The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1902-01-22

the Senate being consumed by matters
| of routine.
The House passed the pension APP
preparation bill which had been under
! discussion for three days and then adj
journed until Saturday. The resolu-
| tion prepared by the special commit
tee on Mckinley memorial exercises
for an address by Secretary Of State
John Hay in the hall of Representa-
tives Feb. 27, was adopted.
The resolution was as follows!
Whereas, The melancholy event of
the violent and tragic death of Will
liam Mckinley, late President of the
United States, having occurred dur
ing the recess of Congress, and the
two Houses sharing in the general
grief and desiring to manifest their
sensibility upon the occasion of the
public bereavement, therefore,
Resolved, By the House of Repre-
sentatives (the Senate concurring)
that the two Houses of Congress will
assemble in the Hall of Representa-
tives on the day and hour fixed and an
nounced by the joint committee, to
wit, Thursday, Feb. 27, 1902, and
that in the presence of the two Houses
there assembled an address upon the
life and character of William McKin-
ley, late President of the United
States, be pronounced from the Hon.
John Hay and that the president pro
tenn and the Speaker of the House be
requested to invite the President and
ex-president of the United States, ex-
vice presidents, the heads Of the sew
eral departments, the judges of the
supreme court, the representatives of
foreign governments, the governors of
the several states, the lieutenant gen
eral of the army and the admiral of
the navy, and such officers of the army
and navy as have received the thanks
of Congress who may then be at the
seat of government, to be present on
the occasion and such others as may
be suggesed by the executive commit
tee. And be it further,
Resolved That the President of
the United States be requested to
transmit copy of these resolutions
to Mrs. William Mckinley and to as
sure her of the profound sympathy of
the houses of Congress for her per-
sonal affection and of their sincere
coincidence in the national bereave-
ment.
Washington, Jan. 16-The Senate
committee on the Philippines has
agreed on the provisions of the Phil
ippine tariff bill The bill makes a
reduction of twenty five per cent on
all products of the islands entering
the United States as compared with
duties upon like articles imported
from foreign countries.
Washington, Jan. IS. "A large num-
Der of Cuban's were before the ways
and means committee of the House
today in behalf of reciprocity with
Cuba a delegation from the beet
growing district III the United States
opposed to reciprocity also arrived
Washington, Jan. 17.-The Senate
on Thursday for brief time had UNI
der consideration the bill creating
department of commerce and the dis
cussion tended to show that the meas
ure will have to be amended materi-
ally before it can receive the approval
of the Senate. Serious objections
were raised to the transfer to the pro-
posed department of several important
bureaus now a part of other depart
ments of the government 1t was
pointed out that if the bill as report
ed became a law it would create the
greatest department of the government
and that the secretary of commerce
would have more power even than the
secretary of the treasury. Notice of
several important amendments was
given.
Mr.. Hale of Maine sharply criticised
the bill He said the measure so sud
denly flashed upon the Senate created
the largest department in the govern
ment. 1t did not begin i'll a modest
way, but ransacked every department
of the government for important bu-
reaus to dump into this new depart
ment The new secretary of COM
merce would become the most import
ant member of the cabinet. He would
be even more important official than
the secretary of the treasury with all
of his great administrative duties.
Many bureaus had been included in
the proposed department that have no
more relation to commerce than light
to darkness EIe referred particularly
to the transfer to the new department
of the coast and geodetic survey, and
urged that if that bureau were chang
ed at all it should be placed under
, the navy department.
The Senate adjourned Thursday af-
ternoon to Monday afternoon. The
, House was not in session.