Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1909-02-19
WORK OF
CONGRESS-



The splendid qualities Of mind and
character of the late Senator William
B. Allison OF Iowa, t%hirty-fve years n
United States Senator, and eight years
q member Of the House of Representa-
tives, were the subject of many eulo-
sies in the Senate Saturday. The de-
livery Of the eulogies consumed the en-
tire day. After dcvoting almost it's en-
tire session to the consideration Of the
subject the House of Representatives.
passed a bill making several amend
ments to the national bankruptcy law.
Mr.. Clayton (Ala.) made a desperate
but unsuccessful attempt to repeal the
aw. The bill is designed to correct cer-
tain inequalities in the administration
OF the bankruptcy law, and amends the
act regulating 4hc duties II compen-
sation Of receivers in order to prevent
excessive fees. 1t also provides that
any moneyed business or commercial
corporation, except n municipal railroad
or banking corporation. can file a petit
tion for bankruptcy, thereby eliminat-
ing the discrepancies which heretofore
existed where some court decisions
barred many corporations In n cir
cult which would be admitted into bank
ruptcy in another. 1t cOnfers ancillary
Jurisdiction so that all the assets OF
the estate can be marshaled substan-
TALLY in one court, thereby o%bviating
the fling Of suits in different courts
where the property might happen to lie
49,
After 4 brief legislative session Mon
day the Senate closed it's doors and de-
voted the day to a further c~onsidera-
ton of the nomination of William D..
Crum to be collector Of customs for the
| port Of Charleston, S. G. In the House
of Representatives practically the entire
session was given over to the consider
alton Of bills pertaining to the District
Of Columbia. A message from the Presi-
dent was read recommending q law re-
curing ocean-going vessels to be
equipped with wireless telegraph ap-
paratuS.
The senate Tuesday became involved
in a discussion of the type of canal
hat should be constructed at Panama.
Senator Kittredge, chairman Of the
committee on interoceanic canals, pre-
cipitated the debate by bringing in an
adverse report on the Hopkins bill III
thorizing the issuance Of bonds to the
extent Of $500, 600 GOO for the construc-
ton of the canal. Reading a statement
of expenditures up to date, he declared
the completion OF the lock canal would
cost $500. OOO.OOO and insisted that n
great mistake had llecn made in not
adhcring to the plan for the building
OF n sen level waterway, which he said
would be cheaper han the lock canal.
Senators Foraker aid Teller Joined in
the belief tina n sen level canal should
be constructed. and Mr.. Kittredge said
it was not too late to abandon the lock
project. For nearly six hours the
House discussed the bill materially
changing the methods of administering
the Panama canal zone and construct
ing the canal. Amendments almost
without number were aimed at the
measure. but with one or two excep-
tons they failed Of adoption. Consid-
GRAFTON Of the biz was completed, but
because Of a threatened roll call by
the opponents of the measure and the
hour being late. Mr.. Mann. having it
In charge, did not ask for Il vote.
49,
The postal savings bank bill was be
fore the Senate during most of the
session Wednesday. and Senator Hey
burn of Idaho spoke in opposition to
It. Little progres- was made. The
Senate took q recess in order to join
the House of Representatives in the
counting of the electoral vote, resum-
Ing it's Legislative work Immediately
thereafter. The ever interesting cere-
mony OF counting the electoral vote
was performed by the Senate and
House of Representatives in joint SEES
sion. William II. Taft of Ohio was
officially declared elected President
and James S.. Sherman of New York
Vice President, the count disclosing
82I electoral votes for the Republican
candidates, as against 100 for Messrs.
Bryan and Kern. Following the re-
fuSnl of unanimous consent for the
consideration Of Il resolution appropri-
ullIiS Sj--Db-bpD Ioi IL lLllltO!H iUtllO-
rial in Washington and the passage Of
several bills of minor Importance. con-
sideration of the agricultural approprt
ntiOn bill was resumed. The effort of
Mr.. Lever Is. O. and his followers
TO abolish the board of referees of the
Department of Agriculture failed. The
bill was pending when the House adj
fourncd.
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