The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1904-04-07
THE SPIRIT :.
of CONGRESS,

The discussion ofa.the pension order was
based upon fhe resolution offered some
days ago by Mr. Earmack, directing the
Committee on the. Judiciary to inquire into
the authority IF tie Executive Branch of
the Governmeht to make such an order.
| Mr.. Carmack spoke at some length. con-
tending that no such authority exists, but
| several Republican Senators argued that
| the order was in line with the regulation
| issued by Judge Lochren, who was Mr..
Clevelands Commissioner of Pensions. fix
| ing 80 years of age as an evidence of in
| trinity. They also declared that the new
order would only have the effect of afford
| ing prima facie evidence of disability, and
| not that OF giving a pension solely because
| the age of 62 years had been reached by
| the pension applicant.
Although the Sundry Civil Bill construc-
| lively was under discussion in the House,
| the debate took a wide range, Mr.. Gillett
(Mass) devoting considerable time to an
swering some OF the statements recently
made on the floor by Mr.. Spight Miss
regarding the race question. Mr.. Gillett
declared he had supposed there were no
social grades in the United States. but that
! every man had the right to choose his own
| friends and associates among those most in
sympathy with himself. He defended the
President for inviting Booker Washing
| ton to dine with him. and said the Presi-
| of birth. breeding. and cultivation.
Mr.. Clark (Mo.) made a speech on the
tariff, and injected into it great many
quaint references to leading Republicans
who supported the protection theory. lie
declared unequivocally in favor of the tariff
program for the Democratic party as out.
lined by Mr.. Williams. the floor leader OF
the minority.
| A strong plea for the tobacco growers
was made by Mr.. Trimble (Ky.), who
urged the removal of the tax of six cents
pound on raw tobacco in order that the
producer might sell direct to the con
| sumner.
March 29-The bill authorizing the cree
ton of an additional Executive Depa rtment
| Building i'm Washington was again the
subject of spirited debate in the Senate
and it was before that body for several
| hours without being acted upon. Sena-
! tors divided largely upon the question OF
| location, but the discussion took a wide
range covering the necessity of better of
| flee accommodate for the Senate and the
| Supreme Court.
| During the day there was renewed effort
| to pass the bill prohibiting the misbrand-
ing Of salmon. but owing to the opposition
of Senators. who hold that the bill is cal
culated to interfere with the rights of in
dividual States under the guise of an eff
| fort to control Interstate Commerce, a
vote was not reached.
For the want of speakers. general debate
| on the Sundry Civil Appropriation Bill in
the House wasI closed several hours before
the time agreed junon. and the bill was
read for amendments Seventy-fve pages
We're disposed r1of, !ithe only important
amendment adopted being one providing
for an initial apprdpriation of 100000
for the comDletioniiof the Capitol Build
ing According todshs original design.
Mr. Campbell .(Flan.) and Mr.. Williams
IlLD were the principal speakers, the
former defending the protective tariff policy
of the Republican party, and the latter de-
nouncing the Republicans for failing to
investigate the Post Office Department. Mr..
Williams said THAT. the scandals in that
Department will be4Omc an important is
sue in the ec:uing csflpaign. He arraigned
President ~Rooseueltinnd Attorney General
Knox regardiDgp the trusts. Before lie
came into office the President. he said. was
recognized as "trust buster" but since
then all his indictments against the trusts
were at once turned into apologies. He said
the President was harmless agitatOr,"
and declared him to be an unsafe man.
March 3O.-The Senate began considera-
ton of the Post Office Appropriation Bill
and it was the signal for revival of the
Democratic demand for an investigat ton
into the charges Of corruption in the Post
Office Department.
The debate was initiated by Mr.. German,
who spoke for almost two hours in criti-
cism of the course of the Republican party
| in the Senate in refusing an inquiry. at
| the same time charging the Post Office
| Committee with undue haste in reporting
| the bill. as he did the Republican party
| with desire to adjourn Congress at an ex-
/ Il In ~
wishes of the President. Mr.. Clay con-
tended that there should be a Congressional
| inquiry. saying that the charges against
Mr.. Heath, ex.Fifst Assistant ,Postma ster.
General, were such Us to demand investi.
| CATION.
Mr.. Penrose and Mr.. Lodge spoke for the
Republican side of the Chamber. defend.
| ing the Committee oIfI'ost Offices against
| the charge of haste, and also the Admins
/ tration Mr.. Lodge contended that Con
gress could not make an inquiry that would
be as thorough as that already made BY
the Post Office Department. He charged
the Democratic attack to desire to find
a political issue. Mr.. Scott quoted Dis
trict-Attorney Beach and Assistant Attor
ney- General Robb as saying that there was
not sufficient evidence upon which to in
diet Mr.. Heath.
Substantial progress was made by the
House in the consideration of the Sundry
Civil Bill. 81 pages being disposed of. leav
ing only q to be read. No amendments
of general importance were read.
Mr.. Bartlett (Ga.) briefly replied to thu
statements of Mr.. Gillett (Mass.), made
last Monday, on the negro question. HI
said that the Massachusetts member hal
lectured the South for disregard of viola
tons of the law, whereas in the city Of
Marion, Mass, persons who had tarred ant
feathered q man and woman had been &C
quilted and were paraded through tn,
streets as heroes. He believed that th,
people OF the South are entitled to worl
out the negro problem cas- God shall viii
it,"
Mr.. Crumpacker (Ind.) declared tina
1900 persons have been mobbed and pu
to death In the last 25 years in the United
States.
March s1.-TEe attention of the senat,
was divided between the bill for the repea
of the desert la1a. the timber and stone
and the homestead communication laws ant
the Post Office appropriation bill. The re
peal bill was taken up only for the pur
pose of discussion, and Mr.. Clark. O
; Wyoming, was the principal speaker. I'll,
contested the positjop taken BY Mr.. Glib
son that there kavA hoon Sroaf frouds (,