Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1902-06-14
WORK OF CONGRESS.

An interesting Contribution to the dis
| custom of the isthmian canal project was
| made in the senate on the 9Th by Sena-
! tor Harris (Kan.), d member of the COM
| mittee on interoceanic canals. His dis
| cussion of the technical details of canal
construction was listened to with pro-
found attention. He strongly advocated
the selection of the Nicaragua route. He
mentioned that it was entirely feasible
and practicable from an engineering
standpoint and that some of the diff
culties presented by the Panama route
were superable-notably, the construc-
ton of the Bohio dam During the early
part of the session the naval appropria-
ton bill was considered. All of the coma
mittee amendments were disposed of, ex-
cept that relating TO the construction of
two additional battJeshfps, two cruisers
and two gunboats. The house passed
the bill to protect the president, vice
president, members of the cabinet and
foreign ministers and ambassadors and
to suppress the teaching of anarchy by
vote of 175 to IS. A motion to recon-
init the measure with instructions to
strike out certain sections was defeated
II to 1913. The remainder of the day
was devoted to the bill to transfer cerz
tain forest reserves from the interior
department to the agricultural depart
ment and to authorize the creation in
such reserves of game and fish pre-
serves.
The senate on the 10th passed the naval
bill, carrying more than $7SGO0, COO. 1t in
cludes provisions for two f1rst-class bat
tleships, two first-class armored cruis-
ers and two gunboats, but strikes out
the house provision that one of each
shall be built at government yards. When
consideration was resumed of the 18TH
milan canal question Senator Turner
CWash.) delivered an extended argument
in support of the Nicaragua route. A
bill was passed appropriating $15,s45 for
the relief of persons who sustained dam
ages by the explosion of an ammunition
chest of battery F, Second United States
artillery, in Chicago, July Is, 1894. The
house bill providing for the protection
of the president was referred to the
judiciary committee, although Senator
I1oar (Mass) chairman of that commit
tee, thought it would be impossible to
get action on 1T at this session If the
committee had to consider it, The house
defeated the bill to transfer certain for
est reserves to the agricultural depart
ment and to authorize the president to
esta blish game and fish preserves. Its
death was accomplished by striking out
the enacting elAuSe. The motion was
made by Mr.. Cannon Qll) and was car
ried by 100 to 70. He claimed that the
bill would greatly increase the cost of
administering forest reserves, and de-
cIared that the estimated receipts of the
next fiscal year already were exceeded
by the appropriations up to the present
time by over $51, 900, 900. The house then
ADOPTED a special OrdGr Tor the cOnSl0era-
ton of the Corliss Pacific cable bill and
listened to the author of the measure
arguing in favor of its passage. 1t was
ordered that there be session Sunday,
June %, at II o'clock, to be devoted to
eulogies and character of the late Repre-
sentative Cummings IN. ".
In the senate on the 10Th a motion of
Senator Wellington CMd) to discharge
the committee on privileges and elections
from further consideration of the resolu-
amendment to the constitution for the
election of senators by the people was
defeated Senator Fairbanks (tnd.) in
carefully considered speech; favored con-
struction OF the isthmian canal by the
Panama route. Senator Stewart New
then called up his motion to reconsider
the vote by which the treaty between the
United States and the Choctaw and
Chickasaw Indians was ratified. Senator
Bailey CTex.) had an amendment ne de-
sired to make to the bill ratifying the
treaty, but when he explained it's relation
to the case of the Indians pending in the
courts, Senator Stewart annotnced
that he would oppose the motion to re-
consider for such purpose. Pending a
final disposition of the motion, Senator
Morgan (Ala.) announced that an ar
rangement had been made to vote on the
pending isthmian canal bill June 10. The
senate agreed to the arrangement =. The
house dispatched the Corliss Pacific cable
bill by the same method it adopted in
the case of the forest reserve bill. 1t
struck out the enacting clause of the
measure by vote of 116 to II, thus CIV
ing no opportunity to test the strength
of the substitute, which authorized the
president to contract with a private COM
pany for laying a cable. A senate bill
was passed to authorize the town of
LaWton, Ok, to use $4,000 from the sale
of town lots for municipal improvements;
Anadarko, Ok, $780, coo, and Hobart, Ok,
$50, GOO.