The leader., 1904-04-23
NEWS AND NOTES.
A Summary Of Important Events.
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS.

(Firet SESSION.
Senate-The Culberson amendment 10
| the post office appropriation bill provid-
Ing for a commission to investigate the
| post ofice department was before the
senate, on the 18th, and after being ruled
out OF order In modified form, was pend
ing when the senate adjourned. Mr.. Cor
man made an earnest plea for an investi.
cation, saying the post office department
had cast reflections upon members. of
congress and that a thorough examina-
tion should be had Mr.. Aldrich answered
that the amendment finally modified
meant nothing; tnat II an investigation
was to be had 1t should be "a live one"
ported by the committee on rivers and
harbors appropriating sS,00o,000 for the
restoration or maintenance of channels,
or of other river and harbor improve
ments. Mr.. Burton, chairman Of the
committee, in explaining the bill, urged
the adoption of settled principles with
Clark (Mo.) made plea for the improve
ment of the Missouri river. Quite large
number of bills Of minor Importance were
passed. At sos o'clock p. m the house
adjourned.
Senate-A sharp colloquy occurred in
the senate. on the 18th, between Senators
Teller ana Hopkins, growing out OF the
reading by Mr.. Teller of letter written
by the late Gen. H. H. Thomas of Chi
eago, attacking the civil service admin
istration of the treasury department. The
incident occurred In connection with the
discussion of the post office appropriation
bill. That measure was under discussion
during the first half of the session, and
was passed. all amendments offered by
the democrats being voted down. The
bill providing form of government for
the Panama canal zone was taken up,
but debate on it had not been begun
The race question was again injected
into the proceedings of the house of rep
resentatives when Mr.. Scott (Kas) de-
livered a long address, in which he re-
fnrrnd tO hiQ nrpVfOnS abatement that 1T
was current in Kansas that eX-President
Cleveland had dined c. H.. j. Taylor,
rsaS neGTH ems The spGiif1
leader, defended the attitude of the south
toward the negro.
Senate-The senate, on the 18th, began
consideration Of the bill providing for the
The greater part of the day was occupied
by Mr.. Morgan, in support of amend
ments offered by himself. None of them
was nearly half completed. Mr.. Morgan
attacked the new Panama canal company,
and contended that the United States
provisions of the treaty with Panama, re-
CARELESS of the demands of that company
go. House-Under special rule the
bill amending the law relating to the
Philippine islands. The provision in the
bill in reference to the granting of rail-
road franchises and the guaranteeing of
five per cent. on the cash capital actually
invested in such railroads was opposed
by Mr.. Jones (Va~), who alleged that
British and Belgian capitalists were ready
to build the roads without such guaran-
tee. At $50 p. m. the house adjourned.
Senate-The senate devoted the entire
day, on the 14th, to consideration of the
bill for the government of the Panama
canal zone, and Mr.. Morgan again occu-
pied the floor most of the day. The dis
cussion related principally to details of
governing the canal, but some considera-
ment requiring the use of American bot
toms in the shipment of canal supplies
to the zone. Consideration of the bill
was not concluded when senate ad-
journed ..... House-The house of repre-
sentatives passed the Philippine bill, fol-
lowing which there was an extended de-
bate over Fssoiution tb permit Col
corps of the army, to serve on the ad-
visory board of consulting engineers in
Connection with internal improvements In
ficiency bill was taken up, and Mr.. Ham
ilton (Mich) discussed capital and labor,
while Mr.. Cochran (Mo.) criticized the
''usurpation of the legislative power by
the executive" and said that ex-Presi-
dent Cleveland had given the most nota-
BILE instance of such usurpation in forcing
his financial policies on the people Saa He He
into exile, never again to be, reinstated
in the confidence of the people. At 5:1(
p. m. house adjourned.
Senate-After a day devoted to routine
proceedings, the senate, on the 18th. was
treated to a spirited speech by Mr.. Bailey,
just before adjournment. on the question
of civil service. The subject came up ir
connection with a paragraph in the sun
dry civil appropriation bill. Mr.. Bailey
announced in plain terms that he had nc
sympathy with the irridescent dream OF
civil service. He declared that each party
should control the patronage while in
power, and avowed himself spokesman.
The civil service appropriation bill was
taken up, and when the senate adjourned
about half of 1t had been read. At SAC
the senate adjourned. 49,. House-Consid-
Grafton of the general deficiency bill was
resumed in the house, after a number of
dents recent order regarding service pen
sions was attacked by Mr. Underwood
(Ala), who contended that there was no
warrant in law for it. The president also
of certain suspensions of the civil service
rules and regulations.