Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1902-01-22
Congress.
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ton of q provision placing the present
employees under civil service so they could
be transferred to other departments The
fighf to recommit was made under the
leadership OF Mr.. Burkett of Nebraska.
the new member of the appropriations
committee What might be termed the
first gun in the campaign for the re-es-
Enlistment of the pneumatic tube SER
vice was fired when Representative Rob
erts OF Massachusetts introduced a bill
providing for the introduction Of this
service in Chicago. ST. Louis, New York.
Boston, Philadelphia and Brooklyn. The
bin proposes an appropriation Of $3.50
0CC, 20 be divided among the six cities
as follows: New York and Brooklyn.
S126.000: Chicago. $4,000; Boston. $780,
600: st. Louis. $4,000, Philadelphia.
$4,000. A bill was passed unanimous
ly to give Mrs. Mckinley the free mailing
privileges during the remainder of her
life.
The House of Representatives spent
Monday in general discussion of the pen
sion appropriation bill. Mr. Grosvenor
of Ohio and Mr.. Hepburn of Iowa de-
nounced a report presented to the last
G.. A. r. encampment criticsing the
of Congress on the veteran preference"
bill which was defeated at the last SEES
sion Mr. Barney of Wisconsin, in charge
of the pension bill. explained that it car
ried S139,S46 4S0 as against $145 .245.-
go appropriated for the current year.
Payment Of pensions had decreased from
S144,000O00 to $13S.500.0nJ Mr. Bar
ney was asked by Nj Richardson of
Tennessee why this was so when the
number of pensioners was said to be larg-
err. AIR. Barney explained that the ar
rearages were decreasing and the num-
bel of large pensions, those from $50 to
$50 month, was also decreasing. Mr..
Gaines of Tennessee talked about his
observations 10 the Philippines. Mr..
Lever of South Carolina then formally
announced the death of the late Repre-
sentative Stokes of his State. and as a
mark of respect the House adjourned.
In the Senate Mr.. Nelson oe Minnesota
called up the bill providing for the estab-
lishment of department of commerce He
explained the necessity which he said
existed for the passage of such a measure
and was piled with questions by several
Senators who thought sufficient time had
not been allowed for looking into the
merits of the measure.
On Tuesday tie Philippines were the
subject of an address by Mr.. Hoar of
Massachusetts, who spoke on his resolu-
ton introduced providing for the appoint
ment of a Senate committee to investi-
gate the administration of those islands.
He spoke at some length regarding the
unreliability of statements ON the situa-
ton in the Philippines and the causes
which led to the outbreak. Mr.. Lodge.
Mr.. Hears coIea que. said he regarded
the resolution as a reflection on the Phil
ippine committee, of which he was chair
man, and The necessity 70, the latter
would cease were this resolution 10 he
adopted. The discussion was leading
rapidly to an opening up of the whole
Philippine question, when it was agreed
that the resolution should go ever until
Wednesday. A concurrent resolution was
passed appointing joint committee of
Congress to consider the question of a
site for hall of records to be erected
in Washington. The House continued
the debate on the pension appropriation
bill aud devoted much time to the prop
osition advanced by Mr. Rixey of Vir-
GINA to open the doors of the soldiers
homes to eX-Confederate veterans. Two
notable speeches were made in support
of the proposition. one by Mr.. Gardner a
Michigan Republican. and the other by
Mr.. De Almond. a Missouri Democrat.
A spirited discussion was precipitated
in the Senate Wednesday by remarks sub
mitted by Mr. Hale of Maine in respect
to bills relating to the formation of
,,.h; ol, - i.,t
Hale took strong ground against the or
ganzation of a naval reserve, his com
ments being construed by several Sena-
tors into a reflection upon volunteer sol
diers and land militia. Half a dozen
Senator's were on their feet in an instant
to defend the volunteers aud the National
Guard of the various States, and the de-
bate took so wide a range that Senators
went back in their reference to the days
of the Revolutionary War to seek illus
trations for their arguments. The House
passed the pension appropriation bill.
which has been under discussion for three
days, and then adjourned until Saturday.
The resolution prepared by the special
committee on the Mckinley memorial
exercises providing for an address by
Secretary OF State John Hay in the Hall
of Representatives on FEB. 21 was adopt
ed. \ joint resolution to appropriate
$4,000 to pay the expenses incurred by
the West Indian and South Carolina In
terstate Exposition Mt Charleston. S c.,
in connection with the government ex-
hibit at Charleston, was passed.
The Senate on Thursday for a brief
time had under consideration the bill ere
atng a department of commerce and the
discussion tended TO show that the meas
ure will have to be amended in many par
ticulars before it can receive the APP
prevail of the Senate. Serious objections
were raised TO the transfer to the propos-
ed department of several important bu-
reaus now n part of othe~ departments
of the government. 1t was pointed out
that If the bill as reported became law
Ii would create the grea st department
Of the government and H. the secretary
of commerce would have more power
even than the Secretary of the Treasury.
Notice Of several important amendments
was given. The House concurrent resp
luton providing for Mckinley memorial
exercises by Congress in the hall Of the
House of Representatives on Thursday,
Feb. 81. was adopted.
WaShtuotou Notes