The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-01-21
NELSON HAS NO SNAP
HIS DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE.
BILL NOT HAVING SMOOTH
SAILING !
MANY AMENDMENTS PROPOSED
No Strenuous Objection to the Prom
Osition Itself, but Senator's In
sist on Arranging Details to I
Suit Their Notions.

WASHINGTON, Jan 2O-Debate on the
Philippine tariff bill will begin in the
senate tomorrow. In behalf of the ma
Jorlty Of the committee on the Philiu-
pines, Chairman Lodge today reporter
the measure, and gave notice that he
would call it up at 2 o'clock tomorrow.
Mr.. Rawl1ns, of Utah, acting for thu
minority of the committee offered q
substitute for the bill of the majority.
and announced that he would submit
some remarks on it at the conclusion
of Mr.. Lodges statement in support OF
the majority report.
During the greater part Of todays ses-
sion the measure providing for the
establishment OF a department of COM
merce was under consideration. An eff
fort was made by Mr.. Nelson, of Min
nesota, to secure a vote, but the oppo-
sition to many of it's provisions became
SO strong that the effort had to be
abandoned.
The Democratic members of the COM
merce committee were given permission
to file a minority report en- the ship
ping bill.
Nelson Makes Concessions.
The bill providing for the establish
ment of department Of commerce was
called up by Mr.. Nelson, who replied
to the criticisms which had been made
lated to the transfer of bureaus from
other departments to the proposed de-
partment.
The departments principally affected by
the measure were those of the treasury
and the interior. The former, he said,
had on it's rolls 4,414 employees in Wash
ington, and the latter 4,SSl-ea III having
a greater number OF employees than ala
the other departments combined.
In conclusion Mr.. Nelson said he be-
Iieved there was a strong public sentl"
ment in the country in favor o. the es-
tablisEHlent Of a department of COM
merce. 1--WE need It," said he, Ito put
ourselves on a parity with other ma
lions of the world. We need it to put
our commercial and industrial develop
ment under governmental control
Mr.. Platt Comm supported the pend
ing measure as a whole, but offered an
amendment striking from the bill the
proposition to transfer the patent office.
It was accepted by Mr.. Nelson and
agreed to by the senate
Quick Action objected To.
After protracted discussion, involv-
ing chiefly explanations of minor points
In the bill, Mr.. Nelson requested that
a vote on the measure be taken at q
o'clock tomorrow. Mr.. Pettus tAla.) 3D.
jected.
ment. which was adopted, eliminating
from the bill the proposition to transfer
to the new department the census once.
Mr.. Quarles CWis) made an argument
in support Of placing the census otflce
under the proposed department, and gave
notice that he would move a reconsla-
Grafton of the vote by which Mr. COCK
SaI1,s amendment was adopted. He point
e ed out that It would take four o. FIVE
Years to complete the work of the twelfth
census, and then at least three years TO TO
nrenare for the thirteenth census ne
erened that ell such statistical work
should be done by one great bureau.
MI. Allison. in an extended speech saaa
he favored the establishment of the pro-
llo "a danartnent. but he did not think
r. wise to transfer so many large and
;ronortant bureaus without the most
careful consideration +nn
The hill was then laid aside, and INC no
~ a--snotion of Mr. Teller. at 4:zO
D H M, went into executive session. ana
at 5:35 adjourned.