The Saint Paul globe., 1904-01-30
DEBATES MILEAGE
AND LAND FRAUDS
HOuseIs Divided on Question of
Paying Members for
Extra Trips

WASHINGTON, D. c., Jan. 29.-The
house today considered whether MEM
bers of congress are entitled to be paid
mileage second time. The contro-
versy arose on an item in the urgent
deficiency bill providing for two pay
ments of mileage for senators and
members of the house on account of
the extra session which merged into
the regular session. A point of order
was raised by Mr.. Maddox Dem., Ga)
against the payment of mileage a sec
ond time, and he was supported by
Mr.. Llttlefeld (Rep., Me), who con-
tended that there had been no inter-
regnum, and consequently but one ses-
sion of congress, and there is no au-
thority of law for a second appropria-
ton for mileage.
Mr.. Littlefield was piled with nu-
merous questions as to his interpreta-
ton of the law and the constitution.
An adjournment was taken before
conclusion was reached.
Consideration of the amendment in
creasing the appropriation for the ex-
penses Of the district land offices from
$4,000 to $4,000 precipitated a dis
cussion on the subject of alleged land
frauds. Mr.. Mondell (Rep., Wyo), au-
thor of the amendment, in urging an
increased appropriation, called atten-
ton to the increased volume of busi-
ness. Mr.. Robinson Dem., Ind.) asked
if the increased business was not due to
fraudulent entries.
Fraud Reports Exaggerated.
Mr.. Mondell replied that he had no
knowledge to that effect, and said that
he believed the reports of fraud to be
greatly exaggerated by persons in
whose interest it is to have such re-
ports circulated. The amendment was
adopted.
The provision in the urgent deficien-
cy bill to defray the expenses of the
international exchange commission
and another authorizing the consoli-
dating of customs collection districts
were stricken out.
a discussion was precipitated by a
motion of Mr.. Hay (Va.) to restrict the
purchase of newspapers by the secre-
tary of commerce and labor to those
of a professional character the bill
providing simply for newspapers"
Mr.. Lind (Minn.) thought that an
official of the candor and frankness of
the secretary of commerce and labor,
as manifested in his estimates and his
utterances relative to the sane and
conservative execution of the laws,
made at a recent banquet, could be
entrusted with the expenditure of d
few dollars for newspapers. The pro-
posed amendment failed.
Senate Again Inquiries.
The senate adopted the resolution
introduced by Mr.. Culberson for the
Democratic caucus, which calls on the
president to state whether the senate
has been supplied all the facts bearing
on the controversy of Panama. The
vote on the resolution was unanimous,
but there was a roll call on the amend
ment suggested by Mr.. Cullom, for the
Republican side of the chamber, call
ing for the information only in case
the president should consider 1t not
incompatible with the public interest
to supply it. This amendment was
adopted by vote of 80 to 20, all the
Republican senators present voting for
1t, and all the Democrats, except Mr.
Mclnnery, who voted with the Repub-
hcans> s>casting their votes against it,
There were during the debate fire.
quent assurances that, notwithstand-
ing the modification, all the papers
bearing on the question would be sent
to the senate.
The Bacon resolution looking to the
adjustment of our differences with CO.
lombia by arbitration was considered.
Mr.. Bacon made an extended speech
in support of the proposition, holding
that even if there was no truth in Co
lombia's charge. the mere fact that
charges were made, raised an issue
which should be met in a conciliatory
manner,