Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-01-01
Several important Matters
Await Houses Action.
Presidents Message, Philippine
Tariff and Joint Statehood.
Senate Has Ship Subsidy, Nominations and
San Domingo Treaty.

w !%f!nStOn, Dec. 3l.-lne house Vi
Representatives will settle down to
| voi.s rs soon as it meets on Thursday
| and POSSIBLY before the end of the week
il VIII pass the bill providing for the
admission of two new states.
Tie first thing 10 dispose Of is the
ref renee of the Presidents message,
thc subject upon which floods of ora
toy were expended before the holiday
| II cess. General debate has closed and
| Il fter 4 short discussion under the D.
minute rule a vote will be taken upon
| the Only contested point, which is
whether the portion of the message re-
| iatng to Insurance shall be referred to
| the ways and means committee or the
Committee on interstate and foreign
commerce. The contention has been
over the point whether legislation for
the control of insurance companies shall
( be under the taxing power of the gov
eminent or the power TO control COM
| merce between the states.
There was q possibility of a clash be-
| tween the PHILIPPINES tariff bill and the
joint statehood bill The Philippine bill
| is already reported and being Il privi-
| legged matter can be called up at any
! time. The ST. tchood bill is still in COM
| mittec but it is known that il can bv
| brought out ut any time and put be-
| fore the House. Acting in accordance
| with tn" decision with the Republican
| caucus, il is expected the majority
members Of the committee on rules will
| bring III a rule making the. statehood
bill 4 special crl.er foT The admission OF
| two states.
| AS the measure now stands and as il
will Ee reported. i .Io.jtgcs for the a9
| mission Of Oklahoma and Indian Terri
| tory as onc state with the name OF
| Oklahoma, ana the admission of New
| Mexico and Arizona as another state
named Arizona. There is 2tically no.
opposition anywhere to the Oklahoma
| rropositiC II. hut there is determined OPP
position 10 coupling New Mexico ana
Arizona together. Particularly do GER
| tain interests in Arizona object and the
| objection is Voiced by the almost unan-
| imous vote Of the minority.
| When the Statcho"i Eiil is ont OF the
way til" Ho@sc VIII re ready for the
Philippine tariff bill and the interesting
contest that cnsucd over thc reduction
| Of duty on Cuban proc! .ic;s is likely to
he repeated. Tho Beet ali! cane auGar
interests have become aroused aid have
built up 4 vigorous opposition. but the
bringing up tho Philippine blu this
week
| The Senate Will not do very much
legislative business this week. 1t is
| not expected that the session will oc-
| cupy more than two days-Thursday
and Friday. Tho ship subsidy bill is
the unfinished business and Senator
| GalliEGer may open the debate in fov-
| or Of the measure This will depend
on the desire Of senators who may
wish to consider other business. There
! is a considerable amount of executive
business. some Of which is III contro-
versy and this may consume the few
| days the Senate is in session.
At the time of the adjournment the
| confirmation of the Panama Canal
Commissioners had been re-considcred
and the nomination of J. B. Bishop as
a newcomer had just been made.
| These nominations had all been re-
| ferred to tho commission on inter-
oceanic canals and it is expected that
/ early reports will be made in order
| that the Senate may take them up.
1
Icontroversy, notably two officers who
| have been rc-detailcd as chiefs of
| bureaus in the war department, and
Ia legal question has been raised as to
| the meaning of the law providing for
such details. Some other nominations
have been held up and the Senate may
| devote all its time this week to execu-
tive business.
| Even if nominations are not to be
| considered, the new developments in
] Santo Domingo will afford opportunity
4 to discuss the treaty informally. AT
pres sent that treaty is not before the
lSenate, having 4 second time been re-
IfeTred to the committee or foreign re-
hati0ns. 1t is expected that it will be
amended in several particulars before
il 2Gaifl comes before the Senate. AS
IL III anticipation of the fight Of Nor
alcs and thef c5;a blishment of another
government in s5anto Domingo, the
state department had recommended
| that the treaty be amended so that it
would confer authority upon the Unit
ed States to deal with any existing
| government in the island. Possibly
the situation may be discussed in the
Senate even before the treaty is re-
ported.