Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1908-05-21
WORK OF
CONGRESS
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The Senate Monday passed the agricul-
tural appropriation bill. carrying an APP
preparation aggregating S12,142,146. Sen
ator Rayner introduced a resolution pro-
vldlng for court of inquiry TO investi-
gate charges against Colonel William F.
Stewart now stationed a. Fort Grant.
Arizona. The conference report on the
naval appropriation bills was agreed to.
The House devoted its time to the con-
sideratlon of miscellaneous business. BY
agreeing to some Senate amendments
the House took the final congressional
step by which betting on horse races at
Benning will hereafter be prohibited. \
bill authorizing the appointment, as an
addition to the regular military establish
ment, OF nifty captains to command the
Philippine scouts was passed. Other
bills which got through were as follows
Amending the homestead laws so as TO
permit the entry of 800 acres instead of
160 acres of non-irrigable public lands in
Western States, and authorizing the
drainage of certain swamp lands in the
Red Lake Indian reservation, Minnesota.
A bill allowing the States of Idaho and
Wyoming 100000 additional acres of
land for reclamation was defeated
-
The Senate Tuesday passed the post
Office army appropriation bill, carrying
amounts aggregating 5000 1861. As
passed the bill allows 81 per day c.
penSes for railway postal clerks when
away from terminals. Amendments
adopted by the Senate provide for weigh
i,,or +l,o g
four years. Senator Rayner spoke on
his resolution directing the President to
order court of inquiry into charges
against Colonel William f. Stewart, U.
S. A., now stationed at Fort Grant, Ari-
IONA, and read a letter from the Presi-
dent giving reasons for the action that
had been taken against Colonel Stewart,
which the Senator declared to be trivial
After a debate lasting practically the en-
tire session the House by a vote of 1856
TO 124 agreed TO the conference report on
the naval appropriation bill. The inser-
ton of a new provision relating to in
crease in pay for officers and men of the
marine corps and navy drew forth a
"0oG deal OF criticism of the conferees,
who were charged with iny taken liz.
critics and with having violated the trust
reposed in them by the House. The bill
now goes to the President.
-
The further consideration of the
Brownsville affair was on "wednesday post
poned by the Senate until Dec. 16 next.
This decision was reached after an ex-
tended exchange of views among Senators.
Mr.. Foraker after urging the appointment
of an early day for voting on his bill
moved that it be taken up next Deem
ber After a motion by Senator Culber
son of Texas to vote on the bill next Sat
urday was laid on the table Mr.. Foraker's
motion was adopted by vote of 62 to 6.
Mr.. Foraker said he thought he had in
sured the bills passage by the postpone
ment. Senator Rayners resolution di-
recting the President to appoint a court
of inquiry to investigate the case of Col.
William +. Stewart of the army was re-
ferred to the committee on military af-
fairs. The Senate passed the House bill
restoring the motto, "In God We Trust"
on coins of the United States. The pro-
posed repeal of the commodity clause of
the rate bill was considered at some
length. One-half of the fve-hour session
of the House was spent in roll calls on
the various propositions presented. When
the days work had been concluded the |
agricultural and postoffice appropriation |
bills had been sent to conference and the |
following bills passed Permitting owners |
of patents in cases where the govern
ment has appropriated inventions to apply |
to the Court of Claims for relief: author
izing the entry of tea sweepings when in
tended to be used in the manufacture of
caffeine, and an omnibus bridge bill. q
-
The sundry civil appropriation bill, car
rying a total of about S120,O00,O00, was
passed by the Senate Thursday. This is |
the last of the large supply bills. and its |
passage places the Senate squarely along |
side the House in the consideration of |
the appropriation bills, and of the entire |
fourteen leaves only the general deficiency |
and the military academy bills to be con-
sidered. A portion of the session was de-
voted to the consideration of the bill sus-
pending the penalty feature of the COM
modify clause of the railroad rate bill.
The House devoted the entire day to the
Vreeland currency bill. which was finally
-
The Vreeland currency bill, which was
passed by the House Thursday, was de-
livered to the Senate Friday and al once
sent to the committee on finance. Sena-
tor Aldrich promptly made report from
the committee substituting the Aldrich
bill in an amended form, and it was
passed by the Senate. This action threw
the bill into conference, and an effort
will be made to reach an agreement at
an early day. The work of cleaning up
legislation in the House preparatory to
adjournment May % proceeded at a rapid
pace With only a short time allowed
for debate the military academy appro-
Driation bill and the omnibus public build
ing bill were passed, leaving of the sup
ply bills only the general deficiency bill
70 be considered. Eight hundred and
twenty-five private pension bills were put
through A bitter and sensational attack
IN former Speaker Keifer of Ohio by his
colleague, Gen. Sherwood, was a feature
If the days proceedings. BY strict
1arty vote the Vreeland currency bill as