The National tribune., 1903-12-03
WASHINGTON c. THURSDAY DECEMBER 1903

it is the basic one of our Government.
The purse-strings must be in the hands of
the people. Ever since the formation of
the Government there has been n strug-
gle between the Senate and the House
over this important prerogative. The
House has clung tenacousiy to this right
OF originating bills for raising revenue.
and the Senate has been just as persistent
in claiming its right to amend such bills.
How far it can go in such amendment IS
the battle-ground. The House has always
complained loudly that the Senate was
going entirely too far but as a rule the
House has yielded, and notable instance
was the Wilson-Gorman Tariff Bill. This
was emphaticaly Il revenue measure and
nothing else, which the House had origi-
mated and discussed before an expectant
country for MANY weeks. 1t went to the
Senate after passage. and there the Sen
ators virtually cut off everything after the
enac!iHg clause, and tackled on an entirely
different bill. which they sent back to the
House for passage. There was wailing
and gnashng of teeth from the President
down, but the House had to take its meoi-
cine, and the WisonGorman Thrift Bill
WAS the result.
Master Quentin Roosevelt has been suf-
ferng with an attack of malaria and a
bad cold, but the little fellow is now inn
proving and will soon be out again.
A race against time for money is what
member of the National House OF Rep
reSentatives and a member of the United
States Senate have just made. Mr.. Cush
man, of Washington State, and Senator
Hepburn, of Idaho, We're engaged i'll
big lawsuit which called them to Alaska
just as the extraordinary session of Con-
gress convened. 1t was Il case that could
not be put of. The two NJ. C.'s were
anxious TO come TO Washington, for unless
they did, and took the oath of office in
the new Congress, they could not draw
mileage for the extra session. That is
tidy little sum for them of about S1,2O0.
and was well worth the trip, which would
cost them nothing to speak OF, as they
both travel on passes.
The two NJ. C.'s got through with their
lawsuit up in Alaska. and as Congress
was yet in session, started without delay
on n swift trip across the continent. Day
after day for about an even seven they
wired to know if Congress would adjourn
before they arrived, and for "A hours,
at least, were happy in the knowledge that
it wouldn't Congress remained in ses-
sion, thanks to Mr.. Cannon, and both
Representative Cushman and Senator
Hepburn arrived last Friday evening, in
plenty of time to be Sworn in" and to re-
ceive the nice little Christmas wad of
money. Now, could it be possible that
Speaker Cannon connived at this deter
mined effort to do Uncle Sam out OF
a paltry S2,400? Perish the thought.
The United States Senate has things
down to a fine point 1t has just enough
Committees to give a Craftsmanship to
each Republican Senator, and nine small
No. H.,
among the more important minority MEN,
bers. To be Chairman of Committee
means a good deal. 1t means n Commit
tee room, with fine desk and just as
fine fittings, and a private room back of
this for the Chairman to invite his par
ticular friends into. On occasion the most
delightful little tete-a-tete lunches can be
given in these Committee rooms. There
will not be so much noise of popping
cOrks now. unless the wines are specially
ordered up from down in town, for the
Capitol is really dry"
Speaking of this, 1t does not look as
though there was much disposition to go
back to the saloon in the Capitol. The
doors of the House and Senate restaurant
all swing wide open now, and there is no
danger that school girls who wander into
the Capitol on a sightseeing trip will get
and be piled with Eight wines, or beer.
This used to be done, bat the Capitol
police finally took the matter in hand and
refused to let young girls tramp around
the basement of the Capitol unaccom-
panied by an older person.
Senator Pettus, of Alabama, is in trou-
BILE. Somebody asked him to what he
owed his vigorous health and length of
Mr. paffuc 10 60 Of
He replied that it was because he ate
plenty of good plain food, and avoided
Condiments" 1t seems that the story
got down into Alabama, and some galoot
of country editor not knowing the diff
ference, translated condiments" to mean
gravy" and now the Senator's gravy
eating friends, who are legion, are hot on
his trail for an aristocrat. Senator Pet
tus says he is not a gravy prohibitionist,
and never meant to be.
Representative Parker, of New Jersey,
has taken the bull by the horns, and Is
going to restore the canteen to army posts
if possible. The bill provides: "That
fermented malt beverages and light wines,
but no ardent spirits, may be sold in post
exchanges and on transports, under reg
to be prescribed by the Secre-
tary of War" Its provisions are surely
simple enough, and have been recon-
mended by nearly every officer who has
had to deal with the question.
Representative Patterson, of Tennes-
see, has a pet bill, abrogating the treaty
between the Unite6 States and the Sui
tan of Snlu, and abolishing slavery in the
Philippines Archipelago.
Representative Robinson, of Indiana,
has introduced bill providing for bust
of the late Senator Daniel VOORHEES, to
be placed in the Congressional Library.
Senator voorhees, was a member of the
Committee on Library, and might almost
be said to have been the father of the
bill which created the splendid structure
now acknowledged to be the finest home
for books in the world.
Representative Sheppard, of Texas,
might be dubbed the champion bill intro
ducer" of Congress. He may not intro
duce as many as some of his colleagues, |
but lie can introduce them on more wide |
ly-varying subjects than any other 10
men in Congress. The seed distribution
has always worried him, and now he has
introduced bill providing for the abol- |
ishing of this law. He wants a new one |
made, though, which will make necessary
a new and very elaborate and costly |
scheme OF collection and distribution. He |
wants fancy" seeds collected, and dis |
tributed to farmers for experimenting
with.
Consul Gensral Ehrman has Informed
the State Department that the ReyoIu- |