The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-01-16

Washington. January 1.-THE senate
today acted promptly on the house bill
providing rebates of the duty on coal
and passed 1t unanimously without de-
bate few minutes after it was brought
over from the house.
| Senator Aldrich offered a committee
amendment adding a new section TO
the bill. providing that the provisions
| OF paragraph Ais Of the Dingley Act
shall not hereafter be constructed 70 aa
thorize the imposition Of any duty up
on anthracite coal. Senator AldIich
asked immediate consideration.
Senator Vest remarked that he hoped
the bill would pass without a single
dissenting vote. AS amended the bill
passed unanimously.
The militia bill also passed, with an
amendment striking out Of the bill the
section providing for a reserve force
of trained men, thus removing the OBJ
jections made against it.
The House OF Representatives.
Washington, January 1.-THE bill ~
ported from the ways and means COM
mittee yesterday to provide for re-
bate of the duties on foreign coal for e
period OF one year. was passed IN
short order by the house today by prac-
tically a unanimous vote, 258 to 5, those
voting against 1T being Messrs. Cush-
nan and Jones, of Washington: Gaines
OF West Virginia, Mondell Of Wyoming
and Patterson of Pennsylvania, ali re-
publicans. The bill was considered un-
der the opera ton of a rule which cut
off opportunity to amend.
The only opposition to the measure
came from some of the members rep
resenting coal states. who expressed the
fear that the admission of the Chinese
mined coal in Canada would injure the,
coal industry Of their states. Both NJ
Dalzell. Of Pennsylvania and Mr.. Payne
OF New York, the republican lea ieV
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 20 90
what it could. The democrats, although
they all supported the bill. took the
view that coal did not go far enouz.
Sc ying that coal should go on the free
list. and when the bill came back from
/ the senate with a provision which vir-
tually placed anthracite coal on the
free list. they applauded vigorously.
Mr.. Dalzell in the course of his re-
tlcally no anthracite coal in the world
except that in the United States ami
a little in China. The senate amend
| ment was adopted without division.
During the debate Mr.. Richardson
said when the stress of emergency
came there was perforce recourse %
| democratic doctrine.
Mr. Williams Of Mississippi. who fol-
! lowed Mr.. Richardson contended tina
| the removal o: the duties must result
| In reducing the price Of coal. Mr.. Dali
| zell declared that the hypocrisy OF the
other side was apparent from the re-
| marks of Mr.. Richa ardson. The opposi-
| ton he said, was simply playing poh-
| tics. The democratic "perfidy and dis
honor bill had contained a duty On
coal. Mr.. Maddox, of Georgia, .e-
| nounced the whole proceeding es q
/ piece OF humbug.
| Cochran, OF Missouri, declared that
this was late day repentance" on the
other side. If the president and de-
partment of justice, he said. had done
| their duty months ago when they ware
| Eailavanting around denouncing trusts,
| 1.-The situation would be different now."
! Rapid progress was made with the
army appropriation bill after the coal
bill had been passed The most i'm
portant amendments adopted were to
/ increase the number OF officers of the
| signal corps by twenty-three, namely.
one colonel, two Heutenants colonies,
four majors, eight captains and eight
| first 1ieutenants and another offered "
| Mr. Hay, OF Virginia, to prevent the
discontinuance Of the army transport
| service without action by congress. The
house adjourned until tomorrow.