Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1905-02-16
CONGRESS.

foreign commerce as well as urgent
recommendations of the president on
the subject, the house of representa-
tives yesterday began debating the
proposed legislation looking to the
regulation of railway freight rates.
This action was taken only after de-
termined opposition by the Demo
Gratis, led by John Sharpe Williams of
Mississippi. the minority leader. to
the adoption of rule which would
shut out the opportunity to amend
the bill. Two Republicans, Messrs.
Southwick and Vreeland of New
York, voted against the rule, and one
Democrat, Mr.. Gaines of Tennessee,
voted for it. Otherwise party lines
were tightly drawn.
Messrs. Townsend of Michigan, one
of the authors of the bill under con-
sideration, and Richardson (Ala.) oc.
cupied the remainder of the day in
discussing it, both sounding note Of
warning to the railroads that unless
they joined hands with congress in
the matter the people would demand
more QTdSllC lGSlSlaIiOQ.
The long drawn out general debate
on the bill creating two states out of
the Territories of Oklahoma and In
dian Territory and New Mexico and
Arizona, was concluded yesterday
with speech by Mr.. Beveridge
which consumed the greater part of
the days session.
The only other important business
Of the day was the receipt through
the house managers of the houses
replication to Judge Swayne's answer
In the impeachment trial.
Washington, Feb. 8. = After a con-
tinuous sitting of almost nine hours
the senate at S:45 o'clock last night
passed the joint statehood bill. AS
passed the bill provides for the adj
mission of the States of Oklahoma, to
be composed of Oklahoma and Indian
Territory, and New Mexico, according
to the present boundaries, with Ari-
iona eliminated. The long session
was characterized by exciting Incl
dents and many surprises. Beginning
promptly upon the converting at IL
O'Clock the senate proceeded to con-
slider the various amendments which
had been suggested by the committee
on territories, and which had been
passed over One of the first of these
taken up was the amendment prohib-
ftlnp tho c1on nf int
In what is now Indian Territory for
the next ten years, and this was dis
placed by substitute offered by Mr..
Gallinger which extended the amend
ment to the entire state for period
OF twentyone years, and this was
adopted
The feature of the debate in the
house yesterday on the freight rate
bill was the speech of Mr.. Mccall of
Massachusetts, who, in opposing the
proposed legislation, declared that it
was not to be imagined that the su.
preme court would stand between the
government and it's victim following
that utterance with the statement that
the courts usually reflected the policy
Of the party in power. The views of
the speakers as to legislation needed
We're many and varied, but with the
exception of Mr.. Mccall and Mr.. Sib-
le.- of Pennsylvania, all were agreed
that the time had arrived for the
granting of relief.
Washington, Feb. 9.-In the house
yesterday Mr.. Thayer of Massachu.
sets congratulated the president. the
Republican party and the majority Of
the committee on interstate and for
elgn commerce for adopting "a purely
Democratic. measure" and he said
That the Hepburn bill was also Dem
ocratic measure.
Mr.. Esch of Wisconsin, joint author
OF the Esch-Townsend bill, summed
up the arguments for and against that
Dill up to the present time. Some, he
said, had regarded it as the most i'm
portant legislation since the Rebel
lion, while others had contended 1t
amounted to nothing. Such extreme
views, he said, were indicative. of the
fact that the bill was what it was
claimed to be--a compromise He
then justified the action of the major
ity of the committee in providing the
special court Of transportation fea-
ture, upon which, he said, opposition
seemed to be centered.
Messrs. Burke of South Dakota,
Lacey Of Iowa and Davis of Minneso-
ia advocated rate legislation.
The senate yesterday received from
Mr.. Kearns disclaimer of the vote
In favor Of separate statehood for
New Mexico, which the records for.
Tuesday credited him with. He said
that he had been misunderstood by
the clerks and that he had voted
against the provision.
Washington, Feb. IL. The senate
yestsrday heard the first witness
called in connection with the impeach-
mont proceedings against Judge
swayne Of Florida and thus entered
upon the real work Of the trial. The
statement Of the case on behalf Of the
house was made by Manager Palmer.
who went nvcr tho - ~ 49,, -.