Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1906-1908, 1908-05-01
WORK OF CONGRESS.
Senate

y
Yexas town August -, 1906 The Senate
gave further consideration to The bill de
voting about $J.GOU,pD received from the
sale Of public lands in Alabama, Arkansas,
Florida Illinois Indiana. Iowa. Louisiana.
Michigan, Minueso1t, Mississippi, Missouri,
Ohio and Wisconsin 20 the construction Of
drainage works in those states. The sec,
iipn of the bill authorizing the lOanlng or
this fund to states. corporations, etc, Tor
the drainage Of state and private lands
was stricken out. The naval ana agrlcul-
tural appropriation bills were reported TO
the Senate. At 2.3O p. III. the Senate al
J0ururd
Calling attention 10 the Grand Army but
ton he wore on the Iappl Of his coat ana
insisting hat he had no prejudice against
negro soldiers, some OF whom he claimed
comrades, Senator Warner Of Missouri
in the Senate on the DIST declared his con
viction that the town Of Brownsville, Texas,
had been shOt up by negro soldiers of the
Twenty NTH infantry in 1906. Without
concluding bis remarks, Mr. Warner gave
way for the naval appropriation bill, which
wax read in part. An amendment was
adopted making the % per cent. increase In
the pay Of officers apply to those retired as
well as on the active list. The Senate then
entered into a long discussion of the policy
OF sending the naval hotilla around the
world. The SENATE adopted the conference
report on the Indian appropriation bill, ana
at 30 p. m adjourned
The Brownsville affair and the naval ap-
preparation bill occupied the entire time OF
the Senate on the 22nd. Senator Warner
Miss0urD continued his remarks on the
discharge Of the negro soldiers. lie viii
resume tomorrow The naval bill was read
through, with the exception of the section
relating 10 battle ships, which will probably
lead 10 an interesting discussion tOnoT-
row. Mr.. Hale announced that he would
propose an amendment appropriating 81,
100000 to begin construction on the new
battle ships, so that there might be no de
lay in that work, and there is no doubt
that the amount will be added Senator
Warner read statements from the secretary
OF war and the chief of staff disclaiming
1875, O60 men.
As the Senate was about to conclude con-
Sidcratlon OF the naval appropriation bill
the BIRD Senator Piles of Washington
proposed an amendment increasing from
two to four the number of new battle
ships to he authorized. AS several sena-
tors desired to speak the amendment,
the further consideration of the bill was
postponed until tomorrow. An amendment
in the naval bill was adopted appropriatng
$1,OOO,OOO to begin construction on the two
battle ships authorized. An amendment to
remove the restriction of the purchase Of
materials for the construction of the battle
ships, submarine bOats, etc, to those of do
nestle manufacture was defeated. Senator
Rayncr of Maryland spoke ON the constitu-
1ional rights of the states and executive
PncrOachmentS. He insisted that the com
mercc act of the constitution had been in
terpreted rs applying to the Industrial life
of the country 10 a far greater degree than
was contemplated by the trainers of the
constitution. The Senate adjourned at 400
D. IN.
Arguments in favor of the PRESIDENT
programme for four battle ships consumed
most of the session of the Senate on the
oath. Mr.. Hale laid before the Senate Il
statement of battle ships and other fCa-
lures of the American naval programme,
which he said showed that large a fleet
is now in the Pacific can be kept there,
and at the same time there would he ships
for still larger fleet for the Atlantic. Sch
ator BCvcridgc concluded the debate for the
day with 4 strong appeal for four battle
ships The Senate passed Il bill appropriate
ing 100000 for survey of an inland water
route from Boston to Wilmington. At >: 30
the Senate adjourned.
Another day was spent by the Senate in
considering the amendment to the naval
appropriation bill, but Il vote was not
reached at the close of the discussion,
which was participated in by dozen sen
ators. Mr. Hale secured an agreement for
Il vote before adjournment of the Senate on
Monday. A canvass of the Senate made
during the day Indicated that the fOur-ship
programme will be defeated. and that the
debate has changed several votes. Much
of the discussion today was devoted 10 the
improbablity of war being forced upon the
United States. Senators BeveridGe ana
Piles were sharply criticised by Senators
Aldrich and Perkins and Macumber for
their statement yesterday, and several
heated colIoqeieS occurred. Mr.. Beveridge
will reply on Mondoy. At the conclusion
of the debate Il number of minor bills We're
passed, and at 80 p. m. the Senate adj
jOuTned until II O'Clock Monday.
With the exception of Messrs. Cooper and
Nelson Of Wisconsin, Republicans the
House on the 2Oth by a strict party vote
declared that the action of Speaker Cannon
last Saturday in summarily adjOurning tbs
House was not "a breach of the privilege OF
the House affecting its safety. dignity and
the integrity of its proceedings" The dec
laratiOn was made when Il resolution by
Mr.. Williams holding such breach to have
been committed was tabled, 146 to 119
The Republicans put through an amend
m hn prln m I, =
pension day and substituting 4 majority
for two-thirdS vote to pass any measure
Mr.. DalzeE. its author. notified the Demo
Gratis that they could trust to their imagina.
tionS for any legislation they would get this
session. The Democrats forced repeated roll
calls during the day.
Although several hours were consumed in
roll calls the day in the House on the 2lst
was one of comparative activity and sew
eral measures of Importance were put
through. The principal of these perhaps
was the resolution by Speaker Cannon pro
viding for investigation of the paDCr
trust and in pursuance of its provisions
the speaker announced as the committee OF
six who will conduct the investigation
Mann. Illinois: Miller Kansas: Stafford,
anu Ryan. New York. The Democrats rs
unit voted against the resolution An
other measure passed practically creates the
Board of general appraisers ut New York n
trial court in matters pertaining to Gus
toms duties, appeals therefrom to he taken
10 the circuit court of appeals instead OF
u.
m the House took 4 recess
The sum total of the proceedings of the
House on the 22nd was the passage under
suspension of the rules of three bills and
the defeat of one. When Adjournment was
reached there was pending Il measure which
instructS the attorney general to institute
suits against the Oregon x California RAN
road company for the forfeiture of several
million acres of land grants in Oregon The
bills that got through were one declaring
the right TO enter as oil lands certain min
pral lands, one authorizing the alienation
of certain 3llOtmentS of the five civilized
tribes. and another removing the reStrtc-
lions against foreign ships with respect 10
trade between the United States and the
philippine islands. BY a large majority
the bill TO allow the importation of foreign
white laborers into Hawaii was defeated.
BY the overwhelming vote of 245 to S the
House on the 23rd, after several hours dis
cussion adopted without amendment the
Senate joint resolution introduced by Sena-
tor Tillman authorizing the attorney gen
eral to file suit against the Oregon and
California Railroad company for the for
land grants in the western part of oregon.
1t is claimed by the government that by
acts making the grants the railroad COM
Pany had forfeited all right TO the land in
question. At 3:12 p. M. the House took a
recess.
The business of the House proceeded on
the oath at rapid rate, despite the fact
nhat the Democrats forced six roll calls
Over 1000 pension bills were put through,
the largest batch of the session A bill
of life on navigable waters during regattas
and marine paradeS. At 4:2S D. m the
House took q recess.
The House was in legislative session only
two hours on the 18th, during which time.
after considerable discussion. it passed the
bill reclassifying and increasing the pay OF
certain officials and employees of the Gus
toms side. The remainder of the day was