The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-06-18
JONES WANTS LIGHT.
Invites Spooner to Explain the
Panama Canal Scheme.


Washington, June 18.-When the SEN
ate convened today Mr.. Allison called
up the house resolution providing that
the conference committee on the sundry
civil appropriation bill be authorized to
consider and recommend the inclusion
Of necessary appropriations to carry out
the several objects authorized in the
omnibus public buildings bill and it was
agreed to-
A bill to restore to the active list Of
the navy Surgeon John Walton Ross as
medical director. was passed.
A resolution offered several days ago
by Mr.. Clark, directing the civil service
commission to inquire into the discharge
from the war department of Miss Re
becca ]. Taylor (foF the publication of
articles in newspapers criticising the
preslden0. was called ND and Mr. Car
mack addressed the senate in support OF
the resolution. He maintained that the
requirements of the civil service law
had been hagrantly violated in this case.
inasmuch as he said, Miss Taylor had
had no charges preferred against her
nor had she been afforded opportunity
to make answer to any charges.
He maintained that a letter inquiring
whether Miss Taylor was the author of
a certain newspaper article and her ad-
mission that she had written the ar
ticle did not constitute a charge against
her within the meaning of the civil SER
vice law. He lntlmated that she was
discharged because she took the wrong
side Of the Philippine question from the
administration point of view"
At the conclusion of Mr.. Carmack's
remarks, the Isthmian canal question
was laid before the senate.
Mr. Jones (Ark) believed it to be the
duty OF every senator to vote for the
canal at the best location. Personally,
he said, he would not vote for the pro
position that would impede the progress
of the canal construction. He was not
willing to brush aside the unanimous
report of the Isthmian commission in
favor of the Panama route, unless it be
for substantial reasons. He favored the
Panama route but would not vote for it
| if there We're any doubt of the good
faith Of the offer.
He desired Mr.. Spooner who was
about to address the senate to explain
away the charge that the purpose of
adopting the Panama route was to
have no canal at all.
IN THE HOUSE
Washington, June 18.-Mr. Underwood
| (Ala.) at the request of Mr.. Stephens
| CTex-) entered a motion to reconsider
the vote by which the bill to open 4S0,
| 600 acres in the Kiowa, Comanche and
Apache reservations in Oklahoma was
defeated at the session last night He
said he would not press the motion at
this time.
The house then went into committee
OF the whole and entered upon the con-
sideration of the general deficiency APP
! preparation bill. While Mr. Cannon
who is in charge of the bill, was trying
to arrange for the division of time he
announced that if he could have his
way congress would adjourn sine, die
before July 4. The announcement was
greeted with applause on both sides oi
the house. It was arranged that general
debate should extend for two and one
half hours,
Mr.. Loud 6Cal.) under the latitude al
lowed in general debate, submitted some
remarks upon the question of salaries
| for postal employees. He said he believ.
ed that the government should pay lib
eral salaries-as high as private corpor-
atoms but no higher. Employment il
the government service, he maintained
| had advantage over private employ
ment. A government employe had lib
! eral leaves Of absence. His employment
was continuous whether times were
good or bad. While there was, he said
a steady agitation for the increase Of
the pay of postal clerks. railway mai
clerks and letter carriers. the particu-
| lar agitation was for the increase of the
| pay of the latter class from an average
| of 1913 to 81 200 a year
He declared that all the circumstances
considered, the pay of the letter carriers
was the highest for the service performed
of any branch of the government service
He undertook to show, cornparatively
| speaking, that If the letter carriers should
receive $3.50 the railway mail clerks. whose
| salaries averaged 81, 020, should get 81, 500