The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1906-05-31
TIE SPIRIT OF oONdRESs.
Some Of the More Notable Pro.
ceedinIs q the Week.


Monday, May 21.-The Senate got
among them the Legislative. Executive
and judicial Appropriation bill, carry
ing $2S.815.s59, an Increase Of only
$5S,345 over the amount reported to the
Senate from the House. Mr. Cullom
had charge Of the bill In the absence OF
Mr.. Allison. Chairman OF the Committee
On Appropriations.
The Senate was lazy and Mstiess in
appearance. The attendance was small,
and nobody seemed inclined to enter
upon debate OF any Of the items carried
in the bill.
One item in the bill increases the SAL
aries OF the Sergeant-at-Arms and Door
keeper Of the Senate from $4,000 each
to $1,000 each. The allowance for re-
porting Senate debates is increased from
&26. 600 to $50, 600.
1t also passed five other bills Of minor
Importance.
In the House the minority leader,
John Sharp Williams, made his usual
points OF no quorum, but met his Water
loo, as the Speaker resorted to his pre-
rogative to count quorum. There was
a little good-natured sparring over 1t
between the two leaders, but the Demo-
Gratis did not seem inclined to support
Mr.. Williams very strongly, as they are
anxious to get up some bills they are
interested in, and Mr.. Williams's tao
tics are very likely to be used against
them IL they become too obnoxious in
the matter Of demanding a quorum
The Railroad-rate regulation bill was
received from the Senate almost imme-
dlatefy upon the converting Of the
House. 1t created no demonstration.
and went automatically to the Speakers
table, where it will lie until the Com
mittee on Interstate and Foreign Com
merce agrees upon program of action.
Among the bills passed was one au-
thorizing the appointment OF an addi-
tional Federal Judge for the Southern
District OF New York, Incorporating the
Archaeological Institute OF America. and
amending the currency laws 80 as to
give the Secretary Of the Treasury au-
thority to issue gold certificates of the
denominations Of IS and $40. The low
est gold certificate under existing law
is $40.
The House passed a bill amending an
act to define and fix the standard oil
value. The law OF March II, 1900, pro-
vfded, among other things for q reserve
fund in gold Of $15O.0O0,000 The law
as 1t now stands practically provides
that S100.000.000 of this reserve fund
shall be In coin. and virtually restricts
the bullion of the reserve fund to $780,
100000. The amendment covered byI
the bill permits the holding OF less
amount OF coin and an increased amount
OF bullion in the reserve fund. Under
the amendment, of the $4,000, 900,
$lOO,o0O.OO0 may be bullion (bars).
One of the bills passed provides for a
division of the funds and the lands OIL
the Usage Indians, quite the richest
body OF people Of the same size in the
world. There are 1900 Of them, about
equally divided between full and half
breeds. There Is in the Treasury $751;
oOo.ooo to their credit. giving them AMI
average OF about $500 apiece. Besides|
this. they hold 100000 acres. some
thing over 500 acres to every memberl
of the tribe.
The House also passed a number OIL
other minor bills. |
May 22.-The Senate devoted itself
mainly to consideration and discussion
or amendments to the immigration bill.
Mr.. Dillingham;, Chairman Of theI
Committee on Immigration, called upl
the bill amending the immigration laws, |
ana submitted strong arguments backed
by striking statistics. in support OF thel
amendments. While admitting that the |
law OF 1908 had worked admirably, Mr..
Dillingham; pointed out improvements
that should be made to that measure in |
the light Of the experience Of the past
two years. |
Without debate or division the fol-
lowing resolution, introduced by Mr..
Hale. was adopted:
Resolved, That the Committee ont
Privileges and Elections be directed TO
examine into the legal effect of the late
decision of the Supreme Court in the
case OF Joseph r. Burton, a Senator
from Kansas, and as soon as may be toll
report their recommendations as tol
what action, If any, shall be taken by
the Senate"
Mr.. Burrows, Chairman of the Com !
mittee. Is confined to his residence byl
illness. and as 1t is not known how long
he will be kept away from the Senate 1t
cannot be told when the Committee will
begin the work outlined by the Ha!el
resolution. Several Of the strongest law
yers of the Senate are members of the |
Committee. including Messrs. Burrows,
Foraker. Knox, Beverage, Bailey. Pet
tus and Overman
1t will be recalled that at the openingI
of this session Of Congress Mr.. Baileyi
attempted to secure an expression in |
open Senate on the case Of Senator Bur-
ton, but received no encouragement and
abandoned the effort. 1t is believed that
he and Mr.. Foraker will take the lead
in the case, now that it has been off,
cially brought to the attention of the |
Senate.
Mr.. Burton's term will expire by lim-l
itation next March. The Supreme Court |
has granted him new hearing, which |
cannot be reached before next October,
as the Court will soon adjourn until
that month. Thus. unless the Senate
takes action at this session, it would |
establish for itself the unique record of /
carrying on It's rolls the name Of a mem |
Der who had been twice convicted by a |
Circuit Court Of violating a plain statute |
and whose conviction had been confirm |
ed by the Supreme Court.
House. |
Having the Diplomatic and CONSULAR
Appropriation bill ostensibly under con-
sideration, the House spent most of its |
time listening to campaign speeches.
It was not until after two hours oil
flibustering on the part of Mr.. Williams
that the House got to work at anything,
however
Chairman Jenkins, of the Judiciary
Committee, made speech on the Rail- |
road-rate bill that commanded close at |
tention at the hands OF both Republi- |
cans and Democrats.
After considering the legal phases of |
the question he proceeded to say that
instead Of making the bill constitutional
by including court review. it would, in |