Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-01-21
57TH CONGRESS-.
Senate Will, Today, Open De.
bate on Philippine Tariff.
Too Much Opposition to Commerce
Department to Force a Vote.
Urgent Deficiency Bill Brings out Warm
Discussion In House.

Philippine tariff bill will begin in
the Senate. tomorrow. Chairman
Lodge reported the measure. today,
mittee on Philippines, and gave notice
that he would call it up at O'Clock,
tomorrow. Rawlins Of Utah, acting
for the minority of the committee. Of
fered q substitute for the bin of the
majority and announced that he would
submit some remarks on it at the con-
clusiOn of Lodges statement in sup
port of the majority report.
During the greater part of tOday's
session. the measure providing for the
establishment of a department of COM
merce was under consideration. An
effort was made by Nelson, Mimi, to
secure vote, but the opposition 10
strong that the effort had 10 be aban-
doned.
Soon after the Senate convened,
Lodge, Mass, chairman of the commit
tee on Philippines, reported the House
bill temporarily to provide revenues
for the Philippine islands. He gave
notice that at o'clock he would call
ment concerning the measure
This Is a BILL" said Lodge. which
in the Judgment of the majority Of the
committee on Philippines. requires i'm
mediate attention.
1T is my desire to bring 1t before
the Senate from day to day until ac-
ton upon it shall have been taken.
| have no uesire to press it's considera-
| ton unduly and I know of no desire
upon the part of it's opponents to OBJ
struct unduly it's consideration or pass
age. although there Is a proper wish
| to debate the subject thoroughly"
He hoped that those who were OPP
posed to the enactment of the bill
would be prepared to proceed promptly
with its consideration, so that the time
Of the Senate might not be wasted.
RawlinS, Utah. on behalf of the mi
nority of the committee on Philippines,
offered substitute for the measure
proposed by Lodge. He gave notice
that upon the conclusion of the remarks
of Lodge. tomorrow, he would submit
some statements in support Of the
substitute measure. ,-+
| A House bill comforting upon Mrs.
IDA s. Mckinley, widow of the late
President Mckinley. the mail Thanking
privilege, was called up by Mason.
chairman of the committee on post Of
fees and post roads. and passed.
Cullom. Ill.,. introduced bill to
prevent the transportation of deleter-
ious food and drinks and to provide
for the appointment of dairy and
food commissioner" He said the
measure had been sent to him by very
good men. but that he knew very little
of the matter himself. He assumed.
however. that 1t was q proper bill and
he introduced it In. order that 1t might
be considered by committee.
resolution offered by Mitchell,
Oregon. providing for the appointment
of messenger for the committee on
coast defences. brought Plat, Conn.,.
to his feet with protest against the
increase Of the clerical and official
force of the Senate. He said there had
been many similar resolutions intro
duced during the present season. II
was a fact. he said that the clerical
force of the Senate. now costs more
than the aggregate salaries and mile
age expenses of senators. Without
reference to this particular resolution,
Platt felt that all such propositions
ought to be scrutinized carefully.
The resolution was referred to the
committee on contingent expenses.
At the conclusion of routine BUSH
ness. Mason made statement, per-
sonal to himself. he explained. con-
corning the publication in certain
newspapers of criticism of him. be-
cause it was stated he, was opposed to
rural free delivery of mails. For
years" he said, II have been endeavor-
ing to better the rural free delivery
service and even now am favoring a
largely increased appropriation for the
service" He explained. also. In an
swer to similar statements. that he
was in favor of the reneactment OF the
present Chinese exclusion law, unless
some better or fairer law can be en-
acted"
The Democratic members of the
commerce committee were given per-
mission to file minority report on
the shipping bill.
The bill providing for the establish
ment of department of commerce
then was called UP by Nelson. Mimi. ]
He answered the criticisms of the bill.
which had been made The depart
ments principally affected by the
measure are those of the treasury and
the interior. The former, he said, had
on its rolls 44l4 employees in Wash
ington and the latter 1881 each having
greater number of employees than all
the other departments combined.
Many of the bureaus of the treasury
and interior departments really had no
relevancy to the general purpose Of
the departments and one OF the objects
of the pending bill was to relieve them
of such bureaus and place the bureaus
where they properly belonged In con-
clusion Nelson said that he believed
there was strong public sentiment
in the country in favor Of the estab-
lishment of department of Commerce.
Platt. Conn.,. supported the pending
measure as whole. but offered an
striking from the bill the
proposition to transfer the patent Of
fice 1t was accepted by Nelson and
agreed 10.
Continued on page - /