Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1908-04-17
WORK or
CONGRESS

OVlSONLOO ;
The Senate was not in session Friday,
The Democratic filibuster in the House
was continued all day. The gag rule was
finally applied to stop the debate on the
district bill.
J The Senate was not in session Satur.
day. BY adopting a sweeping clotuTe
rule in the House the Republicans left
to the Democrats only very limited pow
ers. No longer can a flibuster be con-
Quoted against sending to conference bills
with Senate amendments; no longer can
a motion to close debate be amended CT
discussed, and no longer can a motion TO
adjourn take precedence ove- a motion to
take a recess. After the adoption OF
this rule the House resumed its wonted
aspect and business proceeded in an or
DERBY manner. One CT the few privileges
left to the Democrats was to force a roll
call on adjournment, and this they did.
but to no avail, as the motion carried
overwhelmingly.
The army bill. carrying an appropria-
ton of almost $100,oo0,0Oo, was passed
by the Senate Monday, practically as re-
ported from the Committee on Military
Affairs. The bill materially increases
the pay of officers and enlisted men. \
resolution introduced by Mr.. Foraker
was adopted calling on the Secretary OF.
War for the names of all former sol
diers of the Twenty-ffth Infantry, dis
charged without honor on account OF the
Brownsville ARRAY, who have applied for
re-enlistment. Beyond forcing roll calls
on the approval of the journal and on
adjournment the Democrats Of the House
offered no obstruction to the orderly
transaction of business. Being suspen-
sion day, several important bills were
put through by practically unanimous
| vote. Among these was the Sterling EN-
~ployers' liability bill, only one vote be-
ing recorded against it, that of, Mr.. Little
| field of Maine,
AS an aftermath of the passage of the
army appropriation bill Senator Hale,
| chairman of the committee on naval af-
| fairs. Tuesday warned against increases
| of the military establishment. saying they
were inviting a deficit. He moved the
| reconsideration of the vote by which the
army bill was passed and his motion was
then laid on the table at his request. Sen
, ator Burkett characterized the proceeding
as one of bad faith. The Senate passed
the Notifications appropriation bill carry
ing an aggregate of $l2,l06,lSi. AS a
mark of respect to the memory OF the late
Representative Brick the Senate adjourn.
ed until Thursday. The whole of the ses
sion of the House was devoted to the con.
sideration of the District of Columbia ap.
preparation bill. Two amendments were
adopted, one providing for 75-cent gas fol
all district establishments and the other
recurring that all outside doors to public
school buildings shall open outward. An
effort to secure the Incorporation OF a
child labor provision failed. The bill was
passed and thereupon the House, out OF
respect to the memory OF the late Repre-
sentative Brick, took a recess until III 30
o'clock Wednesday. The House was still
on the legislative day of Monday when
the recess was taken.
-.
The Senate was not in session Nednes'
day. Wednesdays session OF the House
will go down as one of the stormlest IN
it's history. The sum total of the days
proceedings was the adoption of several
additional rules to check further the
Democratic filibuster and tie passing of
the two resolutions introduced by Speaker
Cannon calling on the Department of JUS
tice and the Commerce and Labor Depart
ment for certain information regarding
the so-called paper trust. There were
nine roll calls during the day, five of them
on the new rules. The Democrats ex-
hausted their resources before they were
made to feel that the Republicans by
sheer force of numbers had them beaten
at every point. The debate brought all
the leaders of the House to the front. The
Democrats were again charged with max
, ing the special rules necessary by reason
of their flibuster, while the Democrats
reasserted that they at last were causing
the majority to enact legislation. AT .
o'clock the House took a recess until
IL 80 a. M. Thursday.
The employers liability bill recently
passed by the House was on Thursday
passed by the Senate without amendment,
SO that it is ready to go to the President
for his approval. The Senate adjourned
until Monday. Three times in the House
the Democrats caught the Republicans
mapping and forced them to produce a
quorum. On one other occasion a vote by
tellers disclosed the absence of a quorum,
but Speaker Cannon p~eremptorily applied
the Reed rule and declared a quorum to
be present. Both the army and the forti-
fications appropriation bills were sent to
conference; the Senate bill to increase the
efficiency of the revenue cutter service
was, with Democratic help, passed, and
the bill to promote the safe transportation
in interstate commerce of explosives was
considered. The Democrats prevented the
adoption Of the conference report on the
Indian appropriation bill and caused it to
be sent back to conference.