The Lamar register., 1903-03-18
WASHINGTON NEWS AND
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS

The Senate on the 18th inst arrived
at an agreement to take a vote on the
Panama canal treaty on Tuesday.
March 18th.
Several senators who have talked
with the President believe 1t to be un-
likely that an extraordinary session
will be called next autumn. They say
many reasons might be cited why such
a session should not be held. the prin-
cipal one being that some important
state elections are to be held in No
vember and members of Congress will
be busy with political affairs in their
own states. They point out that on the
eve of n presidential campaign 1t is
highly important that every effort be
made, especially in the doubtful states.
to maintain the strength of the party
organizations. In such circumstances
1t is said 1t would be possible only with
difficulty to maintain quorum at each
branch of the extra session. II the ses-
sion were not called until November.
they say 1t would be SO close to the
regular session as to render II practic-
ally unnecessary.
Discussing the efforts of the Panama
Canal Company to secure an extension
of its concession, Senator Morgan said
this was accomplished in 1900 for the
the United States. THE company" he
said. bought from the president of Co
lombia for 100000 francs. in French
coin to be paid in Paris. prolonga-
tion of the extension for six years from
October 81, 1904. This proposed agree
ment was laid before the Congress OF
Colombia and was rejected. The con-
stitution and laws of Colombia re-
quired that such contracts should be
confirmed by Congress. but the presi-
dent of Colombia. in direct violation OF
| both the laws and the constitution.
signed the contract and received the
| ST 600 900 in gold from the New Pana-
ma Canal Company. The House of Rep
resentatives thereupon voted that the
Office of president of Colombia was
vacant and dissolved"
Alexander Mcdowell. clerk OF the
House of Representatives, has made
public an official compilation made by
| Tally Clerk Wakefield. showing the
work done by the House during the
| Fifty-seventh Congress. 1t shows that
| the longest day of the session lasted.
with recesses. 144 hours, during which
| so roll calls were taken. The number
| of bills and resolutions introduced in
the House during the two sessions of
| the Congress was 1920, and reports
were made on 2.S10 bills and resolu-
| tions. The Senate sent to the House
| 1.G30 Senate bills and resolutions. The
House disposed of 2,4l3 of the meas
ures originating with it, and OF 1912
of the Senate bills and resolutions.
making a total of 3,430 bills and reso-
lutions acted on. Congress left on Its
calendars 405 House and 11S Senate
| bills and resolutions. Fifteen of the
members OF the House died during the
| Congress, seven resigned and Messrs.
Rhea (Kentucky) and Butler (Mis-
souri) were unseated, the latter twice.
The Democratic senatorial caucus
| met March 9Th and elected Senator Ar
| thur Pue German to his old position as
chairman of the caucus. The steering
committee for the past Congress has
| numbered only seven members. but
| Senator German requested that the
number should be increased to nine,
which was the number In the days of
his previous craftsmanship and this in
crease was decided upon. The com
mittee was named and consists OF SEN
ators German of Maryland. Cockrell OF
Missouri, Martin of Virginia, Bacon of
| Georgia, Dubois OF Idaho, Money of
| Mississippi. Bailey of Texas. Black
burn of Kentucky and Tillman OF
South Carolina. The new members on
the committee are Messrs. German,
Blackburn and Tillman. The commit
tee is empowered to negotiate with the
Republican steering committee with
view to agre eing on general reorgani-
| zation. but. so far as there was express
sion of opinion on this point 1t was
| favorable to the view of leaving thl
| question of reorganization on general
| lines to be determined by the Republi-
cans. as they are in power. There is
| no doubt, however. that the Demo
| cratic steering committee will insist
| upon having some of the committees
| filed for the reason that the Demo-
cratic party has lost quite heavily in
some of the committees which are in
control OF present business.
At the meeting of the Senate COM
mittee on foreign relations on the 18th
| inst. amendments made to the Cuban
| treaty by the committee at the last
session of Congress were renewed and
were accepted without discussion.
One of these provides for reduction
of 40 per cent. in the tariff on Ameri-
can cattle shipped into Cuba, and the
other is provision prohibiting in ex-
plicit terms a fourth reduction of more
than 20 per cent. in the duty on Cuban
sugar shipped into the United States
and also prohibiting reductions in the
rates on sugar coming into the United
States from other countries. The
| amendment providing for the submis-
sion of the Cuban treaty to the House
was offered by Senator Bacon. AT the
last session of Congress the commit
tee refused to attach it to the treaty,
but when it was presented on the 18th
inst. it was accepted after little de-
bate. The principal reason for its ac-
ceptance was that members of the
House have urged in strong terms the