Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1903-03-04
CONGRESSIONAL.

~ AA2e4 tNiI0l VI tht -
cial bill was witnessed in the Senate yes
terday, when it was displaced by the
Philippine tariff bill.
One of the features of the session was
the fact that for the first time in two
years Delaware was represented in the
Senate. j. Frank Alice and l.. Heisler,
Ball, elected for the long and short
terms, respectively, appeared in the
Senate and were sworn in. The Senate,
for the first time in four years, has its
full membership of ninety.
In the course of the debate yesterday,
Mr.. Elkins declared that the republican
party had been false to its solemn pledges
in three successive platforms with re-
spect to statehood for Arizona, Okla
homa and New Mexico, and he said that
it was the first time that party had been
guilty of filbustering. He declared that
upon the republican majority rested the
responsibility for defeat of several i'm
portant measures in the Senate.
After brief executive session, the
Senate, at 6 o'clock, took recess until
o'clock. AT the night session most OF
the time was occupied by the Philippine
tariff debate.
Senator Tillman's threat to talk the
naval and general deficiency appropria-
ton bills to death, unless the claim OF
South Carolina, for which he con-
tended, was provided for in the latter
measure, had the effect he desired it to
have. About 1:30 this morning the
House conferees surrendered and the
deadlock over the bill was broken.
The reports on both measures were at
once taken up and accepted in the Sem
ate, after which a recess until this
morning was taken. The House was
equally prompt to take up the reports
after they had been disposed of in the
Senate, but owing to the democratic
flibuster in that body, the reading Of
both the reports and statements in full
were required.
Yesterday was almost repetition OF
Monday in the House. Slowly through
the operation of ceaseless roll calls the
conference reports to complete the
necessary legislation were ground out,
and when the House, at 7 o'clock last
night, recessed until 10 o'clock, only
two conference reports on appropriation
bills were still undisposed of-the gen.
! eral deficiency and the naval.
The democratic opposition did not
abate, and was continued until Congress
expired at noon today. During the de-
bate circumference reports members on
each side got in political speeches, and
several times party passion ran high.
Just before the recess bedlam broke
loose, and there was an exchange OF
high words between two members on the
floor A personal alteration seemed
imminent in the confusion, but was
avoided by the Intervention of friends.
The actual business done during the
eight hours of the day session consisted
of the adoption Of the conference reports
OH the immigration, public building and
sundry civil bills, the reference of the
Presidents veto message of Virginia
claim bill to the committee on war claims,
the adoption of n resolution to correct
clerical errors in the immigration bill,
and a passage of Senate bill to author
ize the Treasury Department to coin
souvenir coins for the Thomas Jefferson
Memorial Association.
At the night session number of
measures which have, come to be regard
ed, in view of the existing situation, as
of minor importance, were taken up and
disposed Of The House leaders had
hoped to finally pass the naval and gen
eral deficiency appropriation bills, but
Mr.. Tillman's threatened opposition in
the Senate made this impossible.
Just when all things seemed 50 serene
a threatening cloud appeared in the
wrath of Senator Tillman because an
1912 war claim of South Carolina for
$50, 900 had been held up ION the general
deficiency conference. 1t was impeded,
as he thought, under exasperating cir
cumstances, as similar claims of all
other States have been satisfied. Mr..
Tillman began to barricade his desk with
books and documents and assumed a
very hostile attitude Hestoutly proph-
esied an extra session of Congress, be-
ing ready to read voluminously from
"Childe HAROLD and other poems of
Byron.
Word was carried to "Uucle Joe"
Cannon, who was opposing the South
Carolina item.
Every welP' quoth he. 81 shall the
sooner begin to draw my $4,000" (the
salary ofthe Speaker.
Later, however, he deemed it advisa-
BILE to yield.