The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1906-01-25
STRENUOUS DAYS
House and Senate Are Scenes
of Much Excitement
TILLmAN ATTACKS PRESIDENT
Philippine Bill Passes the House anc
Republican Insurgents come into
Line After much Talk.

Washington, D. c., Jan. 20, 1906
The first session of the 59th Congress
seems destined to be commemorate
in more ways than one. During that
portion of it which has already elapsed
several striking situations have been
developed, and some tense occasions
experienced by contending forces.
One of the stormiest days in recent
congressional history was last Tues
day. At that time the Philippine
Tariff Bill was finally debated and
passed, by vote of 258 to II. 1t
was this bill that threatened temp
orary disruption of the party on the
floor of the House, and as the battle
waged with growing intensity toward
the close of the days session the scene
became one of almost dramatic inter-
est. Such controversies are often
witnessed. Champ Clark led the OPP
position, urging the insurgent repub-
licans, who represent beet sugar dis
tricts, and who are opposed to the re-
duction of the tariff on sugar as pro-
vided in the bill mentioned, to follow
his standard and defeat the measures
under consideration. Congressman
Watson of Indiana, who succeeded
Tawney, of Minnesota, as republican
"Whip' had performed his duty we'll,
as a full attendance of republican
members amply demonstrated. The
Establishments of Clark caused the
beet sugar republicans to falter in
their devotion to party discipline, and
observing their attitude of contem-
plated insurrection those grizzled old
warriors, S. E. Payne, of New York,
the floor leader of the republicans,
and General Grosvenor, indispensibly
associated with strenuous affairs on
the floor of the House, in turn thun-
dered at and pleaded with the dis
obedient and erring members of their
political household. For a time the
insurrectionists were obdurate, scorn-
ing the invitations which the patri-
archial leaders of the House extended
to them to return to the fold; but
when on motion to appeal from the
decision of the chair the crucial mo-
ment had arrived, and doubtless real
izing the full import of their course,
and it's probable effect, they swerved
into line under the party banner,
abandoning the minority to hopeless
defeat. The opposition rescued from
the wreck Of their hopes the paltry
salvage of a twenty-five per cent of
the Dingley rate on rice, which was
accomplished on the vote of Mr.. Pujo,
of North Carolina. All other pro-
ducts from the Philippines will be ad-
mitted free of duty under the new
law, except sugar and tobacco, on
which rate Of twenty-five per cent
of the Dingley rate will be collected,
until April, 1909, when free trade will
be instituted between the Philippines
and the United States.
The Senate, also, has been the
arena for some stirring events during
the week just passed, and some of
the developments in that usually staid
and solemn body were highly sensa-
tional. Among all the senators the
most independent, immoderate and
erratic is Senator Tillman, of South
Carolina In speech, when aroused,
he is vitriolic, rampant and abusive.
During the course of speech deliver
ed on Wednesday, ostensibly directed
toward the Santo DOMINICAN difficulty,
he deemed it opportune and imperative
that he should overhaul the Mrs. Nor
ris affair at the White House, mat
ter evidently which is too delicate to
be handled in his frenzied style with
out mutilation and indignity. He
moved that committee of the senate
be appointed to investigate the affair,
but his motion was tabled by vote
of 81 to 8.
TIE pure food bill will be strongly
urged for passage in the near future.
The National Food Manufacturers
Association, which represents a com
bined capital of over one hundred mil
lions, and having organizations
throughout every state in the Union,
will be prominently identified with
the matter, as they have sent their
President, j. A. Harrington, of Chi
cago, to the capitol to urge their side
of the case. This gentleman processes
to be opposed to the Hepburn bill.
He says that the principal features OF
food bill relates to preservatives
and colorings. He claims the right
on behalf of the manufacturers to use
both of these adulterants, when the
amount used is indicated on the labels
of the packages.
The National Board of Trade has
held a session here this week, lasting
several days. This body is one of the
most influential and important among