Waterbury Democrat., 1903-01-15
COAL ON FREE LIST.
Both Senate and House Pass s y- the Bill.
PUBLIC DEMANDED THE ACTION.
Republican Leaders Declare That Mt Will Not Relieve Present Dis- tress-Eeixure of the Mines I
 Is Considered.


 Is Considered.
 WASHINGTON, Jan. 15-The bill reported from the ways and means committee to provide for a rebate of the duties on foreign coal for a period of one year was passed in short order by the house yesterday; by practically unanimous vote, 25S to 5, those voting against it being sMessrs. Cushman and Jones CWash.), Gaines (W. Va.), Mon- dell Wyo.) and Patterson (Pa.), all Re publicans The bill was considered un- der the operation of a rule which cut off opportunity tosamend. The only op- position to the measure. came from some of the members representing coal states, who expressed the fear that the admis- sion of Chinese mined coal in Canada would injure the, coal industry of their states. Both Mir. Dalzell (Pa.) and MT. Payne N. Y.), the Republican leaders, expressed the opinion on the floor that the bill would not relieve the existing distress They said it would satisfy, however, public demand for action and show the disposition of congress to do what it could.
 The Democrats, although they all SUD- ported the bill, took the view that it did not go far enough, saying that coal should go on the free list, and when the bill came back from the senate with provision which virtually placed an thracite coal on the free list they ap- plauded vigorously. MT. Dalzell in the course of his remarks said that there. was practically no anthracite coal in the world except that in the United States anda little in China. The senate amendment was adopted without divi- sion.
 Rapid progress was made with the army appropriation bill after the coal bill had been passed The most impor- tant amendments adopted were to in- creaSe the number of officers in the sig nal corps by y~twenty- three namely, one colonel, two lieutenant colonels, four mEjcrs, eight captains and eight first neutenants- and another to prevent the discontinuance of the army transport service without action by congress.
 The most radical action yet suggested in congress in connection with the mat ter of relieving the coal situation was EAk6H CNlB uOEAIuS WuCu AGpESScuLd- tive Jenkins, chairman of the house judiciary committee, introduced a reso- lutton of inquiry into the feasibility of government control of coal mines and coal transportation agencies.
 The resolution will go to the commit tee on rules, where the advisability of reporting it to the house will be consid- cred.
 The senate acted promptly on the house bill providing rebates of the duty on coal and passed it una nimously with out debate a few minutes after 1t was brought over from the house. The mili- tia; bilralso was passed, with an amend ment striking out of the bill the section providing for reserve force of trained men, thus removing the objections made against it.
 For an hour and half MT. Tillman occupied the attention of the senate in a characteristic speech, in which he de- nounced trusts and monopolies and se- verely criticised the attorney general.
 The statehood bill was up for short time, during which MT. McCumber spoke in favor of granting statehood to Oklahoma, Arizona and New Mexico
 After a brief executive session the senate adjourned.