Evening star., 1909-03-04
FINISH OF LAWMAK|NG
Congress Acts on Sundry Civil
and Deficiency Bills.
ATTENDANCE is MEAGER
Demonstration in Honor of Sherman
on Floor of House.
VICE PRESIDENT-ELECT SPEAKS
Promises to Spend Much of His Time
on House Side of Capitol After
He Moves to Senate.
VICE PRESIDENT-ELECT SPEAKS

The closing hours Of Congress were un-
eventful almost to the point of dullness.
The House and Senate were In session
putting the finishing touches to the sun
dry civil and deficiency appropriation
bills.
The usual throng was absent from the
Capitol. Attendance on the floor of the
Senate and House was slim.
In the House, Mr.. Sherman, the Vice
President-elect, made a speech to his
colleagues with whom he has served for
so many years.
The passing of Mr.. Sherman from the
demonstration in his honor. Shortly be-
fore midnight Representative Foster Of
Vermont, in few fitting remarks. called
attention to the prospective change. and
said he was sure that he spoke in behalf
of the entire membership when he said
that Mr.. Sherman would carry with him
to his new office the respect, friendship
and best wishes of the House.
Cheers and Singing.
A great cheer went up. There was q
general call for the Vice President-elect.
AS Mr.. Sherman arose the members be-
gan singing For He's a jolly Good Eel
low" The Speaker pleaded with them
not to sing.
Mr.. Sherman's speech was mainly remi-
niscent of his twenty-one years service
in the House. He looked back on that
service. he said. with delight. He would
leave the House with great reluctance
and tinge of sadness,
II hope l will live for a little time al
least" he said "in the minds and hearts
of many of you. L shall not stay con-
stantly over at the other end of the Cap
itol. boys: 1 am going to come com. over and
mingle with you now and them.
He wished the members safe journey
to their homes and long and happy lives.
Fund for Commission Reduced.
The appropriation in the sundry civil
bill for the continuation OF the joint
immigration commission was reduced in
conference last night from $2oO,OOO to
$1J0OOO and in that form agreed to by
both houses of Congress.
Senator Dillingham;, chairman of the
Joint commission. expressed the opinion
that the work of the commission would
not be materially injured by decreasing
the appropriation.
Representative Waldo of New York.
who presented at the last session a reso-
luton of impeachment against Lebbeus
r. Wiley, judge of the United States
court at Shanghai spoke on the House
floor last night IN defense OF his action;
He repeated his assertions made In the
House at the time, in which he declared
Judge Wiley to have been unfit to hold
his Office. and was about to launch into
some structures on the President when he
was halted by an objection of Represen-
tatiyes Mann of Illinois and Clayton of
Alabama
He has kicked the judge out of Office,
and now is going to kick President go
ing out Of office tomorrow" Mr.. Clay
ton remarked.
He has only got a few more hours
here" interjected Mr.. Kimball Of Ken
lucky. What do you want to jump on
him for? / object"
further to hear Mr.. Waldo. he was not
allowed to proceed, but got leave to print.
House Passes Alien Law.
A bill of considerable Importance TO
owners of vessels plying between ports
of the United States and those Of Can
ada and Mexico was passed by the House
last night. Under its terms the require
ment of the immigration law regarding
the furnishing of manifests of outgoing
aliens to the countries named is suspend
ed until that law can be made applicable
to passengers travelling by rail.
The object of the law, in the first place.
was to secure statistics of outgoing aliens
in order to ascertain the net yearly addi-
tion to the alien population of the United
States.
1t was explained that such information
was worthless. because no statistics
whatever We're taken of aliens crossing
arria
1t is claimed that the law as ii stands Is
a discrimination against the carriers by
water.
A bill was passed by the House last
night authorizing the Secretary of Com
merce and Labor TO cooperate, through
the coast and geodetic survey and bureau
of fisheries, with the fish commissioners OF
North Carolina in making surveys of the
waters of North Carolina where fishing is
prohibited by law. The bill is designed to
preserve and increase the shad supply OF
North Carolina.
HYn CTDTHE tn RE Called