Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1902-04-11
PROCEEDINGS OF CONGRESS
SOME OF ITS IMPORTANT NEW MEASURES


SOME OF ITS IMPORTANT NEW MEASURES
Both Houses Consider Chinese Exclusion
the House Passing its Bill-some Provis
ions of the Bill as Amended Indian Ap
preparation Bill Passed-Cuban Reciprocity
Taken Up.
Both branches of Congress began the
consideration of the Chinese exclusion
bill Friday. Mr.. Mitchell of Oregon
made the opening speech in the Sen
ate, claiming there was necessity fol
the exclusion of Chinese laborers, and
that the bill, though drastic, was more
liberal in some respects than the Geary
act. The Indian appropriation bill
was also under consideration for a
time. During the consideration OF
the Chinese exclusion bill, Minister
WI was in the diplomatic gallery and
took lively interest in the proceed
ings. The House went into committee
of the >whole in considering the exclu-
sion bill. The speaker called upon
Mr.. Moody of Massachusetts,, who is
to succeed Secretary Long May l, to
preside over the committee. AS the
future secretary of the navy assumed
the gavel the members on both sides
of the House gave him an ovation.
The Senate Saturday passed the In
dian appropriation bill and resumed
consideration of the Chinese exclusion
bill. The charge which has been made
that the pending bill is in violation of
treaty stipulations was brought up, and
much argument followed on both sides
of the matter. The House continued
its discussion for and against its Chi
nese exclusion bill.
The House passed the Chinese eX-
clusion bill Monday, after having in
corporated in it several amendments
which increased the drastic character
of the measure. The principal one not
only excludes Chinese by birth and
descent, but all mixed blood. The
chief struggle was over an amendment
to prohibit the employment of Chinese
sailors on American ships. An amend
ment covering this proposition was
adopted-l00 to IA. The bill practi-
cally re-enacts the exclusion laws and
incorporates with them the existing
treasury regulations. 1t extends them
to the Philippines and other posses
sions of the United States and forbids
Chinese laborers in our colonial pos
sessions from getting into this coun-
try. The Philippine commission is or
dered to adopt appropriate measures
for the enforcement of provisions of
the bill in the Philippines. The con-
ference report on the war revenue bill
was adopted and the bill was sent to
the White house. The Senate bill to
extend the charters of national banks
for 20 years under suspension of the
rules was passed.
The Senate adopted the conference
report on the bill to reduce war reve-
nue. taxes. The Chinese exclusion bill
and the conference report on the bill
to reduce war revenue taxes were con-
sidered at some length.
The debate upon the Cuban reciproc-
ity bill opened in the House Tuesday,
Mr.. Payne beginning the argument,
that the 20 per cent. reduc-
ton would save Cuban planters from
until the abolition of the
bounty system in Europe, which the
Brussels conference agreed upon shall
take effect April l, 1903. 1t is hoped
that this will result in the return of
sugar to its normal price, he said. He
believed, he said, that this concession
would injure no American industry. |
Speakers against the bill held that I
there should be no concession to Cuba /
unless accompanied by an invitation !
to Cuba to become part of the United /
States also that the rate of reduction I
should be increased. The Senate |
spent the day in considering the Chi
nese exclusion bill.
The Chinese exclusion bill passed by
.he House was reported fayorably to
he Senate Wednesday. Consideration
IF the Senate bill was resumed Among
he opponents to the bill was Mr.. Dill
ingham of Vermont, who said he was
heartily in favor of a law which would
exclude Chinese laborers in accord
ince with the treaty of 1894. The
present Geary law had served one ex-
,ellent purpose. was without seriously
Objectionable features and with two or
hree minor amendments would salts
y any reasonable advocate of Chinese
EXCLUSION. The dangers of the admis-
ion of Chinese had been exaggerated.
80 good reason had been advanced for
change which, he asserted. would be
Enormously expensive, as an entirely
lew set of machinery for the enforce
nent of the law would have to be put
n motion. The House resumed con
liberation of the Cuban reciprocity /
ill.