Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1910-12-14
SIXTY-FIRsT CONGRESS.
THIRD SESSION
SENATE

THIRD SESSION.
SENATE
Consideration of the omnibus claims
bill was resumed in the Senate today.
The reading of the measure was COM
pleted Monday and committee amend
ments were given precedence in being
taken up.
An amendment offered by Senator
Frye, allowing s95, 900 to the New Or
leans Towing Association for coal taken
by General Benjamin F. Butler in 1862
was adopted.
Senator Bristow (rpn., Kan.) spoke
vigorously in opposition to the French
spoliation claims feature of the bill.
HOUSE.
The "one-hu -thousand-a-min-
ute" House began work on its forth
big money measure today, when the
legislative appropriation bill was intro
duced. But as today was Calendar
Wednesday. debate on the bill will be-
gin tomorrow.
No spendthrift ever disposed OF
money quite so fast rs the short session
OF the Sixty-first Congress has in the
first seven working days OF its existence.
Nearly two hundred million dollars has
been spont out OF the treasury for
various uses in record time. The In
dian appropriation bill, carrying more
than eight million, the river and har-
bors bill with about thirty-one million
and the pension bill with more than
1852, 900, 900 have been rushed through,
And the House has found time to talk
about everything from the abolition OF
Indian warehouses to a tariff for rev.
cnue only. The work OF passing the
appropriation bills has been dono in be-
tween"
The House has been in session just
81 1-2 working hours-1S90 minutes.
In that time 1t has disposed OF about
1892, 100000. That means that every
hour the House has been in session has
meant an expenditure Of more than
sixty miIion-more than $1,000 4
minute.
While a short session OF Congress
usually disposes OF the appropriation
bills in short order, the phenomenon OF
getting rid Of three big bills within a
week is extraordinary. House leaders
say that the record will be kept up and
that all the appropriation bills at this
session will be disposed of in record
breaking time.
The House committee on appropria=
tons reported the legislative, executive
and judicial bill carrying an appropria-
ton OF s35, 1925, 219, which is 1882, S75
less than the estimates submitted by
the various departments and is SlGS,-
953 less than the appropriation for 1910
exclusive of the increase from 1000,
900 to 81, 500, 900 to complete the work
OF the twelfth census. The cut is affected
largely by the elimination Of $50
salaries, estimates for which make a
total cut OF 297 salaries on the present
appropriation for running the govern
ment.
A bill providing for board OF
national defense to consist Of the
secretaries OF war and navy, the chair
men OF the House and Senate COM
mittees on military and naval affairs
and appropriations was introduced by
Mr.. Hobson.
This board, it is intended, is to
dictate the policy of national defense
and TO carry it out both in time OF
peace and war.
The answer of the War Department
to the resolution of Mr.. McLachlan,
calling for report as to the ability Of
the U. S. army to repel invasion Of the
Pacific coast was sent to the House to-
day by Secretary of War Dickinson and
an effort was made to smother it. Word
was passed out from the speakers Of
flee that the report would be held in
secrecy. The War Department refused
to give out any information regarding
it, 1t is understood that the admins
tration deems it unwise to publish to
the world any weakness in the national
defense.
A pretty mess developed when the
SPEAKER turned the report over to As
her Kinds, the parliamentarian. and
asked him for ruling. Kinds declared
that the House could not receive it be-
CAUSE it was marked confidential.
Representative McLachlan said he
knew OF no reason why the report
should not be made public and declared
that he would make fight to force its
publication, as that was the purpose OF
his resolution.
A fight that involved the principles
of calendar Wednesday" as es-
tablished by the insurgents in their
fight on the rules last session, occupied
ever an hour today.
Mr.. Hughes precipitated the struggle
with point OF order. The Moon bill,
reforming the judiciary, which was be.
fore the House at adjournment last
calendar Wednesday," and he wanted
the bill amended.
Democrats and republicans fought
for ruling allowing the House to vote
upon the question OF considering the
bill, and Speaker Cannon finally ruled
that the House had that right.
The House thereupon voted in favor
OF considering the bill today but
Speaker Cannon's ruling establishes
the right OF the House to decide just
what it shall work on on calendar
Wednesday"
CONGRESSIONAL
In the Senate yesterday Mr.. Cum
Minis discussed his amendment 10 the
vules ryoviIino Tor the consideration O (