Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1902-03-29
WORK OF CONGRESS

The senate on the 21st passed the bilE
Tor the repeal Of the war revenue taxes
without division and after only one short
speech. Senator Tillman Is. c. en-
braced the opportunity afforded by the
bills consideration to protest against the
repeal of the duty of ten cents pound
upon tea The bill for the protection
Of the president was under discussion
during the greater part of the session.
Senator Patterson (Col.) made an extend
ed speech in opposition to it and Senator
Fairbanks Qnd.) supported it. All
amendments to the measure were re-
Jected and it was passed by vote of So
to Is. A bill appropriating $I25, 600 for a
marine hospital at Buffalo, N Y was
also passed. The senate adjourned I'M
til the 24th.-. The house passed the river
and harbor bill. Although several
amendments were adopted, not a single
dollar was added to the measure and. as
passed, it carried exactly what it did
when it came from the committee, $780,
6SS,26I including authorizations. Mr..
Gines Crex.) introduced a resolution di-
recting the secretary of war to trans
nit to the congress the minutes of the
several conferences in the Philippines
between representatives of Gen. E. S.
Otis and commissioners representing the
people of the islands relative to the set
Element of the pending difficulties.
The senate was not in session on the
22d....The house entered upon the con-
S1derat1on OF the contested election case
of Moss VS.. Rhea, from the Third Ken
lucky district. Before taking up this
case the unanimous report of the COM
mittee on the case of Speers VS.. Bur-
nett, from the Seventh Alabama district,
confirming the title of the sitting mem
Der to his seat was adopted. Several
bills of minor Importance were passed at
the opening of the session.
Consideration was begun by the SEN
ate on the 24th of what is popularity
known as the oleomargarine bill. The
measure places a tax of ten cents
pound on oleonargarine colored in imi-
tatton of butter and reduces the present
tax of two cents per pound on oleomar-
garine to one-quarter of one cent a pound
in its uncolored form. A few bills of mi
nor Importance passed before the cleo
margarine bill was taken up. Senator
Fairbanks Qnd.) introduced bill au-
thorizing the construction of an agricul-
tural department building on the site of
the present building at a cost of g. 500, 600.
THE Moss-Rhea contested election
case from the Third Kentucky district
occupied most of the attention of the
house. Mr.. Irwin (Ky.) introduced bill
creating a freedmen's inquiry commits
sion to investigate the condition of the
negro race, the race question, etc. Mr..
Randell (Tex.) introduced resolutions
relative to the war in South Africa, ex-
pressing sympathy with the two repub-
lies, appealing to the British government
to make peace, and declaring that the
United States should maintain an atti-
tude of strict neutrality. Mr.. Cochran
(Mo) also introduced resolutions re-
questing the secretary of state to ascer-
tain of the British government whether
associations of charitable persons in the
United States could secure facilities for
aiding Boer non-combatants.
A sharp attack on the pending oleomar-
garine bill made in the senate on
the 25th by Senator Money (dissl. He
denounced the measure as "unconstitu-
tional, immoral, dishonest and unjust"
He said it was a proposition to tax out
of existence one industry for the benefit
of another and was protection gone
mad" Senator Hansbrough IN D. be-
gan an argument in support of the meas
ure, but yielded the floor for an executive
session. The house by a majority of ten
unseated Mr.. Rhea (Ky), a democrat,
and seated in his place J. Mckenzie Moss,
who was formerly a democrat but who.
according to his brief is in accord with
the republican party on the dominant is
sues. After the vote the house began
consideration of the army appropriation
bill, with the understanding that general
debate should continue for ten hours.
Throughout the session of the senate on
the 18th the oleomargarine bill was un-
der discussion. Senator Hansbrough IN.
ID concluded his speech in support of
the measure. Senator Stewart (Nev.) de-
clared that there was no more reason
for taxing colored oleomargarine than
for taxing colored butter. Senator DolH-
Yer Ia.) scathingly denounced the oieo-
margarine industry, declaring that it
had put itself in partnership with law
lessness and false pretenses. Senator
Hoar (Adass) and Senator Lodge 1Mass.)
explained that their reason for support
ing the bill was that it tax on an
evident fraud. - General debate on the
military appropriation bill was concluded
in the house and consideration of the bill
under the five-minUte rule begun. Dur
ing the debate Mr. Burleson CTex.l re-
newed the attack on Secretary Hay on
account of the allegations regarding the
Boer relief funds subscribed in Illinois.
Mr.. Patterson 6Tenn.) criticised the gen.
eral conditions in the Philippines and
charged that a state of slavery existed
there which should be remedied at once.
Mr.. Kern QlI) spoke in defense of the
army canteen. Mr.. Little (Ark.) criti-
cised the Dingley bill, which, he said. was
simply producing an overlooking treas
ury an an inducement for extravaganza
in public expenditures. Mr.. Breazeale
(La.) denounced the action of the COM
naittee on naval affairs in refusing to re-
port the several Schley resolutions, thus
preventing the house from expressing
its sentiments on the subject. At the be-
ginning of the session the house passed
the Burleson resolution calling on the
president for information relative to the
application of Gen. Miles to go to the
Philippines. Mr.. Peu IN. c. introduced
resolutions for a committee to inquire
whether the party organizations used
money in attempting to elect candidates
in 1896, 1898 or 1900.