Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1901-02-08
Congressional.

January 20: Senate-SenatOr Frye
gave notice that he intended to keep
the shipping bill to the front, even as
against appropriation bills. not yield
ing to them without vote of the,
senate. 1t indicated disposition on
the part of senate leaders to force to
an early issue the question whether
the shipping bill is going to pass at
this session. Senator Turner, Of
Washington. spoke in severe arraign-
ment of the bill, declaring it to be
lawess. piratical raid upon the pub
lie treasury, lin the interest of few,
private beneficiaries, and committing
the government to expenditures aggre-
eating S270 100000" Before the ses-l
sion closed, the committee amend.
ments were informally agreed to.
The Indian appropriation bill was
passed early in the day. Amendments
were made continuing the Indian
agencies at the Sac and Fox reserva-
ton, Iowa; the Neah Bay agency; the
Silitz agency. Oregon; the Sisseton
agency, Washington, which had been,
struck out by the committee. The
amendments met spirited opposition,
Mr.. Plat, of Connecticut, urging that
it was time to do away with agencies
in localities where the Indians had
become civilized to the extent of
adopting the habits and dress of civ
| iliZation. The amendment to the In
dan appropriation bill relating to a
Joint commission of senators and rep
resentatives to visit Indian reserva-
lions was considered and disagreed to
and the new amendment agreed to
committing the inquiry to the In
dian department.
House-The house spent the day
upon the agricultural appropriation
bill 1t was used as vehicle for the
| introduction OF several general
speeches. Mr. Thayer, of Massachu
sets, discussed the ship subsidy bill;
Mr. White, of North Carolina, the col
ored member who goes out of con-
gress March 4, delivered his valedic-
tory upon the general subject of the
aspira..o of his race. and Mr..
Gaines, of Tennessee. discussed the
limitations of the constitution in con-
nection with. our insular possessions.
Mr.. Corliss, of Michigan, made vic
ious onslaught upon the bureau Of
animal industry of the agricultural
department, but his nl,ack raised a.
host of defenders and his amendment
to reduce the appropriation for the
bureau was overwhelmingly defeated.
All that portion of the bill relating to
the reorganization OF the scientific bu-
reaus Of the agricultural department
went out on a point of order raised
by Mr.. Mahon, of Pennsylvania.
February L. Senate-The shipping
bill was kept steadily at the front in
the Senate, and, in order to further
expedite its progress, motion was
agreed to for a session beginning at
II a. m. tomorrow. Senators Rawlins
of Utah and Berry of Arkansas occu-
pied most of the time in speeches of
vigorous opposition. Toward the close
Of the day a spirited discussion was
precipiuated by an amendment offered
by Mr. Clay of Georgia proposing to
link the Nicaragua canal bill with the
shipping bill The proposition was
strongly opposed by Mr.. Frye and Mr..
Chandler as calculated. to embarrass
and delay the shipping bill. Mr.. Frye
appealed to the senators to permit
the majority, after fair debate, to as
sumo its responsibilities, as major
ty, of passing the shipping bill.
Messrs. Jones of Arkansas, and Teller
Of Colorado took hand in the discus
sion, insisting that there should be no
limitation of debate. Mr.. Morgan OF
Alabama, in charge of the Nicaragua
canal bill, expressed disapproval of
the plan for linking the canal measure
with the shipping bill, saying each
should stand on it's own merits.
House-The House passed an omni-
bus bill carrying 1870 claims for stor-
age and supplies taken by the Union
army during the rebellion. The
h,,th o NJ of
claims and aggregated $344,4S0. Prac-
tically all the beneficiaries reside in
the South. Considerable opposition to
the bill was displayed early in the Gay,
under the leadership of Mr.. Cannon,
the chairman of the appropriations
committee. but it fattened out later
and the bill finally was passed without
division. The bill to amend the Chi
nese exclusion act with view to pre-
venting the fraudulent entry of Chi
nese into the United States was
passed, as were other bills of minor
Importance. f.''.
February 2: The Senate met at II
o'clock, and with the exception of ar
hour and half at the beginning OF
the session devoted the entire day TO
The discussion of the ship subsidy bill.
Ht I1OuoC thN Noy b'.ei' -
o'clock in the consideration of the
postofice appropriation bill. At 3
o'clock public business was suspend
ed to permit the members to pay trib-
ute to the late Senator Davis of Min
nesota.
February 4. Senators in charge of
the subsidy bill gave notice that be-
ginning Wednesday, they would seek
to have the Senate sit regularly at
night to consider the measure. The
subsidy bill was laid aside informally
by the Senate to permit consideration
Of the appropriation bills.
The House passed the Senate bill
to create commission to adiudicata
the claims of United States citizens
against Spain.