Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1903-02-13
CONGRESSIONAL D0INGS.
WHAT LAWMAKERS AT WASHINGTON
ACCOMPLISHED THE PAST WEEK.
The Senate Considers Mormon Influences on
Politics Provisions Of Naval Appropriation
Bill-Senator Carmack Says Torture Was
Common in Philippine War.

Common IN Phllippne war
The bill to expedite antitrust prose
cutions passed the house without de-
bate Thursday. The army general staff
bill was sent to conference and the post
office appropriation bill was passed. As
a committee of the whole the house then
took up the publicity bill, discussing it
at some length. The epresident signed the
bill amending the bankruptcy law of
1898. The principal modification made
is to allow preferred creditors who
have received payments from person
afterward declared bankrupt to retain
the money received unless the previous
payment was fraudulent. This change
is in conformity with decision of the
supreme court.
In the senate Friday Senator Morgan
spoke on his resolution introduced
Thursday, callingon the secretary of ma
w for correspondence regarding the mil
iiary occupation of the bays of Panama
and Colon. He alleged that 81, 600, 600
which the United States paid to Co
lombia would go to the insurgents who
made peace last year, and predicted
that if the United States continued It's
policy with reference to the construc-
tion of an isthmian canal war with
Colombia was inevitable. The bill in
in the District of Colum-
bia the American academy IN Rome
was passed Its object is to establish
and maintain an institution to promote
the study and practice Of the fine arts
and TO aid and stimulate the education
and training of architects, painters,
sculptors and other artists.
The house engaged in general discus
sion of the Littlefield anti trust bill,
Mr.. Littlefield closing the debate for
the majority The naval appropriation
bin reported to the house carries SO
04s, 420. or Sc l42. .0s9 less than the es-
Inmates submitted by the navy depart
ment. The current appropriation Is
s7s, sc. 36S. In addition to the proyls-
ion for the construction of three first-
class battleships, one first class ar
mored cruiser, two steel training ships
and one wooden brig, the bill allows
the selection of two midshipmen for
each senator, repre- sentative and dele
gate in Congress, thus doubling the
number. Further provision is made for
the appointment of II ensigns 30 addi-
tional lieutenant commanders, 90 lieu
tenants, 30 surgeons, l20 passed assist
ant and assistant surgeons, - naval
"a officers for the pay corps
and 5000 enlisted men. To the marine
corps the bill adds one colonel, one lieu
tenant colonel, five r1aiors, II captains
and % 1st lieutenanis, II I'd lieuten-
ants. one assistant adjutant and in
spector. with rank Of major, one as
sistant with rank of lieutenant colonel,
five assistant quartermasters, with the
rank of captain, two assistant paymas-
ters and GO enlisted men. The limit
of cost for the building of the naval
academy is increased from s., OO0,U 900 to
$40, 600. 600. The sum of $4,000 is ap-
for an experimental station
and testing laboratory in the depart.
ment of marine engineering and naval
A story was sent out from Washing
ton Saturday night that John ID. Rocke-
Teller. president of the Standard oil com
panv. has personally interfered in an ef-
fort to prevent antitrust legislation,
and had telegraphed to at least six sena-
tors telling them that the pending leg
islation must be stopped, and that an
attorney for the Standard oil company
would call upon them. No senator,
however, could be found who owned to
having received such telegram, the
general expression being that the dis
patches were bogus.
In speak ing in the senate Monday on
the Rawlins resolution calling on the
secretary of war for the proceedings IN
certain courts martials Senator Car
mack of Tennessee asserted that there
was an organized system of torture IN
the Philippines, continued for years
and notorious in the army. He crltl-
cised the president and secretary OF
war sharply in connection with the
matter. The house spent practically
the whole day on two District of Co
lumbia bills. The senate committee
on privileges and elections has received
a protest from prominent Utah resi-
dents against the seating of Mormon
APOSTLE Reed Smoot as senator from
Utah.
In discussing the statehood bill in
the senate Tuesday Mr.. Morgan of AL
ALBANIA said that trust bills had been
kept back and would be kept back un-
ill too late for discussion. He said
the whole world knew that the trust
bill coming to the senate from the
house was no more than ''mush poul-
tice to be put on the people to allie
yiate pain - The object of this delay
is not to defeat the admission of the
territories as states, but something
lies behind it for which there is DO
excuse. The house adopted the NelsoD
to the department of COM
merce bill, providing for publicity as to
some of the operations OF corporations,
but which Democrats regard as weak
and Intellectual. The sundry civil APP
preparation bill carrying s7S, ,01I, ,929
was considered. The insertion of pro-
vision for an office building for con
eressmen near the capitol was favored.
The Hanna ex-slave pension bill was
discussed.
In the senate Wednesday the confer
ence report on the department of COM
merce bill was agreed to without de-
bate and the bill goes to the president.
In discussing the statehood bill the
subject of Mormon political influence
was continued. 1t was urged that. by
the constitution, religion, Mormon or
other, is intended to be free and pro-
tected. Senator Depew spoke against
the bill. The house considered the sun
dry civil appropriation bill, adopting
amendments for the completion of the
east front of the capitol and the erec-
tion of an office building for congress
men. Cost of buildings, g. 100 CO.
The president signed the bill to expe-
dite the hearing and determination OF
suits in equity pending and hereafter
to he brought under the Sherman anti
+rust lau and the law regulating COM