Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1908-06-04
WORK OF
CONGRESS

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The session of the Senate dragged along
Tuesday in such an unimportant way that
little effort was required on the part of
managers of the filibuster to occupy the
time by dilatory tactics. The conferees
on the currency bills met and the Senate
was merely kept in session in the hope
that something might be done toward
substantial progress in the work of clos
ing up the opposition. During the day a
bill was passed amending the navigation
laws in many minor respects and reso-
luton was considered calling for names
of former postmasters who served from
1864 to 1874 and who have been adjudged
by the auditor entitled to additional COM
pensation. The two floor leaders of the
House again occupied the center of the
stage, and performed their usual feat of
charging each other with responsibility
for the conditions at present existing in
that body. The conference report on the
military academy appropriation bill was
agreed to. Bills were passed as follows !:
Refunding certain stamp taxes on foreign
bills of exchange and certain duties on
anthracite coal, illegally collected; provid-
ing for the opening to settlement of por-
tions of the Cheyenne and Standing Rock
Indian agencies: promoting the safety Of
employees on railroads by requiring the
equipment of locomotives with ash cans
that can be dumped without requiring an
employee to go under the locomotive; pro-
~ e a. e
sives. The committee on appropriations
suffered defeat in the rejection of a bill
to acquire certain lands as an addition
to Rock Greek Park in the District of
Columbia. After passing resolutions re-
classifying the clerks in the government
departments at Washington and declaring
entitled to their seat Messrs. McGavin
(Republican) and SABBATH (Democrat) as
Representatives from Illinois, the House
at 43 O'Clock, owing to the difficulty of
keeping a quorum, took recess until II
o'clock Wednesday.
-
The conference report on the currency
bill was laid before the Senate shortly
before adjournment Wednesday, and Mr.
Aldrich announced that Thursday he
would move to take it up and keep it I'M
der consideration until disposed of. While
waiting for the conference report the ses-
sion was occupied with a running debate
on the bill to compensate government en-
ployes for injuries sustained while in SER
vice. The Senate passed resolution call
ing for audited accounts of former post
masters who served between 1864 and
1874 where accounts have not been GER
titled for payment under the act of March
3, 1888. Interest in the proceedings of
the House centered in the report of the
committee on the currency bill. After an
hours debate the report was adopted, 166
to 40, all the Democrats voting against
it. Fourteen "insurgent' Republicans
voted with the opposition. Aside from
the currency proposition there were pass
ed the following measures Providing for
the erection in Washington of a PEI ostal
for the statue of John Witherspoon he
curing greater space and better accommo-
dations on steamships for steerage pas
sengers; authorizing the sale of certain
lands at the head of Cordova Bay, Alas
ka, and granting relief to the Alaska
Terminal and Navigation Company; ex-
tending the time for the completion of the
Washington and Western Maryland rail-
road in the District of Columbia author
izing a resurvey of certain townships in
Wyoming; granting to the interstate COM
merce commission additional authority in
the matter of requiring reports of all ac-
cidents on interstate carriers. The con-
ference report on the omnibus bill and
the Senate amendments to the bill grant
ing obsolete ordnance to various institu-
tions and organizations also were agreed
to. After passing a bill revising the tariff
laws of the Philippine Islands, placing
agricultural machinery, implements and
other articles on the free list, the House
took a recess until Thursday.
In the Senate Thursday the considera-
ton of the conference report on the cur
rency bill showed plainly that there would
be little or no obstructive tactics against
its passage. Senator Aldrich briefly ex-
planned the measure and little political
by-play was introduced by Senators Gull
berson of Texas and Bacon of Georgia,
who tainted members of the majority
with disinclination to pass anti-injunction
and campaign contribution publicity bills
before adjournment, which called forth
claims of interest in both measures by
Senators on both sides, but gave no prom
Use of action at this session. Senators
Teller of Colorado, Owen of Oklahoma
and Newlands of Nevada all spoke in OPP
position to the currency bill, and, no other
Senators desiring to speak, the latter part
of the session was devoted to considering
unobjected to bills on the calendar. House
bills were passed requiring interstate rail-
roads to equip locomotives with ashpans
that will not require employees to go un-
der the locomotive to dump and clean
them, and to promote the safe transporta-
ton of explosives. In the House the
following measures were passed: To es-
tablish two or more fish cultural stations
on Puget sound, Wash: amending the
laws of transportation between Hawaii
and the United States by removing the
penalty for carrying passengers from Ha
wall to this country providing for the
entry of agricultural lands in forest re-
serves: authorizing the Baltimore and
Washington Transit Company of Mary
land, to enter the District of Columbia !;
establishing an assay office at Salt Lake
City, Utah; Incorporating the Brother
hood of st. Andrew and incorporating the
Congressional Club, which is composed Of
the wives and daughters OF Senators and
members of Congress.
TOLD IN A FEW LINES.
An operation on Jacob Ritz, who shot
himself at New York. removed four ounces