Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1902-02-07
CONGRESSIONAL

The proposition to dispose OF the
United States transports and to de-
pend upon private steamship corpora
lions for the transportation OF troops
in the future does not meet with very
general approval in Congress. 1t Is
argued that the United States paid
much larger sums for the vessels IN
the first instance than could be secured
should they be offered for sale. and
that in addition to this hundreds OF
thousands of dollars have been ex-
pended in fitting them up for the SER
vice in which they are at present used.
These expensive fittings would prove
a drawback to their sale unless they
should be sold to some corporation
which would keep them solely for
transport service, which few concerns
would care to do.
The house committee on territories
gave a hearing to delegation from
Arizona, including, Governor Murphy
Chief Justice Street, ]. G. Ainsworth
and Delegate Smith in favor OF It's ad-
mission as a state. The readiness OF
the territory to assume all the obliga-
tions of statehood was set forth.
An extended speech on the pending
Philippine tariff bill was delivered In
the senate by Mr.. Morgan, Of Alabama,
who devoted particular attention to
the amendment which he offered to
the bill last week. He maintained that
the enactment of the bill as 1t stands
now would not be a constitutional
remedy for the situation the measure
is designed to relieve but said that
with the adoption of his amendment.
the bill would stand the closest scru-
tiny of the courts. The Alabama sena-
tor did not discuss the political phases
of the Philippine question raised by
the presentation of the tariff measure.
Mr.. Morgan said he had not heard
as yet any objection to the tariff that
is proposed to be laid and took 1t for
granted that the tariff was just and
necessary. He argued that congress
had no constitutional authority to levy
a discriminating tariff, either upon
imports or exports, between the United
States and the Philippines.
The house leaders have made no
programme for the work Of the pres
ent week, as there are no measures OF
importance pressing for attention, al
though the ELECTROMAGNETIC bill and
the Hill bill for the exchange ability
of gold and silver are both on the cal
endar and may be taken up before
long. Thus far no exact time has been
fixed for either of these measures and
the lesser bills will take their chances
as opportunity presents itself. There
promises to be considerable time to
spare during the week, as there are
no appropriation bills ready to fill the
gap when bills of general nature are
lacking.
The secretary of war continues to re-
ceive cable messages from native Of
ficials, painters and merchants of Cuba
appealing to him to use his best en-
deavors to secure tariff concessions on
Cuban sugar and tobacco. Messages
were received to-day from the mayors
of the principal cities of Cuba, from
the members of the Supreme court,
from Judges of Havana and from lead
ing planters Chief Justice Cruz
Perez, of the supreme court cabled:
1.-THE members of the supreme court
desire to state that the economic con-
dition of Cuba is disastrous. Ruin i'm
minent unless there is a reduction on
sugar and tobacco" The general tenor
of all the appeals was that tariff con-
cession was question Of life or death
to Cuba, and that failure to make them
meant ruin, misery and bankruptcy
for the island. Copies Of these mes
sages were sent to the house ways and
means committee. The Cuban reel
procity hearings were resumed before
the ways and means committee, with
delegations representing the beet sugar
industry of Colorado and number OF
Cubans, representing the planters Of
the island, in attendance.
The house committee on coinage
gave hearing to Director Of the Mint
Roberts on the bills proposing the
establishment of branch minis at var
ious points. Mr.. Roberts opposed ac-
ton, saying the present mint facilities
were adequate.
Senator Lodge has introduced bill
authorizing the inspection of trains
coming into the United States from
Canada and Mexico. with the view of
deterioning whether there are on
board aliens who are not residents
of those countries. The object of the
measure is to prevent illegal immigra-
ton.
The ways and means committee, by |
unanimous vote, instructed Chairman
Payne to prepare bill repeating all
the war revenue taxes except the tax
on mixed -four. The action taken was
in the form of resolution to the
effect that the bill should provide for
the repeal of the remaining war taxes |