Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1902-04-25
PROCEEDINGS OF CONGRESS
WHAT IT HAS BEEN DOING THIS WEEK

WHAT 1T HAS BEEN DOING THIS WEEK
House Passes Cuban Reciprocity Bill Afte'
Abolishing Differential Tax on Sugar
Some Appropriation BillsWest Point Acad
envy to Be Rebuilt-The President Disap
proves of Pensions for Disobedient Soldiers
The Senate Friday began considera
tion of bill to temporarily provide
form of government for the Philippines.
Fifty five private pension bills and
few other measures were passed. In the
House, the Cuban reciprocity bill was
passed with an amendment removing
the differential on all refined sugar.
This is the elimination of the long and
bitter fight that has been made against
the bill by the beet sugar Republicans,
under the leadership of Mr.. Tawney OF
Minnesota. These Republicans, 30 in
number, Friday allied themselves with
the Democrats to oyerturn the rules OF
the House, and an amendment to the
bill which made it that much more OBJ
jectionable to themselves and to their
constituents, and then went on record
in opposition to the whole measure.
| The vote to overrule the decision Of
the chair made by Mr.. Sherman of
New York, was III to 100, Republicans
to the number of 81 joining with a
solid Democratic vote to accomplish
this result. The amendment to remove
the ditferential was adopted in com
mittee on the whole, lG4 Ill. Later in
the House it was adopted by still
larger majority, 1879 l05, and on this
occasion 81 Republicans voted for the
amendment. The bill then was passed
by an overwhelming majority, 247-52.
An analysis of the vote shows that III
Republicans and l23 Democrats voted
for the amended bill, and AZ Republi-
cans and 10 Democrats against it. The
Senate amendments to the Chinese eX
cluslon bill were disagreed to, and the
bill was sent to conference.
The Senate Saturday passed the pure
food bill, also three others appropriate
ing 81. 725, 600 for three public build
ings. The House passed the fortlfica-
tions appropriation bill which appro-
PIRATES Sc, 562, 40 for the year ending
June, 1903. This includes a bill for
$50, 600 to DR.. futile of Tacoma, Wash,
for the use of his invention of thorite,
a high explosive said by the board of
ordnance and fortification to be the
safest ii had tlied. The conference re-
port on the legislative bill was also
agreed to-
The Senate passed the river and har-
Dor bill Monday after agreeing to all
the amendments of the committee.
The Philippine government bill was
then considered In the discussion of
this bill Mr.. Teller urged that the
government ought to declare that the
flllplnos either are or are not citizens
of the United States: and Mr.. Lodge
replied that the bill declares distinct
ly that they are citizens of the Philip
pine islands The House considered
the military academy appropriation
bill. The agricultural appropriation
bill was reported.
Senator Hawley introduced. in the
Senate Tuesday. a bill to increase the
efficiency of the army. The provisions
of this bill give the commanding gen
eral legal status which he does not,
at present, have. The Philippine gov
eminent bill was considered, Mr.. Raw |
Inns of Utah, leading member of the /
committee, making an earnest /
speech against the suppression of truth /
concerning matters in the Philippines. !
The House rejected claims attached to
the omnibus claims bill by the Senate /
aggregating 81, S00,000 and non con
cured in the whole Senate amend
nent, sending the bill to conference.
The military academy appropriation
dill was passed after the limit of the
cost of the Improvements at West Point
lad been reduced from six and half
% five and one-half millions and the
mount of the appropriation in the bill
lad been reduced from three to two
Millions. The Senate amendments to
he river and harbor bill were disa-
freed to and bill was sent to confer
nee.
The Senate Wednesday continued it's
of the Philippine bill.
The House adopted the rule to provide
or the consideration of the Senate
mendments to the oleomargarine bill.
'he debate which followed was rather
n the bill than upon the amendments.
several amendments were offered and l
efeated and the Senate amendments 5
ere successfully adopted as the read I
ne of the bin progressed.