Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1902-01-18
WORK OF CONGRESS.

The open session OF the senate on the
9th was devoted to routine business.
After an executive session the senate
adjourned until the 18TH. The Hepburn
Nicaraguan canal bill passed the house
by practically q unanimous vote. Only
two members out Of $40 voted against It.
Messrs. Fletcher. republican (Minn.) and
Lancaster, democrat (Va.), were the two
voting In the negative. All amendments
failed and the bill passed exactly as Il
came from the committee. A section
fixes the aggregate cost at $50, 200. 900. to
be drawn from the treasury on warrants
of the president.
The senate was not In session on the
10th. The house spent the day con-
sidering the Hopkins bill to create per-
manent census bureau. There was strong
opposition to the bill as drawn. on the
ground that It was not we'll matured.
and 1t was finally recommitted. Mr..
Sherman IN. ~ introduced a bill con-
tinuing in force all laws prohibiting the
coming Of Chinese. Mr.. Lowering (Mass.)
introduced a bill providing salary for
ex-presidents Of the United States at
the rate of $4,000 annually from the
date Of retirement from the presidency.
A bill passed unanimously to give Mrs.
Mckinley the free mailing privilege dur
ing the remainder of her life. The PEN
sion appropriation bill was reported by
the committee. 1t carries $139, 842.2 30. ex-
actly the amount Of the estimates, as
against Sac. .230 appropriated last year.
An adjournment was then taken until
tho 18th.
In the senate on the 18th Senator Nell
son (Aiinn.) called up the bill providing
for the establishment of a department
of commerce. After some discussion the
bill finally went over. subject to call by
Senator Nelson. The senate was In ex-
ecutive session for an hour and a half.
The Hepburn Nicaragua canal bill was
received by the senate from the house
and referred to the committee on in
terstate canals. The house spent the
day In general discussion Of the pension
appropriation bill, the first Of the annual
budgets. The debate took o wide range.
Mr.. Grosvenor CO., and Mr.. Hepburn
Qa.) denounced report presented to
the last g. A. r. encampment criticising
the course Of themselves and other menu
bers Of congress on the veteran "prefer-
ence" bill. which was defeated at the last
session. They explained that their op.
position to the bill was due to the In.
corporation in the bill Of clause which
had not been Endorsed by the g. A. R.,
placing veterans Of the Spanish war in
the preferential claims. Mr.. Rixey Cva.)
caused something Of stir on the demo-
cratic side by advancing q proposition
to open the doors Of national soldiers
homes to ex-confederates and to furnish
federal aid to state confederate homes.
Mr.. Gllett (Mass.) introduced bill for
the creation Of q approximation COM
mission who are to devise q system by
which government employees will be so
insured as to have an annuity in their
old age. Mr.. Crumpacker Qnd) intro
duced a bill for the punishment Of per-
sons taking part in the lynching of an
alien. Mr.. Lever Is. CO. then formally
announced the death Of the late Repre-
sentative Stokes, Of his state and the
house. after adopting the customary
resolutions Of regret, as a mark Of re-
spect adjourned.
The Philippines were the subject Of an
address in the senate on the 18th by
Senator Hoar (Mass.). who spoke on his
resolution providing for the appointment
Of Q senate committee to investigate the
administration Of those islands. Sena-
tor Lodge (Mass.) said he regarded tho
resolution as a reflection on the Philip
pine committee, OF which he was chair
man. and the necessity for the latter
would cease were the resolution to be
adopted. The resolution finally went
over. The house continued the debate
on the pension appropriation bill and de-
voted much time to the proposition adj
vanced by Mr.. Rixey (va.) to open the
doors Of the soldiers homes to ex-con-
veterans. Two notable speeches
were made in support of the proposition,
one by Mr.. Gardner (Mich.), a republic |
an, and the other by Mr.. DeArmond |
(Mo), q democrat. Mr.. Lamb (Va-) read |
Q number Of kilograms from prominent |
Of Richmond, protesting |
against 1t. Mr.. Smith (Afich) introduced |
q Joint resolution for a constitutional |
empowering congress to de- |
fine the qualification Of electors for MEM |
bers Of congress and requiring that these |
shall be uniform through |
out the states. Mr.. Babcock (Wis.) in |
trodueed a bill placing a number Of arti-
cles Of the iron and steel schedule on
the free list and materially reducing
the duties on other articles throughout |
the iron and steel schedule.
HR HAn THEM ARRECTEn