Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1906-05-24

The rate bill was under consideration
practically during the entire Senate ses-
sion Monday, the time being largely de-
voted to the rejection Of amendments
either by direct vote or by laying on the
table. When the Senate adjourned at
) 10 p. m. the eighth section of the meas
ure, regulating the personnel of the in
terstate commerce commission. was under
consideration. Senator Lodge offered a
new section providing for a new commits
sion of nine members, but indicated a
Willingness to accept modification sug-
gested by Senator Bailey for the creation
of nine transportation districts with one
member from each of them. The House
had under consideration bills relating to
the government of the District of Column
bia. 1t completed the bills reorganizing
the Washington public school system. The
House adjourned, the absence of a quo
rum postponing action on the bills under
consideration.
The Senate spent the greater part of
Tuesday in discussing the section of the
railroad rate bill relating to the personnel
of the Interstate commerce commission.
lldllS GlIulIudlIUS TIE tHllIb StCllbn anu
restoring the present law, which provides
for five commissioners at a salary of ST.
500 each. On motion of Senator Culber-
son the vote by which the anti-pass sec
ton of the bill was adopted was recon-
sidered, and several substitutes were Of
fered but no final action had been taken
when the Senate adjourned. The House
voted to transfer from the district COM
missioners to the Supreme Court of the
District of Columbia the power to APP
point the board of education of Washing
ton. The naval appropriation bill was
then taken up. The employment of con-
Sulting architect to prepare plans for the
naval station at Lake Bluff, H., was au-
thorized. An amendment of Mr.. TaWney
to limit repairs on a ship to 10 per cent
of the cost was defeated by vote of 80
to %, after two hours debate, in which it
was charged that millions of dollars are
now spent by the Navy Department with
out an accounting on repair work which
often amounts to reconstruction of ships.
When the section dealing with the in
crease of the navy was reached the House
adjourned.
ne COnlION6ISy bSlNCth l1iC l. ACSAuShI
and Democratic Senators over rate bill
negotiations was resumed in the Senate
Wednesday. Mr.. Tillman presented a
statement from former Senator Chandler
in reply TO the Presidents denial, and Mr..
Bailey, referring to an article concerning
his course, which had been printed in a
Chicago newspaper, denounced it as a
lie" The consideration of the rate bill
in the committee of the whole was con-
cluds3. A substitute for the anti-pass
amendment, which contained so many ex-
ceptions as to cause general laughter, was
adopted after extended debate. After the
bill had been reported to the Senate the
pipe line provision was amended so as to
strike out the proviso extending its opera
ton to the Panama canal zone. The
naval appropriation bill, carrying nearly
S100000,0O0, was completed in the House.
An attempt to defeat the appropriation
for the largest battIeship in the world
was voted down, as was an amendment
leaving the construction of this ship to
the discretion of the Secretary of the
Navy after the second Hague conference.
-
The Senate spent Thursday in a re-
lation bill made in committee of the
whole, covering more than half of the
measure The pipe line, rebate and anti
pass amendments were slightly modified.
The section granting to the interstate
commerce commission power to fix rates
was reached and a motion by Senator
Tillman to strike out the words gin its
judgment" was pending when the Senate
adjourned. After two weeks debate the
House, by a vote of 121 to III, passed
the naval appropriation bill carrying $780,
$4,000. An amendment providing that
the Secretary of the Navy could go into
the open market to purchase certain sup
plies, if it appeared that they could be
secured cheaper than if made by the gov
eminent, was defeated by a vote of 11S
to 129 BY a close vote an amendment
allowing a 4 per cent differential to bid
ders from the Pacific coast on the new
ships was agreed to. After the passage of
the naval budget the House in committee
of the whole resumed consideration OF the
so-called naturalization bill. Little pro-
gress was made.
The Senate, at 4 30 p. m. Friday, pass
vote of II to after having adopted the
Teller amendment eliminating the words
I'm its Judgment" from the section giving
to the interstate commerce commission
power to fix rates. The House passed the
bill to pay to the estate of Samuel Lee
of South Carolina S10,4S2 for allowances
made by reason of his election as a negro
contestant for a seat in the Forty-seventh
Congress- The Democrats, under the
leadership of Mr.. Williams of Mississippi,
conducted a vigorous filibuster lasting all
day, but were defeated.
-:
BY vote of 107 to 66 the House Sat
urday refused to pass the anti-graft bill,
so-called, dealing with cotton leaks and
other matters of a confidential character
which, should they become publicly known,
mighC have a tendency to affect markets
because the conferees had recommended
that the members of Congress be in
Guided within the scope of the bill The
opposition was led by Mr.. Mccall of Mas
sachusetts. assisted by Mr. Crumpacker
CInd.), Mr.. Grosvenor COhio) and Mr.
Gardner Mass. J, while the friends of the
measure were represented by Mr. Burle-
son (Texas) and Mr.. Jenkins (Wis).
The Senate was not in session.
Odds and Ends.
4 French soldier has been sentenced
to six months Imprisonment for pro-