Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1909-03-03
CONGRESSIONAL SUMMARY.

lation was the subject of cOnsidera-
code bill was taken up, Mr.. Humph-
reys offered an amendment, agreed
upon by the house leaders, to regu-
late the interstate shipment of intoxi-
eating liquors. The amendment,
which is the Knox bill that passed
the senate, forbids the transportation
of liquor in interstate commerce I'M
less it is consigned to bona f1de con-
signees and unless the package Is
labeled plainly with the name of the
the contents is shown. The amend
ment prohibits the shipments of Ii
quor C. o. D. Mr. Bartholdt of Mis-
souri,, sought to amend the amend
ment so as to include cider and so
called temperance drinks, and all
beverages containing more than three
per cent of alcohol" The Bartholds
amendment was defeated, 80 to "a
Mr.. Humphreys amendment was
adopted 129 to 40 Speaker Cannon
took his place on the floor and voted
every time with the temperance
forces
An attempt to abolish capital pun
ishment as a penalty under the fed
eral laws, was blocked.
Washington, Feb 1S-An acrid ex-
change of words took place in the SEN
ate between Senator La Toilette,
who was criticising the methods of
that body in handling appropriation
bills, and Senator Penrose, chairman
of the committee on postroads, in
charge of the postoffice bill, then I'M
der discussion. Mr. La Toilette adj
dressed himelf at length to the meas
ure and severely arraigned the senate
for permitting legislation to accumu
late until the last days of the session
when he declared, important bills
were rushed through with little or no
time for senators to understand them.
my observation is that these appro
priation bills get in here about as
late for long session as they do for
short session. said La Toilette.
''It seems to be a part of the system
that these most important legislative
acts shall have little consideration"
At this point Mr.. Penrose arose
and with violent anger and glaring
across the chamber at the slight form
of the senator from Wisconsin, said
in a loud voice: 81 shall not sit
silent in my seat when misstatements
are made or clap-trap statesman
ship is attempted here. | charge that
the senator from Wisconsin has been
on the committee on census and dur
ing his service on that committee has
failed to attend single meeting of
it. l make that charge without any
fear of contradiction He is on the
committee on claims and has only at
tended it's meetings once or twice in
all his service and that attendance
was only to bring up some trivial
claim. I make the statement without
fear of contradiction that he is on the
committee on pensions, which has one
of the largest appropriation bills pend
ing before congress every year, and
he has hardly ever been present at
it's meeting according to the unani
NOUS testimony of nearly all his col
leagues on that committee. | make
another statement without any fear
of contradiction, that he is on the i'm
portant committee ON Indian affairs,
which every year considers a great
appropriation BILL and he has seldom
or never rendered useful service on
it. There is no senator" continued
Mr.. Penrose glazing toward Mr.. La
FCllette, "who has a greater record
fer absence than he. 1t i'll becomes
him to criticise these committees.
When he is here it is only to delay
the business of the senate, to hold up
the transaction of public business and
embarrass those who, under their
oaths of office and in conscientious
discharge of their duties endeavor to|
enact legislation. / shall not sit here,
and | desire to give such notice tol
the senator from Wisconsin and lis
ten to arguments that might better
be. made by a vendor of patent medi-
cines from the tail door of a cart in
a village of Wisconsin than from a.
senator of the United States
Mr.. La Toilette had remained
standing while these remarks We're di-
rected toward him. Its of little
value" he said to utter contradic
tion here to much that has been said
1t would merely put the word of one
senator against that of another.
have not attended the meetings of
some of the committees to which
was assigned I attended meetings of
the committee on claims once Or
twice. Not feeling | could render
service of value on it, asked to be
relieved from membership on that
committee. | have been reasonably
diligent on the committee on Indian