some time ago by special sub-com-
mittee on trusts. After many delays
the work of the subcommittee was
brought before the full committee to-
day with view to get the trust ques-
ton before the House. After several
attempts to amend the resolution which
were defeated on party lines, the com.
mittee adopted it, also by party vote,
the Democrats voting In the negative.
WASHINGTON, May 16.-The recent
ly discovered postal frauds in Cuba
were discussed today in the Senate for
several hours. Mr.. Bacon of Georgia
spoke at length on his resolution direct.
ing the committee on relations with
Cuba to make an investigation of the
conduct of the financial affairs of the
island. He maintained that it was the
duty Of Congress to make the investi-
cation called for by the resolution be-
cause it was due to the people of this
country to know just how affairs in the
island were being conducted, and since
the disclosures OF the past few days had
been made with respect to the alleged
misappropriation of funds in the postal
section, the obligation upon Congress
to make an investigation was doubly
heavy. He urged that the honor OF
the country depended upon its being
ruption which it was charged had been
discovered.
Senator Hale of Maine said, among
other things, in referring to the unlim.
ted power given Major Rathbone in
OuDH. Inc SeualOr anu I'll vi us
ought to have known that the giving OF
this unbridled power to one man would
be abused by the men under him and
in the end he would suffer-" The res.
olution was finally made subject to the
call Of any Senator, Mr.. Platt of Con-
necticut expressing desire to address
himself to some of the statements
which Mr.. Bacon had made.
The House accomplished little ex-
cept to pass the Senate bill to increase
the Red Cross appropriation. No
progress was made with the Alaskan
code bill owing to the inability of the
two sides to agree as TO the time to be
allowed for general debate. The con-
ference report on the District of Col
umbia appropriation bill was rejected
after extended debate.
WASHINGTON, May II. - During
practically the entire session Of the
Senate today the postoffice appropria
ton bill was under consideration. The
measure was read and all of the com.
mittee amendments were agreed to
except that relating to the extension OF
the pneumatic tube service. This
created some debate and was being dis