Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1909-01-28
WORK OF
CONGRESS


The Brownsville affair was again be-
fore the Senate Wednesday, Senator
Frazier of Tennessee speaking in OPP
position to the passage of the measure
for the reinlistment of the discharged
soldiers of the Twenty-1fth Regiment.
He insisted that the guilt of some men
Of the regiment had been established
beyond any doubt, although the indi
Yiduals who had committed the crime
had not been determined. Mr.. For
aker announced that he would move
the next Monday to take up his bill
to reinstate the soldiers unless al
agreement on time to vote for the
measure is made sooner. The legis-
lative, executive and judicial apprOpri-
alton bill was under consideration also.
After adopting without opposition a
resolution by which Governor George
Z. Lilley of Connecticut ceases to be
a member Of Congress, the House of
Representatives proceeded with the
naval appropriation bill. There were
few amendments offered to the meas
ure, the items under consideration be-
ing those of maintenance and improve
ments to navy yards, stations and other
public works of the navy. Represent
alive FOss Of Illinois, chairman of the
naval affairs committee, had charge Of
the bill on the floor, and Representa-
tives Tawney (Minn), Fitzgerald
New York;, Gaines (Tenn.), Macon
(Ark.) and others spoke.
-
\ debate on the propriety of increas-
ing salaries of federal circuit and dis
trict judges consumed nearly ths en-
tire time of the Senate Thursday, with
the result that the compensation of
the Twenty-Five circuit judges was in
creased from $1,000 to $4,000, and that
of the eightyfour district judges from
$4,000 to $4,000. Senator Borah. who
had offered amendments reducing the
Increases of salary, recommended by
the committee on appropriations, de-
clared that the action of the Senate
in increasing the salary of the Presi-
dent to 100000 was in violation of
the spirit of the constitution and would
never have been taken before or DUR
ing the recent political campaign Sen
atOr Tillman insinuated that some fed
eral judges were on the pay rolls of
corporations. Structures upon the eff
cheney of officers of the navy in the
care of machinery of war vessels were
uttered in the House during the con-
sideration of the naval appropriation
bill, with the result that an amend
ment was adopted requiring the Secre-
tary of the Navy annually to report
to Congress those instances where
more than 100000 is expended for re-
pairs. After futile efforts to obtain
legislation looking to the restoration
of marines aboard ships, an amend
ment was agreed to prohibiting the
purchase of powder manufactured and
sold in violation Of the Sherman anti
trust law. The debate disclosed the
fact that the amendment was directed
at the Dupont company. Amendments
appropriating $250,0OO to double the
governments output of powder, and
fixing the price for powder other than
for small arms at Ga cents per pound,
were adopted.
On Friday in the Senate Feb. - next
was declared to be a special legal bol-
1day and a survey and plans for
highway from Washington to Gettys-
burg, to be known as the Lincoln
way" as memorial to Abraham Lin
coin, was provided for by a joint reso-
luton passed by the Senate, after an
extended debate The resolution did
not commit Congress to the construc-
ton of the highway when surveyed.
Final action was also taken on the
legislative, executive and judicial bill,
the Senate refusing by a vote of Al to
p to fix at $4,000 the salary of the
President. previously increased by an
amendment to 100000 Exactly as re-
ported by committee the naval pro-
gram for the fiscal year 1909 was
adopted by the House and the naval
appropriation bill was passed. The op-
ponents of the navy increase feature
of the bill found themselves in a hope
less minority. The only vital altera-
ton made in the measure was the
striking out of the provision restoring
marines to naval vessels The aggre-
gate amount appropriated by the bill
is S135, 100000.