The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1904-03-24
THE SPIRIT
OF CONGRESS,

/ type taxing up the entire session. The
Chair overruled a point Of order made
discussion on the merits. 1t was ia
vored by Senators Cockrell, Perkins. Plat
Comm, Warren, and Proctor, while Sen
ators Daniel, Martin, Berry, Gallinger,
Lodge, and Mallory opposed the Army. en-
| tering into experiments with submarine
boats and usurping what they alleged to
be Naval function.
Legislation for the District Of Columbia
and the Post Office Appropriation bill oc-
cupied the attention of the House of Rep
| resentatiyes. The Rural Free Delivery SER
vice received most attention. Credit for
the establishment of this service was
ella imcd by speakers for both parties, and
| both sides declared their friendship for it.
Mr.. Patterson Uenn), suggested Mr.
Williams, the minority floor leader, for the
Presidency, but he also coupled with it the
names Of Carlisle and Senator Bailey
CTexas) as good Southern candidates. His
eulogy of former President Cleveland was
cheered by the Democrats.
Messrs. Douglass and Sulzer IN. "
spoke on the New York Post Office prob
lem, the former fayOring downtown site
and the latter the Pennsylvania Railroad
Station site.
March 15.-The Senate passed the For
tihcaton Appropriation bill after three
hours discussion of the amendment au-
/
torpedO-bOat and the provision for the
purchase Of sites for defense works in the
Hawaiian Islands. The torpedo-boat pro-
vision was stubbornly fought, but the
amendment suggested by the Committee
on Appropriations was retained. The Ha-
waiian provision, which had been elimi-
mated by the committee, was restored and
the sum increased from $500 600, as fixed
by the House, to 1926, 100.
| Severa! minor bills were passed. One of
these appropriates 81 coo, GOO for q public
building at Atlanta, Ga. 30.
During the discussion of the Post Office
Appropriations bill in the House the recent
| garding Congressional solicitation OF clerk
hke allowances and rental tof quarters to
the Government was again brought up.
Mr.. Griggs (Ga.) got into an argument
with Mr.. Cooper (Wis) as to the. author
ship OK the document, and insisted, over
the protest Of Mr.. Cooper, that it was pre-
pared under the direction Of Gen. Bristow.
He defended the committee, OF which
he is o member, In giving publicity to the
report, sayiLg that. the United States is
too powerful and too great to convict any
man by q suppression of the facts. He
said the members OF the House after
threats to tear the roof off the Depart
ment," had turned tail and voted that the
Department should investigate the Con
| gressmen.
Mr.. Burton (OhioJ delivered a carefully
prepared speech on the subject Of in
creases in National expenditures and
warned the House against extravagance.
! Under the latitude of debate, Mr. Ruck-
er (Mo9 attacked the protective tariff sys-
tenn of the Republican party. while Mr..
Fitzgerald IN. ~ discussed labor legis.
lation and the decisions Of Judge Alton
b. Parker on labor questions.
The right of the President Of the United
States to utilize the yachts Mayfower and
Sylph was questioned by Mr.. Cochran
thority of law for it.
March 16-After pressing few minor
| bills the Senate went into Executive SEES
sion, and devoted the time till 4:5O p. m.
chiefly in the discussion Of the nomina ton
| of Gen. Wood.
In the. House during the discussion of
| the Post Office Appropriation bill. Mr..
Spight (fiss.). discussed the negro ques-
ton, and took occasion to call attention to
| the injustice in the O. cks on the peOple
OF the South, who had been charged with
brutality and barbarism toward the col
ored race. Comparing the lynchings and
burnings at the stake which had occurred
in the South with those in the North, he
said that the people Of the South. in
melting out punishment to negro who
had committed a fiendish crime, never fol-
lowed it UP with violence toward defense
less women and children, as had been done
in the North.
He declared that President Roosevelt
action in inviting Booker Washington to
dine at. the White House had done more
to inf1ame the passions Of the negro and
4 TO give him a perverted idea of his i'm
portance and his near approach to social
equality than anything that had been done
for the last 10 years.
Subsidies to railroads for special mail
M In INV 80
cism by Mr.. Robinson Qnd.) and Mr..
Gaines fFenu.).. the latter characterizing
them as "legadzed steal"
Rural maia carriers found many friends
on the floor wis advocated increased pay
for them ami the privilege to act rs
j Mr.. Flood VS. denied that Perry S.
Heath was entitled to. credit for inaugu-
rating rural FREQ delivery. He said Heath
made the claian,l "notwithsta nding the fact
that he-had MT get emerged from the Post
Office scandal Nth name as unsullied
as the ALPINE SHOWS thrice bleached by
Northern blasts"
4 March 1TS-Ssnator Quarles resumed
his speech iHo dssense Of Gen. Leonard
Wood when fLe Senate went into Execu-
tive session. ] He took up the charge Of
insubordiRa tion and asserted that Gen.
Woods eondnetIin Cuba had the full APP
prevail of the War Department, rs it had
also In relation to the various conccs-
sions granted by him at Havana after he
became the Military Governor. The inter
esting feature Of the afternoon was an ex-
position Of the game Of jai alai, for which
Gen. Wood granted q concession.
Just before Adjournment Mr. Southwick
n IN. y precipitated brief but lively de-
bate in the House by having read an edi
torial from the New York World, giving
Republicans credit for antitrust legisla-
ton and the merger prosecution. It was
offered by way OF reply to Mr.. Williams.
who asked Wednesday if the merger de-
as n theatrical political trick. Mr.. VIII
liams, after the editorial had been read.
declared that the securities prosecution
was instigated by Gov. Van SAINT. whom
he styled "a blanket-Ind;an Republican"
who refused to consult headquarters,
case docketed, the Administration prior to