Weekly Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1908-1909, 1909-01-29
WORK OF CONGRESS.
Senate.

Senate
debate on the propriety Of increasing
salaries Of federal circuit and district
Judges consumed nearly the entire time OF
the Senate on the 21st, with the result that
the compensation Of the twenty cir
cunt Judges was increased from $1,000 to
judges from $1,000 to $1,000. Senator BOrah,
who had offered amendments reducing the
increase Of salary, recommended by the
committee on appropriations, declared that
the action Of the Senate in increasing the
salary Of the President 10 100000 was In
violation Of the spirit Of the constitution
ana would never have been taken before or
during the recent political campaign. Sen
atOr Tillman insinuated that some federal
Judges were on the pay rolls OF corpora
lions At 40 O'Clock the Senate adjourned.
February l. next was on the 22nd de-
cIared to be a special legal holiday and a
survey and plans for a highway from Wash
ingt0n TO Gettysburg, to be known as the
Lincoln way, as It memorial to Abraham
Lincoln, was provided for by Joint resO-
luton passed by the Senate, after an eX-
tended debate. The resolution did not com
init Congress to the construction Of the
highway when surveyed. Final action was
also taken on the legislative, executive and
judicial bill, the Senate refusing by vote
Of Al TO y TO fix at $4,000 the salary OF
the President, previously increased by an
amendment to 100000. At 5:12 D. III. the
Senate adjourned until Monday.
The Senate was not in session on the 23d
The postal savings bank and the omnibus
claims bill were before the Senate on the
25th for discussion and amendment, but nc
substantial progress was made on either
postal bill limiting to $500 the amount OF
the deposits of any one person and fixing
the rate Of interest to be paid at = per
cent, with the understanding that the
amendment would be subject to further
change by the Senate. The urgent def
cheney bill was passed. and at 4:2O D. 10.
the Senate adjourned.
A speech by Senator Davis of Arkansas
fayOring Legislation to prevent dealings by
exchanges in futures" In products Of the
soil. and a maiden speech by Senator Cum.
Minis Of Iowa against the passage of the
postal savings bank bill as reported to the
Senate by the committee on postOffices and
postroads, were the feature in the Senate
on the Goth Mr.. CumminS spoke in favor
Of the deposit Of postal savings in state and
territorial banks. The Senate voted to pur-
chase an oil portrait Of the late Senator
Allison of Iowa. At 4:40 p N. the Senate
adjourned.
A short legislative session devoted tc
routine morning business was brought to
an abrupt close on the 9th by motion
to 20 into executive session to consider the
Canadian water ways treaty. Senators de
string to consider various pending measures
resisted the wish of the majority to dis
pose Of this treaty and a yea and nay vote
was required to close the doors for cXecu-
tive business The treaty was not dis.
posed Of. Adjourned at 90 p.
House
Structures upon the efficiency of officers OF
the navy in the care of machinery of war
vessels were uttered in the House on the
DIST during the consideration of tho naval
appropriation BILL with the result that an
amendment was adopted requiring the sec
rotary OF the navy annually to report TO
congress those Instances where more than
$500, 600 is expended for repairs After fu-
tile efforts 10 obtain legislation looking to
the restoration of marines aboard ships,
an amendment was agreed to prohibiting
the purchase of powde. manufactured and
sold in violation or the Sherman anti
trust law. The debate disclosed the fact
.,tr
Dupont company. Amendments approprt-
atng S250O0O to double the government 5
output of powder, and fixing the price for
powder other than for small arms at ga
cents per pound, were adopted. The bill
still pending when the House at 4:44
y. adjourned.
Exactly as reported by committee the
naval programme for the fiscal year 1908
was on the 22nd adopted by the House ana
the naval appropriation bin was passed.
The opponents of the navy increase feature
Of the bin found themselves in a homeless $
minority. The only vital alteration made
in the measure was the striking out of the
provision restoring marines to naval yes
sells. The aggregate amount appropriated
by the bill is $135, 600. At 4:46 D. m
the House adjourned.
y large number of pension bills were
passed on the 23d and by the decisive vote
Of ~ to 1913 the House refused to increase
the pension Of Julia b. Coghan widow Of
the late Rear Admiral Coghlan, u. S. n.
from 500 Il month, as recommended by the
committee on pensions, to $780, as proposed
in an amendment offered by Representative
Olcott of New York. Consideration of y
bill to prohibit the importation Of opium
cXccp+ for medical purposes was prevented
by Mr.. Payne of New York the ground
that such action would reduce the national
revenue S1.OtO.OO0 a month and would not
lessen the use of the drug At o'clock the
House adjourned until tomorrow when me.
mortal services will be held for the late
Representative Dunwell of New York
Legislation affecting the District OF Co.
lumbia was considered by the House on the
25th. An interesting feature of the day
was tribute paid by Mr.. Boutel of Iii,
noiS to the heroism of John +. Binne the
wireless operator aboard the steamship Re,
public recently in collision with the Florida
At 40 +. M. the House adjourned.
A sensational and bitter attack on viii.
liam Nelson Cromwell and President
ObalGia of Panama and others by Mr.
Raiuey of Illinois was made in the House
of Representatives on the Goth. The post.
office appropriation bill under consid.
Grafton but Mr. Rainey spoke under license
of general debate, and he was unsparing IL
his charges of corruption and fraud against
the persons named At the conclusion OF
his speech. which consumed over an hour
and half, Messrs. Stevens of Minnesota
and Kustermann of Wisconsin, expressed
their disapproval of his remarks and en-,
morning hour the House passed joint
resolution making February l.. 1909. which
marks the Tooth anniversary of the birth OF
Abraham Lincoln, legal holiday. When
the House. at > 7. m. adjourned, the post
office bill was stil pending.
Proceedings began with the adoption of
the special committee report recommending
the eXpunging from tho record of the recent
speech of Mr.. Willett of New York de.
mandatory of President Roosevelt. Their
during further consideration of the postof.
fee appropriation bill the charges made by
Mr. Rainey affecting Panama canal affairs
cropped out again with the result that Mr..
Weeks of Massachusetts entered a defense
of Senator Lodge. while Mr.. Raney reit-
Grated his statements regarding the pur-
chase Of two ships at the instance of the
Massachusetts senator. The poStoffice ap.
preparation bill was amended in several par.
ficulars. the most important being the
transferring of 800 assistant superintend-
ents clerks. etc, of stations from the S1o0C
to the S11O0 class while the provision fot
the payment Of necessary expenses of Ill
vision SupcrintendentS railway mail clerks
and others while away from headquarters
was stricken out As amended the bill was
passed carrying an appropriation of over
$234O0o.00 Adjourned at 5:34 D. m.