Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1902-01-29
WORK OF CONGRESS.

For nearly three hours on the 21st the
senate had under consideration the Phil
ippine tariff bill. The measure was made
the unfinished business and probably will
hold that position of preference until it
shall have been voted on finally. Sena-
tor Morgan (Ala.) introduced bill plac-
ing Gen. James Longstreet on the retired
list of the army with the rank of major,
the rank he held when he entered the
service of the confederacy at the begin
ming of the civil war. A number of pri-
vate pension bills were passed. In the
absence of other pressing business the
house managers allowed the widest lati-
tude in the debate on the urgent def
cheney bill. The irrigation of arid lands
in the west and the advisa bility of re-
tanning control of the Philippines also
were topics under discussion. Mr.. Will
liam A. Smith (Mich.) introduced a reso-
luton directing the state department to
request the British government to with
hold the sentence of death passed on
Commander Scheepers, who is about to
be shot. Mr.. Wiley (Ala) introduced a
bill designed to prevent the holding up
of trains for purposes of robbery. It pro-
vides a penalty of death or life i'm
prisonment for the guilty parties. Mr..
Stephens (Tex.) introduced a bill for the
union of Oklahoma and the Indian terri
tory as a state, to be known as the state
of Oklahoma.
Debate on the Philippine tariff bill was
not continued in the senate on the 22d,
no member of the body being prepared
to proceed with the discussion. The bill
providing for the establishment of de-
paTtment of commerce was under discus
sion for nearly Two hours, but little prog
ress was made with it. Bills were intro
duced to prohibit the Importation of
opium for smoking purposes and for the
establishment of home for lepers in
the dry climate of the interior. When
the item in the urgent deficiency bill ap-
propriating 100000 for military post at
n r =, l., (o,,r
Qr.). in charge of the BILL confessed that
the appropriation was subject to a point
of order and it went out. In lieu there
of he offered an amendment to appro-
pirate the same sum for shelter and
protection of the officers and enlisted
men of the army on duty in the Philip
pines. This the chair held to be in or
der and it at once became the subject of
a very spirited debate in which Mr.. Rich
ardSOn (Tenn.), the minority leader; Mr..
Williams (NIiss.), and Mr.. DeArmond
(Mo.), were pitted against the chairman
of the appropriations committee. When
the vote came to be taken Mr.. Cummings
On. ", democrat, voted with the re-
publicans, turning angrily on his politf-
cal brethren as he did so, and with
clinched fist in their faces crying out
that he hoped he might be paralyzed
when he refused to vote to protect an
American soldier. The vote on the
adoption of the amendment stood ayes
l27, nays 100. Without completing the
bill the house adjourned.
In the senate on the 29d Senator Ma
sons resolution for giving Admiral
Schley the thanks of congress and pre-
senting him with a sword, and that
bronze medals commemorative of the bat
tie of Santiago should be distributed
among the officers and men under the
command of Schley during said battle
and appropriating $4,000 to meet the eX-
penses of the resolution. was referred to
the committee on naval affairs The de-
partment Of commerce bill was under
discussion during the greater part of
the session, but no definite progress was
made. The senate afterwards went in
to executive session and adjourned until
the 9th. The consideration of the ur-
gent deficiency bill was completed in
the house, but owing to the 1ateness of
the hour passage of the bill was post
poned until the next day. A successful
effort was made to increase the pay of
rural free delivery carriers from $500 to
$500 per annum. Mr.. Clark (Mo.) intro
duced a joint resolution expressing SYM
pathy for the two South African repub-
lies and regret over the suffering caused
by the war. The resolution expresses
the hope that this declaration by con-
gress will influence Great Britain to con-
slider faVorably a settlement of the
troubles. Mr.. Dick (O.) introduced the
of the several states to increase the eff
ficiency of the militia.
The senate was not in session on the
24th. The house passed the urgent de-
ficIency bill. The republicans forced a
record vote the amendment to appro-
pirate $500, 600 for the protection and
shelter of American soldiers in the
Philippines, and 16 democrats voted for it.
The remainder of the session was de-
voted to the considerable of private
pension bills 70 being passed. An ad-
journment was then taken until the 9th.