Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1904-04-13
PROCEEDINGS IN THE SENATE.

The Senate on the 9Th listened to two
hours speech by MIR. Morgan on the Pana-
ma canal question. He advocated the pas
sage of his resolution requesting informal
tjor from the attorney general concerning
concessions to tile original Panama Canal
company and his talk in the main was an
arraignment of the new company. In spite
of his appeal the resolution was referred TO
the committee on interoceanic canals.
Amendments to the postotfce appropriation
bin were passed as follows: Increasing
from two to four ounces the size of franked
letters; adding twenty-five members to the
force of rural free delivery agents, but de-
laying the appropriation for their main
tenance; appropriating $4,000 for carrying
mails from San Francisco to Tahiti. The
regulations for the inspection of steam yes
sells; authorizing the selection Of 10000
acres OF public lands in the state of Min
nesoa for forestry Si PURPOSES poses MI Simmons
commission to investigate the several ex-
ecutive departments OF the government.
After a brief executive session the Senate
at 4:3U p. m. adjourned.
The Senate on the 9th passed number
Of minor bills and resolution authorizing
the printing of 10000 copies of Il recent
report the beet sugar industry. Mr..
Hepburn spoke in support of the pure-food
law advocating the McCumber bill instead
of the Hepburn bill. The Senate adopted
resolution asking the department of agri
its investigation Of drugs. Consideration
of the postotiice appropriation bill was
sumed, and Mr.. Quarles spoke for his
amendment increasing the pay of rural car
rers. MeSsrS Money, Nelson and Latimer
opposed abolshing the parcel-delivery priv
iicges of the rural carriers. Finally the
amendment by Mr.. Quarles ruled out
of order The committee amendment to
permit carriers to receive newspaper and
magazine subscriptions and deliver parcels
was agreed to. Mr.. Hopkins request that
the Chicago underground mail service pro
vision be restorted to the bill was acted
upon favorably, and al 800 p. m, after
rt.A- 1.-Two thn 10
adjourned.
The Senate on the eth listened to eulogies
of the late Senator Hanna. The galleries
were well filled and the speakers were given
close attention. Those who spoke were
Messrs. Foraker, Scott, Cockrell, Plate
Comm, Cullom, Blackburn, Elkins, Fair
Deliver Kearns and Dick. Memorial reso-
buttons were adopted and at 4 33 o'clock the
Senate adjourned.
The contracts for the canceling machines
in the postofice department were debated
at length in the Senate on the Sth in con-
nection with the postoffice bill. An amend
ment by Mr. Culberson limiting the rental
of the machines to their cost was defeated.
The consideration of the bin not CON-
pleted. The first hour Of the session was
devoted to 4 discussion by Mr.. Patterson of
the Chinese question. in which he main
tanned that the exclusion laws would be in
effective after December unless there was
additional legislation. After short execu-
tive session the Senate at p. N adjourned.
In the Senate IN the 9th MIR. Spooner re-
piled to the Democratic structures on the
conduct of the postoffice demartment He
defended the course of the postmaster gen
eral and charged that the effort on the
part of the Democratic senators to secure
congressional inquiry was in the interest of
party politics. He also defended the PreSi-
dent against attacks. No progress was made
on the postoffice bill The conference report
on the Indian appropriation bill was partly
read, but further consideration was post
poned on the suggestion that the conferecs
had inserted provisions that had not been
passed upon by either house. The bill for
the aid OF the Portland. Ore, exposition was
passed. as was the Philippine shipping bill
Mr.. Cullom introduced bin permitting the
have been prevented from going to their
posts by reason IF the war in the far east
A bin was introduced by Mr.. Lodge in,
creasing the salary of the consul at New
Chwang to $4,000. AT ) p. m. the Senate
went into executive session and at 80 D.
m. adjourned.
The Culberson amendment to the postof-
fee appropriation bill. providing for Il com
mission to investigate the postoffice depart
ment before the Senate on the 18th,
and in n modified form was pending when
the session NaS ended. Mr. German made
an earnest plea for an investigation. Mr..
Aldrch in reply said the amendment Us
finally modified meant nothing, and declared
that if any specific charges were brought
in they would be looked into by Congress.
Semi-political speeches were made by
Messrs. Teller and Simmons. The confer
ence report and the Indian appropraticE
bill were recommitted to the committee on
Indian affairs. The invitation for the Sen
ate to attend the opening of the Louisiana
Purchase exposition, April 80. was lad be-
fore the Senate Mr.. Patterson proposed
an amendment to the sundry civil bill for
the purpose of making amendment %
the Chinese exclusion act. Mr.. McComaS
proposed an amendment to the bill provid-
ing for the temporary government of the
Panama canal zone in order to extend the
shipping laws of the United States to bust
ness between the United States and the
canal zone. At Clio p. III. the Senate adj
jOurned