The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-12-21
HOUSE CONTINUES
 GENERAL DEBATES
Shooting at Clay Pigeons" as
 One Member Expresses it
BOWIE ON COTTON REPORT
Alabama Representative Says Govern nent Reports Are Correct and Praises Secretary of Aeri-
 culture Wilson.

Washington, December 20.-The House continued to shoot "clay pigeons today as a member put it and the debate on general topics continued for hours. It is understood that with adjournment today, the general debate on the presidents mes sage. which has been in progress for seven days, has been concluded, and that the session tomorrow is to be a brief one when adjournment for the holi- days will be taken
 A feature of the discussion today was a defense of the agricultural department by southern members who endorsed the government cotton statistics
 Mir Bowie of Alabama in upholding the accuracy of these statistics stated that during the past year they had deviated from the actual crop but seven-tenths of one per cent.
 The House agreed to the conference on the Panama canal appropriation bill.
 The conference report on the emer- gency appropriation for Panama canal work was taken up in the House today immediately on the converting of that body. MT. Williams was informed on inquiry that the House provision in the bill requiring information to be given to Congress on its demand from canal employees had been eliminated. He wanted separate vote on that amendment but Mr Hepburn said under the rule the conference report must be accepted or rejected as whole. After a protest by MT. Williams the conference report was adopted without further opposition.
 MT. Payne reported from the ways and means committee the Philippine tariff bill, and gave notice that it would be called up for consideration January 4. The minority was given permission to file its views and a substitute bill Thursday.
 Efforts to conclude the general debate on the reference of the presidents mes sage today failed. It was agreed, how ever, that this debate should conclude tomorrow and in putting this question, Speaker Cannon remarked general debate will close tomorrow. whether the com mittee of the whole Is in session or not"
 A beneficial result to insurance was pre- dicted by Mir Macon of Arkansas as a result of the recent developments in New York. He strongly opposed interference with state control. On the railroad rate question MT Macon expressed hearty
  Believes President Right. CT believe the president to be right. believe it is his purpose to be the pres dent of the whole people of this union he said
 Referring to the recent bank failures | in Chicago Mr. Prince of Illinois made | the point that with the present limited number of national bank examiners 1t was impossible for those officials to cover | the ground required by them. There I were he said two sections of the revised | statutes which the department Of Jus- | tice might do well to consider for the purpose of applying A penalty to delin- l ouent bank officials. One of these sec l lions nrohibits national banks from lend ing to one borrower more than tenth or | their canital The other section applies l to embedding bank officials. and provides penalty of fine and imprisonment. MT Prince said there were 5SoS national banks and but ffty-eight examiners Perhaps l congress was at fault Tn this respect. tte did not think there was laxity In the nresent comptroller of the currency, but 1 if was evident there was fault some l where MT Gillespie of Texas suggested | that the comptroller had declared the law 1 restricting loans too stringent to be en- l forced.
 l MT Prince replied that the best way 1 rid a l The word maximum" MT. Gillespie as l serted was the joker in the railroad rate | situation. This word. he said. was the only change the President had made in his l recommendation on the subject since l which a great calm had come over the 1 railroad opposition .
 The president of the Pennsylvania rail- road. said MT. Gillespie. had told sen ator from Pennsylvania that his road would make no opposition to the legisla- l ton and believed this change. allowing 1 a maximum rate only to be fixed. would afford no remedy for unjust rates. Expulsion for hazing at Annapolis. was asked by MT. Chandler of Mississippi
 Bowie Is Satisfied.
 Contending that the cotton crop esti- 1 mates of the department Of agriculture
 had been assailed both by the cotton 1 growers because the estimates were too small, MT. Bowie of Alabama, expressed | satisfaction with the estimates
 For the last six years he said, the es- | inmates of the department had been | within seven-tenths of one per cent of | accuracy For all practical purposes this l was as satisfactory possible and vindi-
 cated the accuracy and honesty of the l report. He opposed the suggestion to dis | continue the December estimate TOT one l in January.
 MT Wanger of Pennsylvania, suggested
 1t was the cotton spectators and not the l growers manufacturers or consumers
 which fixed the price of cotton. Mir Bowie, after admitting the evil of
 speculation, and the impossibility of abol- ishing it, contended that the actual sup l ply and demand also was important
 should the department estimates be abol- 1 ished he said reports would be made by
 private associations and firms who are l opponents, all of which, he alleged would
 be confusing. With 5000 men on their lists,
 he contended the government could make l a more impartial report.
 Mir Lowering of Massachusetts, asked l for an explanation of what he said was a
 discrepancy in the report of cotton | gnned.
 The answer, MT. Bowie said, would be
 found in the variation of the bales. He
 concluded with praise of the Secretary of | Agriculture. The debate concluded with a
 ten minutes speech by MT. Garrett of 1 Tennessee on the subject of insurance
 The House at 4:55 adjourned until to- | morrow.
 Cation Factory Burned