Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1904-12-14
WORK OF CONGRESS
PROCEEDINGS IN HOUSE.

Bills were introduced by Mr. Hull, chair
man of the committee on military affairs,
on the 9th, appropriating $1,0OO0OO annually
G to promote rifle practice; by Mr. Hill of
of silver certificates in gold coin and direct
Ing the secretary cGe of the treasury to set
the purpose; by Mr. Lafean of Pennsyl-
yania, allowing rural mail carriers fifteen
days leave of absence each year with pay
by Mr.. LittlefielG Of Maine, requiring COZ
porations to make annual reports to the
commissioner Of corporations, and by Mr..
Roberts of Massachusetts, providing pen
sion OF SIS a month for the widows of I'M
ion soldiers sailors and marines. Mr..
Shackelford Of Missouri introduced resolu
ton providing for an inquiry into the If.
fairs of the Panama Railway company, and
Mr. Doemer Of Pennsylvania one providing
for the printing Of 10000 additional copies
OF the Jefferson. Bible. The Presidents
tee of the whole House on the state Of the
Union .nh and ordered printed. Adjourned at
2'23 p. m.
In the House on December 7 Mr. Bingham
OF Pennsylvania reported the Legislative,
executive and judicial appropriation bill
and gave notice that he would CALI it up
reading OF the journal today: In commit
tee of the whole parts of the Presidents
message were referred to committees hav
ing Jurisdiction over the several subjects.
Adjourned at I2:15 p.
Bills to reduce southern representation
were were introduced on the 9Th by Messrs Sher-
syyania. Mr.. Bingham OF Pennsylvania
called up the legislative, executive and judi
ciai appropriation bill, explaining its pro
visions. The annual attack on the civil
service commission was begun, Messrs. Mad
doX of Georgia, Grosvenor of Ohio and
Hepburn Of Iowa severely criticising the
system. Mr.. Hepburn said 1t was un-
American and unfit for our uses" The pay
OF stenograDhers to committees Of the
House was reduced from $1,000 to $500
year by vote of II to 60. The House re-
fused to accept provision increasing the
pay of the secretary to the civil service
commission from $225O to $4,000 year. Mr..
Gillett of Massachusetts defended the civil
service system. Mr.. Williams of Mississippi
suggested the fixing of 2 certain period for
which an employe should serve the govern
ment. Mr.. Hepburn moved to strike out the
appropriation for the commission. The
bin was then laid aside and at SIG p. III.
the House adjourned.
concurrent resolution providing for ad-
jOurnment from December 81 to January 4
1905, was adopted on the 9th. Monday next
was set aside for consideration of private
pension bills. Consideration of the legiSIa-
tive, executive and judicial appropriation
bill was resumed in committee of the whole
the pending question being motion by Mr..
Hepburn Of Iowa to strike out the appro>
priation for the civil service commission.
This was los on a viva voce vote. pro-
vision for rural carrier examining board
was stricken out on point of order by
Mr.. Olmstead of Pennsylvania that it was
new legislation. A paragraph declaring il
to be unlawful to detail clerks other en-
ployeS in the department at Washington
for duty with the civil service cOmmiss on
also was stricken out. A motion of Mr..
Perkins of New York TO strike out the APP
preparation of $50, 600 for work on the pub
lication If the naval records of the rebel
lion was lost. On points of order provisions
for the salary of the chief of the bureau
of manufacturers of the department of com
merce and labor and for $4,000 compensa-
ton and expenses for specialists to make in
vestigatonS under that department were
stricken out. Mr.. Baker of New York Sc
verely criticised the bureau, of corporations,
saying too much money had been spent for
specialists while nothing had been accom-
plished toward an investigation of the
trusts. 1t is a notorious fact, he said, that
the steel rail association eXactS a tribute
Pile, but he had been informed that the
House judiciary committee would report adj
versely his resolution to investigate the
association on the ground that it was "a
rumor." By a vote of 40 to 63 the House
restored to $1,000 the salary for stenograph-
ers for House committees, which was cut
passed. Mr.. Palmer of Pennsylvania, from
the committee on the Judiciary, submitted
the supplemental report of the majority of
the committee on the Swayne impea chment
case The minority were given until Mon
day to file their report Adjournment at
5:25 D. M until Monday.
Fourteen private pension bills were passed
in committee of the whole on the 18th.
Bills were passed amending the law pre-
venting the carrying of immoral literature
into any state or territory so as to prevent
ter; authorizing the construction of bridge
across Thief river, Minnesota; permitting
the maintenance OF certain dams ana
bridges on the st. Joseph river in Indiana
and Michigan; providing a. penalty of not
to exceed $1,000, or one years imprisonment,
or both, for anyone who knowingly pastures
stock on a government forest reserve with
out proper permit; transferring the forest
reserves from the interior to the agricul-
tural department. Mr.. Hill of Connecticut
called up his currency bill and spoke in sup
port of it. Mr.. Williams of Mississippi said
influences were at work to dsplace govern
ment provided money with bank provided
money, enabling the banks to make profit
on it, and that the bill would double the
possibility of the preparation of 1.-The in
iquitous wrong The bill was laid aside
after being made continuing order after
the Swayne resolution, the special order for
the 18th A bill granting use of the Wash
ington monument lot for a railway appli-
ance exhibition called mp. and oppoSi-
| ton by Mr.. Mann of Illinois developed the
absence of a quorum, forcing an adjourn
| ment at $50 p. m.
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