Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1909-02-12
WORK OF
CONGRESS-



Seyenty-fve bills on the calendar Of
the Senate were passed Monday. Inc
consideration Of these measures, most
| of which were of local character, con.
| sumed nearly the entire session.
| Senator Foraker attempted to get
consideration for the Aldrich substl-
| tute bill providing for a court or in
quiry to pass upon the qualifications
Of the discharged negro soldiers or the
| Twenty-ffth Regiment, charged with
having shot up Brownsville Aug. 1914,
1906, but postponed making a motion
| for that purpose In order that Senator
| McLaurin Of Mississippi might speak
/! on the Brownsville affair Tuesday. The
Senate passed without amendment a
House bill declaring Feb. II, the cen
tenary of the birth Of Abraham Lin
coin, to be a legal holiday. Unless the
Senate comes to their rescue the West
Point cadets will not be able to attelic
the Inauguration on the 4th Of March
at the expense Of the government, The
| cadets have been one Of the big attrac-
tons of the inaugural ceremonies for
many years. BY a point Of order an
item providing funds for the trip was
stricken from the military arpropria-
ton bill. Under suspension of the
rules the House passed the Payne bill
prohibiting the importation Of opium,
but refused to pass the Senate bill to
pension Federal judges. The Bennett
bill for the expectation of aliens con-
victed of a felony was also denied pass
age.
An agreement was reached in the
Senate Tuesday to vote on Feb. % on
the AIdrich substitute bill for the APP
pointment of a court of inquiry to de
termine the qualifications for re-enlist.
ment of the discharged soldiers of the
Twenty-fifth Infantry, as the result Of
the Brownsville incident. The Senate
passed a House bill to prevent the
importation of opium into the United
States except for medicinal purposes.
The House locked horns with the Sen
ate on the question of automobiles for
the White House, and refused to ac>
'tiyl al ~ lhC = z
cheney bill striking out the appropria-
ton Of $4,000 for that purpose. The
bill was sent to conference, after Il hu-
mOrous debate in which several mem
berS DOL occasion to refer to b bOdi-
ly proportions of the President-clect.
The hopes of the army for sufficient
luOney to continue its experiments in
IlrtJ L> %l1
House reconsidered its action of the
previous week and by a vote Of almost
2 to / withdrew the increase of $780,
600 then made. After undergoing this
and other amendments the army appro-
priation bill was passed, and consider
alton of the agricultural bill immedi-
ately begun. Under license of debate
ON the later measure, Mr.. Ansberry
Of Ohio spoke in advocacy of a ship
canal from Chicago to Toledo. The ag-
ricultural bill was pending when the
House adjourned.
Senator Teller of Colorado ad.
dressed the Senate Wednesday in sup
port Of Senator Bacon's resolution de-
clarjng that the Senate has Il right to
my information in possession Of the
executive departments and cited vari-
GUS presidents to sustain his cOnten-
ton. He claimed hat only in excep-
tionai cases is the President warranted
In withholding information. General
debate on the agricultural appropria-
ton bill afforded critics and defenders
OF the Department Of Agriculture an
excellent field day. Mr.. Lever IS. c.
led off with an attack on he appoint
n,ent and work of the referee board OF
consulting chemists in the department.
Mr.. Heflin (Ala.) asked on behalf Of
monthly report on the CONSUMPTION Of
cotton. Mr.. Sturgis CIV. Va.) urged
an extension Of the forest service. Mr..
Humphrey (Wash.) took an exactly
opposite view, while Mr.. Mondell
(Wyo.) declared the bureau Of forestry
the most a~utocratic government bureau
outside Of Russia. Mr.. Bartholdt
(Mo.) urged the issue Of bonds for
inland water way improvement and Mr..
Chandler missy complained Of the
tariff on agricultural implements.
Chairman Scott OF the agricultural
committee closed the debate with ex-
planatory remarks on work done by the
department during the last year. When
the bill wars under consideration under
the fve-minute rule an increase Of $500
to the salary Of Solicitor George P. Nc
Cabe. making it $500, was stricken
out on a point of order. An increase
of the salary of Director Willis B.
Moore Of the weather bureau from So
600 to $4,000 suffered a similar fate.
Before the bill was taken up in general
debate the House passed the Senate
pension bin for Federal Judges.
NOTES OF CURRENT EVENTS.