Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-06-14
HOT TIME IN SENATE.
Controversy on Consideration of Naval
Bill and Rate Conference Report.

! Washington, D. c.. June 11.-(Spe--
cial.--An unusual number of scenes"
have been enacted In both House and
Senate during this session of Con-
gress; episodes. which, although not
serious or attended with the shedding
of gore have nevertheless, served TO
Invite attention to the fact that sena-
to all the frailties and whims of tenn
permanent that afflict the great mass of
humanity.
Sometimes a half hour in Congress
reminds one of episodes in large fam
ilies when several of the children want
one thing and failing to get it, pout
and kick the paint off the door. Such
scene was enacted in the Senate just
prior to the taking up of the naval ap-
preparation bill.
Ordinarily on Mondays there is an
unusually large amount of what is
termed morning business" The
morning hour" is from IL o'clock
when the Senate convenes, until 2
o'clock Usually fifteen or twenty
PRODUCTION Of petitions, memorials,
bills reports of committees, resolu-
tons. lost, etc. There having been no
session Monday, owing to the death of
Senator German, the volume of morn
ing business was exceptionally large.
About 1871 Senator Hale made a
statement Of the status of legislation
and pointed out the need of getting
busy. He suggested that after the
morning business that the naval bill
be taken UP. This led to some discus
sion and In the midst of it Senator
Pettus, the Oldest senator in point Of
age, arose and in a drawing tone
suggested that I'VE have a little morn
ing business" The chair declared that
objection had been made to further
Sasnslss'an, nd the introduction OF
SC SC s55f kilograms from protesting
railway employees continued.
TIIman on Rate Bill.
During the discussion Senator Till
man. who has charge of the rate bill,
declared that he verv much desired
that the Senate would take action of
some sort on the conference report. He
thought that in few minutes the
Senate could dispose of that matter.
and then the conferees could be at
work and the naval bill could then be
taken up. Senator Hale thought the
naval bill was of paramount import
ance and Tillman reported that the con-
ference report on the rate bill was just
as important and would have to be
considered some time, so it might as
well come up one time as another. At
this point Pettus shut off the debate
An hour and fifteen minutes was re-
CURED to dispose of the avalanche OF
kilograms, etc, during which time
Senator Lodge patiently waited. When
this bushes was off the slate Tillman
got the floor and entered upon an eN-
PLANTATION of the course of the confer
ees In injecting new legislation into
the rate bill. In this midst of his
statement Hale interrupted to move
consideration Of the naval bill. 1t
should be stated here, for the informa-
ton of the reader, that motion to
consider an appropriation bill takes
precedence over everything else ex-
cept a motion to adjourn or to go in
to executive session. However. Till
man had the floor and he declined to
be taken off his feet by the motion
OF Hale. Hale In turn gave notice
that as soon as he could be recognized
In his own right he would press his
motion to consider the naval bill. OF
course Tillman could have held the
floor until o'clock when the unfin-
ished business would have become the
regular order, but Tillman is not try
ing these days to filibuster; he is a
very steady and conservative senator
and so when he had made his state
ment and asked for action by the sem
ate, either approving the conference
report or sending it back to confer
eHCe, Hale 1IlHleQldlely ODldllleu rec
IGNITION and moved that the naval bill
be taken up.
Urge Rate Action.
At this point Elkins Nelson and sew
eral other senators jumped UP and
urged that the rate conference report
be disposed of in some way so the
conferees could get to work. Foraker
rose at that point and declared that
If it was expected that the rate con-
ference report could be disposed of
in a few minutes that a mistaken idea
was being entertained; that he desir-
ed to submit some remarks and he
fancied there We're other senators
who had observations to make. All
this time Hale was seeking to have
his motion put to take up the naval
bill; he would listen to no suggestions
for immediate considerations of the
rate conference report. On viva voce
vote 1t appeared to be tie and a roll
call was demanded on the proposition
to take up the naval bill.
It could be seen that a good deal
of bad blood had been stirred up and
that Elkins was hot Hale won m tha