Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1902-01-18

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canal bill. But on a test of strength be-
tween the rival routes Panama mustered
12O votes against 10 for Nicaragua.
Only two members of the House voted
against the Hepburn bill on the questisn
Of final passage-Mr. Fletcher of Mime
sofa and Mr.. Lassiter of Virginia. Mr..
Bishop of Michigan answered present"
and several members from the Northwest
refralned from voting, among them Page
Morris of Duluth, who actively advocat-
ed the Panama route. Mr.. Fletcher has
several times announced his opposition to
government construction of an isthmian
canal, believing the work should be done
by private enterprise. The vote in favor
of the bill was 3O8
After an all-day debate in the House
on the Hopkins bill to create a perma-
nent census bureau the matter was re-
committed on Friday to permit the addi-
ton of a provision placing the present
employees under civil service so they could
be transferred to other departments The
fight 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 bill
providing for the introduction of this
service in Chicago, ST. Louis, New York,
Boston, Philadelphia and Brooklyn. The
bill proposes an appropriation of $780,
600, to be divided among the six cities
as follows: New York and Brooklyn,
S126,0O0; Chicago, $S4 900; 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
lie. The House then adjourned until
Monday.
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 report presented to the last
u. a. X. encampment criticising the
course of themselves and other members
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 $139, S464SO, as against $145 ,245,-
23C appropriated for the current year.
Payment of pensions had decreased from
$144, 100000 to $13S,50O,000. Mr.. Bar
ney was asked by Mr. Richardson Of
Tennessee why this was so when the
number of pensioners was said to be larg-
er. Mr.. Barney explained that the ar
rearages were decreasing and the num-
Der Of large pensions, those from $50 to
$50 a month, was also decreasing. MIR.
Gaines of Tennessee talked about his
observations in 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 of 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. The bill finally
went over, subject to call by Mr.. Nelson.
On Tuesday the Philippines were the
subject of an address by Mr.. Hoar of
Massachusetts,, who spoke on his xesOlu-
ton introduced providing for the appoint
ment of a Senate committee to inyesti-
gate tie administration Of those islands.
He spoke at some length regarding the
unreiabiity of statements on the Situa-
ton in the Philippines and the causes
which led to the outbreak Mr.. Lodge,
Mr.. Hears colleague, said he regarded
the resolution as a reflection on the Phil
ippine committee, of which he was chair
,1ln. and the necessity for the latter
would cease were this resolution to be
adopted The discussion was leading
rapidly to an opening up of the whole
Philippine question, when it was agreed
that the resolution Should go over until
Wednesday, 4 concurrent resolution was
passed appointing a joint committee of
Congress to consider the question of
site for a hall of records to be erected
in Washington. The House continued
the debate on the pension appropriation
bill and devoted lSlch time to the prop
osition advanced by Mr.. RiXey Of Nir-
ginia 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,
Michigan Republican. and the other by
Mr.. De Almond, Missouri Democrat.
A spirited discussion was precipitated
in the Senate Wednesday by remarks sub
mitted by Mr.. Hale OF Maine III respect
to bills relating to the formation OF
naval reserve which he introduced Mr..
Hale took strong ground against the or
ganization of naval reserve, his COM
ments being construed by several Sena-
tors into a reflection upon volunteer sol
diers and land militia. Half dozen
Senators were on their feet in an instant
to defend the volunteers and the National
Guard of the various States, and the de-
bate took 50 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
for address by