Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1908-01-24
WORK OF
CONGRESS-


~~~~~~
The Senate was not in session Satur.
day. y vigorous fight was waged in the
House of Representatives over the bill tc
codify and revise the penal laws of the
United States, with particular reference
to Section 10, affecting conspiracios
against the civil rights of citizens
Messrs. Smith of Missouri and Hughes
of New Jersey, offered amendments, hav-
ing for their object the exemption of la
Dor unions from the operation of the
section whenever such unions declare
slikes or boycotts. A motion to Strike
out the whole section was made by Mr..
Bartlett Of Georgia. The brunt of The
debate was borne by Mr.. Sherley of Ken
lucky. Il member of the Committee on
Revision, but he was supported ny a
number OF Republicans. These amend
ments we're all lost, as was one by Mr..
| De Almond to strike out Section 20. 1t
is likely that discussion of the bill on
poinrs Of law will be INDUCED from time
to time fol- several weeks.
-:
The recent issue of bonds by the SeCre-
| tary of the Treasury was the occasion Of
| an animated debate in the Senate Mon
| day. The discussion was precipitated by
an inquiry by Senator Culberson and was
| participated in by Senator's Aldrich, TIL
man and Bailey. 1t resulted in az agree
mcnt 10 postpone further controversy I'm
til n statement can be received from Sec
rotary Cortelyou. Mr.. Tillman's resOlu-
tions directing the Finance Committee to
inquire into the operations OF the Treas.
dry Department was referred. with his
consent, to tina committee. The unfin-
l,,;,,., =, +l, ruI, sc HIN TO
: >,!iIy the criminal laws of the United
States was placed before the Scnate and
he AIDING of the bill "a be@3r Wig
,',,s defense of States rights ii dealing
with violations Of civil rights or with epe-
cal State elections where troops have
beer called into service served to enliven
the debate in the House in connection
with tic bill to codify the penal laws of
the Omitted States. \ number of Demo
Gratis, mostly from the Southern States,
s~trenuousIv soE"It by amendment to re-
serve to the States themselves the dis
e"etio7 as to the qualifications of voters,
and cf persons to serve on j~uries, and to
limit the power of federal judges on GER
tain cases; but every attempt failed.
49,
The recent federal bond issue was
lSdiu ~ SuDJcCl u uISSuSSlou III IL
Senate Tuesday, being brought forward
for a resolution offered by senator Cul-
berson, calling on the secretary for addi-
tional information concerning the reasons
that induced him to award bonds to ma
tional banks instead of to individuals
who offered a higher price. Mr.. Aldrich
insisted that the resolution should not be
adopted until after Secretary Cortelyou's
.arl, tn , rnroJ,f;o, fo,p,nrlr oloYtnI bp
the Senate was received, but promised to
aid in securing additional information.
Mr.. Culberson's resolution went over uhr-
der the rules. Senator Tillman offered a
resolution embodying a new series of in
quiries concerning the financial situation.
The amount of the fine and the length of
the term of Imprisonment to be melted out
to officers and directors of corporations
for violating the law with respect to
money contributions for political purpos-
es furnished material for debate in the
House in connection with they onsidera-
ton of the penal code bill. All amend
nents to increase the penalty were voted
down. Earlier in the day there was a
sharp debate over the section prohibiting
the enticing of artificers and workmen
from government arsenals or armories by
private employers, and all attempts to
amend the provision so as to make it ap-
plicable only in time of war or public
emergency were voted down. When adj
j%ournment was taken eighty-six sections
of the 342 had been disposed of.
-
The Senate did not receive a reply
Wednesday from the Secretary of the
Treasury to it's resolution calling for in
formation concerning the financial sitla-
ton, and in its absence Senator Aldrich
assented to the passage of Senator Gull
berson's resolution on the same subject.
a joint resolution reducing from S24,-
100000 to $11,OO0,0OO the war indem-
nifty of the United States from China
was passed. The remainder of the ses-
sion was devoted to the discussion of The
penal code bill. The committee on re-
vision of the laws in the House finally
consented to allow amendments to the
bill codifying the penal laws of the Uni
ted States, and as a result the measure
was changed in some important particu-
lars. When the House adjourned there
were pending a number of important
amendments.
The Senate calendar was cleared of
nearly every bill upon it Thursday, and
the bill to revise the criminal laws of the
United States was taken up and discuss
ed until adjournment. A complete change
OF front was exhibited by the majority in
the House of Representatives in the con-
sideration of the bill to codify and revise
the penal laws of the United States. The
pacific spirit displayed by the committee
on revision of laws, toward the close OF
Wednesdays session, when it appeared as
though the several amendments strength
ening certain provisions of the bill regard
ing corruption in the appointment of per-
sons to public Offices would be adopted,
vanished, and instead every inch OF
ground was fought over to keep amend-
ments out of the bill. When adjourn
mont was taken only six additional pages
had been disposed of and but one or Two
verbal amendments by the committee had
been inserted.
NATIONAL CAPITAL NOTES.