Valentine Democrat. (Valentine, Neb.) 1900-1930, 1909-02-18
WORK OF
CONGRESS-



The splendid qualities of mind and
character Of tlc late Senator William
B. Allison of Iowa, t~hirty-fve years n
United States Senator, and eight years
a member of the House of Representa-
tives. were the subject of many eulo-
gies in the Senate Saturday. The de
livery of the eulOgies consumed the en-
tire day. After devOting almost Its 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
law. The bill is designed to correct GER
tain inequalities in the administration
of the bankruptcy law. and amends the
act regulating the duties and compen-
sation Of receivers in order to prevent
excessive fees. 1t also provides that
any mOneyed business or commercially
corporation. except a municipal railroad
or banking corporation. can file Il petit
ton for bankruptcy. thereby eliminat-
ing the discrepancies which heretofore
existed where some court decisions
barred many corporations in II cir
cuit which would be admitted into bank
ruptcy III another. 1t cOnferS anCiIIary
jurisdiction so that all the assets OF
the estate can be marshaled subStan-
TALLY in one court. thereby Obyiating
the filing of suits in different courts
u-hor, tho -D-art1 Ynirt+ Ia AMMAN tn Ii
After 4 brief legislative session Mon
day the Senate closed its doors and de
voted the day to Il further considera-
ton Of the nomination of William u.
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. i message from the PreSi-
dent was read recommending q law re
curing ~ocean-EOing vessels to be
equipped with wireless telegraph ap-
paratuS.
The Senate Tuesday became inVp geo
In a discussion Of the type of canal
that should be constructed at Panama.
Senator Nittredge, chairman of the
committee on i~nterOceanic canals, pre-
cfpitated the debate by bringing in an
adverse report on the Hopkins bill au- =
thOrizing the issuance Of bonds to the
extent of $5OO,00O 1000 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 S4CO0G0.GCO. and insisted that Il
great mistake had been made in not
adhering to the plan for the building
Of q sea level waterway, which he said
would be cheaper than the lock canal.
Senators Foraker and Teller Joined i'm
the belief that q sea 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 almo5H
without number were aimed at the
measure, but with one or two eycpD-
tons they failed of adoption. COnsfd-
Grafton Of the BIZ was completed. but
because Of 4 threatened roll call bv
the opponents Of the measure and the
hour being late, Mr.. Mann, having it
in charge. did not ask for 4 vote.
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 progress was made. The
Senate took Il recess in order to iofn
the House Of Representatives in the
counting Of the electoral vote. rpslIm-
ing its 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 H. Taft of Ohio was
officially declared elected President
ana James s. Sherman Of New York
ice President. the count disclosing
81 electoral votes for the Republican
candidates, as against 1G2 for NassD~
Bryan and Kern. Following the re-
iusal Of unanimous consent for the
consideration Of a resolution approDri-
2tng S1.25O,COO for a Lincoln naino-
rial IN washington and the passace 81
several bills Of minor importance. con-
Slderat1on Of the agricultural approprL-
aIlon bill was resumed. The effort Of
Alr. Lever IS. c. and his followers
10 abolish the board of referees Of the
of Agriculture failed Tho
Dill was pending when the House nd.
journed.
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