Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1909-02-10
DOINGS OF CONGRESS
Summary of Important Proceeding
Enacted Prom Day to Day. !.

tion declaring that the Senate has 9
right to any information in posses.
sion of the executive departments
and cited various precedents to sus.
tain his contention. lie claimed that
only in exceptional cases is the Pres.
ident warranted in withholding in.
formation and declared that Congress
had never failed to respect such ac.
tion on the part of the executive
when it has been based on considera-
tions of public interest.
The Senate remained in executive
session during most of the day con.
sidering the nomination Of DR.. W. D.
Crum, to be collector of customs at
Charleston, S. c., and at 5:27 p. m.
adjourned.
General debate or the agricultural
appropriation bill in the House af-
forded critics and defenders of the
Department Of Agriculture an excel
lent field day.
Mr.. Lever, of South Carolina, led
off with an attack on the appoint
ment and work of the referee board
of consulting chemists in the depart
ment. Mr.. Hehin, Of Alabama, asked
on behalf of cotton growers for a
governmental monthly report on the
consumption Of cotton. Mr.. Sturgis,
Of West Virginia, urged an extension
of the forest service. Mr.. Humphrey,
Of Washington, took an exactly op-
posite view, while Mr.. Mondell, of
Wyoming, declared the bureau of
forestry the most autocratic govern
ment bureau outside of Russia. Mr..
Bartholdt, of Missouri, urged the is
sue of bonds for inland waterway
improvement and Mr.. Gambler, Of
Mississippi, complained of the tariff
on agricultural implements. Chair
man Scott, Of the agricultural COM
mittee, closed the debate with ex-
planatory remarks on the work done
by the department during the past
year.
While the bill was under considera-
tion under the fve-minute rule, an in
crease Of $500, to the salary of Solie-
itor George P. McCabe, making it
$4,000, was stricken out on point
Of order.
An increase Of the salary of Di-
rector Willis B. Moore, Of the wealth
er bureau, from $4,000 to $4,000 suf.
fered similar fate.
Before the bill was taken up in
general debate the House passed the
Senate pension bill for Federal
judges.
The monotonous tones of the read
ing cleark of the Senate as he labor
ed through the bill Of over 100 pages
making appropriations for the Dis
trict of Columbia constituted the
chief feature in the proceedings of
that body Thursday. There was an
evident intention on the part of the
authority to lengthen the time neces-
sary to dispose of the measure, it be-
ing the only obstacle to an executive
session for the further consideration
Of the nomination Of William D..
Crum to be collector Of customs at
Charleston, S. c.
On the Democratic side there was
persistent demand for the most care
full reading of the bill and OCCASIONAL
ly members of the minority became
involved in spirited debate on items
usually left to the judgment Of the
committee reporting the measure.
When the Senate adjourned at Sis
O'Clock the reading Of only half of
the bill had been completed.
In the House the forest service got
its usual annual drubbing. Thursday,
the criticisms against it coming prin-
cipally from Mr.. Smith, Of Califor-
MIA, Mr.. Cook, of Colorado, and MIR.
Mondell, of Wyoming, all of whom
charged extravaganza in administra-
tion and the extortion of money from
miners, farmers and even the owners
of bee hives. Mr.. Cook attributed to
Mr.. Pinchot, the chief forester, the
ulterior motive of scheming for Sec
retary Wilson's seat in the Cabinet.
Both Mr.. Pinchot and the forest SER
vice were vigorously defended by
Messrs. Mann, Of Illinois, and Weeks,
Of Massachusetts.
All attempts to amend the bill In
any important particular failed. Its
consideration was about two-thirds
completed when the House at $40 p.
m. adjourned.
The Senate Friday concluded con-
sideration. Of the District of Colum-
bia appropriation bill, carrying an
aggregate of about $11,5oO,OOO. A
conference report on the urgent def
cheney bill was agreed to. 1t appro-
PIRATES $4,000 for the purchase,
care and maintenance of automobiles
for the President" and $150,000 to
enable the Secretary of Agriculture
to continue to combat the foot and
mouth disease in horses and cattle.
A resolution was adopted directing
the committee on military affairs to
investigate military posts and various
phases Of army administration.
After en- executive session, in which
the nomination of William D. Crum
to be collector of customs of Charles
ton, S. c., was considered.
4 L.. L. hnd