Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1904-03-16
PROCEEDINGS IN THE HOUSE.

rNo~LEOANTS LIN LIE dOUSE.
The time Of the House on the 9Th was
devoted to the consideration of claim bills,
and thirty-two were passed. One relating
the ship Beaumont, formerly British craft,
wrecked off the coast Of Nova Scotia and
later rebuilt by eto an American gave rise to
Speaker Cannon, In ruling on the confer
ence report on the legislative, executive and
judicial appropriation bill, stood by a for
could not insert new matter, and the bill
was sent back to conference. At sos p. n.
the House adjourned.
When the House met on the 9th Bourke
Cochran was sworn In. Mr.. Overstreet sug-
gested postponement Of consideration Of the
Hay resolution bearing upon the Bristow
report Mr.. Hay objected. Mr.. Hepburn Of
Iowa said an investigation would bring out
no facts not brought to light by the com
mittee report, to which William Alden
Smith retorted that facts had been SUP
pressed and could be discovered Mr.. Hep
burn said no member Of the House Of Rep
resentatives desired to screen anyone Mr.
ed the corruption in the Dostofice depart
ment investigated, not by the friends OF the
men whose guilt was suspected, but by Il
committee appointed by the speaker. Mr.
resolution. He said there was In no In
stance any violation Of the law whatever
by any member of Congress in making
recommendation either for clerk hire or III
crease of rental Of postoffice buildings. An
other committee would reach the same con-
illusions that the previous committee bad
reported. Mr.. Overstreet moved that the
debate be continued until d O'Clock to-
morrow, which was agreed to unanimously.
Various members mentioned in the Bristow
report condemned 1t. The naval apIropria-
tion bill was sent to conference, and at
5 O'Clock the House adjourned.
In the House on the 10th the speaker az
nounced the appointment of w. Bourke
Cochran of New York as a member Of the
committee on ways and means. Mr.. Over
street secured unanimous consent for Il
continuation tomorrow of the order limiting
debate the report Of the postofice de-
partment involving representatives and
senators until o'clock. Mr. Finley IS. c.
announced the death of his colleague,
George William Croft. Resolutions of SYM
pathy and regret were adopted. The speak
tee to represent the House at the funeral:
Messrs. Finley, Aiken, Johnston, Legare,
Scarborough, Lever, LOudeHslager, Patter
son. Richardson, McLain, Houston, Sibley.
Weisse and Jackson. AS a further mark OF
respect the House at 1910 p. NJ adjourned.
After nearly seven hours of explanation,
accusation and vituperatiye denunciatjon.
the House on the 18th ordered an investiga
ton of postal affairs, only so far as mem
bers of the House are concerned. by select
committee of seven members to be appoint
ed by the speaker. who likewise are to eX
anime into the origin Of the BristOw report
SO far as 1t concerns members of the House
There were only two negative votes to the
order. The demand of the minority for
sweeping investigation of every branch of
the pOstef1ce department was not granted.
The test on this question came on vote
over q point of order. which resulted IA 20
125. strict party vote. During the debate
William Alden Smith condemned the execu-
tive department for 'its arrogant treatment
of the only branch of the government in di-
rect touch with the people of the country"
and shouted out the name of Speaker Can
non for President of the United States,
The recommendation of the committee that
the Hay resolution lie on the table was
voted down unceremoniously. Mr.. Hearst
On. " introduced Dill creating an inter
state commerce court, and authorizing the
Interstate commerce commission to fix
freight rates. The House adjourned at GAO
p. II.
In the House on the 10Th Speaker Cannon
,, announced the special committee to investi-
gate the Indictment report from the post
office department as follows: Mccall 0tep.,
Ohio, chairman; Hit tRep. I'D, Burton
(Rep Ohio, Metcalf rep. CALI, McDer-
mott Dem, n. -. Bartlett Dem. Ga)
bills passed were the following: Directing
the secretary of war to eXpend $123,000
heretofore appropriated for a deep-water
channel through Sabine Pass, Texas; the
conference report on the legislative, execu-
tive and judicial appropriation bills; reso-
luton calling on the civil service commits
sion for information as to how many times
the civil service law and regulati tons have
been suspended since it's operation was
agreed to; making Salt Lake City a port
of delivery, and 264 pension bills. At ; y.
M. the House adjourned.
In the House on the 18th bill was passed
authorizing an exchange of sites for the
public buildings of Garland county, Arkan-
sas Legislation for the District of Column
bia followed. and after disposing of matters
of local interest the House resumed con-
sideration of the postoffice appropriation
BILL in committee of the whole. with Mr..
Boutell in the chair. MI. Powers (Mass.),
in referring to the scenes in the House last
week, justified the show of temper because
of the postal report. Mr.. Moon (Tenn.).
agreed and gave notice of an amendment TO
the bill increasing the appropriation for
the detection of frauds under the postal
law. The House applauded political
eulogv of Grover Cleveland by Mr.. Patter
son (Tenn) and q euogy of the late Presi-
dent Mckinley by the same member. AS
possible candidates he mentioned Represcn-
tative Williams, John G. Carlisle and Sen
ator Bailey. An effort by mail carriers to
Influence legislation raising their salaries
led to questions as to the proprety of such
efforts. The House ordered committed to
the Judiciary committee the Jenkins BILL
| making the statute of limitations five years
instead of three in it's application to offenses
by government officials. A bill was passed
making Dayton, o., SUPPORT of entry.
Messrs. Douglas and Suzer of New York
| spoke on the New York postoffice situation.
the former favoring a downtown site and
the latter the PENNSYLVANIA Railroad station
site 5.01 IN tnp House nd iOuruol.