Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1908-04-21
WORK OF
CONGRESS
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uc Ecuhtc was iOt III cCSoAVA W CNAkNS7
day. Wednesdays session of the House
will go down as one of the stormiest in
its history. The sum total of the days
proceedings was the adoption OF several
additional rules to check further the
Democratic flibuster and the passing of
the two resolutions introduced by Speaker
Cannon calling on the Department of JUS
uce and the Commerce and Labor Depart
ment for certain information regarding
the so-called paper trust. There were
nine roll calls during the dag, 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 then 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 filibuster, while the Democrats
reasserted that they at last were causing
the majority to enact legislation.
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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 quorum,
but Speaker Cannon peremptorily applied
the Reed rule and declared quorum to
be present. Both the army and the forti-
Sos Kills 70
enference 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 bin and caused it to
be sent back to conference.
-
The Senate was not in session Friday.
Instead of interminable roll calls and
clashes of party leaders on questions of
parliamentary Laws in the House. there
was an orderly session devoted almost en-
tirely to the consideration of the naval
appropriation bill. Chairman Foss of Illi-
nois and Mr.. Padgett of Tennessee made
exhaustive speeches justifying the action
of the committee in reporting what they
characterized as conservative naval pro-
gram for the next fiscal year. MeSsrs.
Fayrot of Louisiana and McKinlay and
Knowland, California, pleaded for navy
of such size as to be capable of uphold
ing at all times the honor of the country
at home and abroad, while Mr.. Bartholdt
of Missouri advocated halt in naval in
crease and the substitution for it of arhi-
tration in matters of international dis
putes. Consideration of the bill had not
been concluded when the House took a
recess until II 80 Saturday.
-
The Senate was not in session Satur-
day. Debate on the naval appropriation
bill in the House resolved itself into
discussion of the possibilities of a war
between the United States and Japan.
Mr.. Hobson of Alabama pleaded for four
battle ships instead of two for the next
fiscal year. A war between the yellow
and the white races he regarded as iney-
liable, and he asserted that Japan's pres
emit military activity was with a view to
the supremacy of the Pacific, and as a
natural consequence there would be
clash at arms with the United States. On
the other hand, Mr.. Burton, Ohio, and
w. w Kitchin, North Carolina, disputed
that contention, each of them avowing
that the clash would not come but that
the United States should remain in the
forefront of modern civilization as the ex-
ponent of peace.
-
The brief session of the Senate Mon
day was devoted to the transaction of
routine business and the delivery of
speech by Senator Scott of West Vir-
ginia, urging adequate appropriations for
public buildings so that official business
may be transacted with the greatest eff
cheney and economy. When the naval
bill was laid aside for the day in the
House it had been one-half disposed Of.
The hopes of the officers of the navy and
marine corps for an increase in pay were
dashed TO the ground when. on point of
order by Mr. Madden of Illinois. there
was stricken from the bill the provision
for such increase. On a similar point by
Mr.. Mudd of Maryland. an amendment
by Mr.. Bartholdt of Missouri prohibiting
naval or marine bands accepting private
employment in competition with civilian
musicians was lost.
-:
The two features of interest in the
Senate Tuesday were the speech Of Sen
ator Foraker on the Brownsville affair |
and the Presidents message advocating |
the building of four more cattle ships. |
The delivery of the speech and the read |
ing of the message consumed practically |
the entire time of the session. The ex-
pected fight in the House over the ques-
ton whether there shall be two or four |
battle ships authorized for the coming |
year did not materialize. while the naval |
appropriation bill was under considera
ton Instead. most of the session was
devoted to lively debate in regard to
naval stations in the Philippines. The
sum of 100000, as recommended by the
committee for improving and developing
the naval station at Olongapo. Subig Bay,
was allowed to stand. The special mes
sage from President Roosevelt urging
four battle ships ELECTED loud applause.
The naval bill was not concluded when
the House took a recess until II 80
Wednesday.