Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1910-01-13
The Week
in Congress


The Senate met shortly after noon
Tuesday, but was in session only eight
minutes. On motion of Senator Money,
adjournment was taken on account of
the recent death of Senator 4. ]. Nc
Laurin of Mississippi In the House,
which convened at the usual time, two
blIIs OF Importance were introduced,
one by Mr.. Mann making sweeping
changes in the interstate commerce
law and the other by Mr. Humphrey
providing for a ship subsidy. Repre-
sentative Douglas of Ohio made a
th1rty-minute speech in favor of more
liberal appropriations for agricultural
projects on account of the increasing
cost of living. Out of respect to the
late Senator MeLaurin the House ad-
Journed at lis o'clock.
In the Senate Wednesday resolu-
lions providing for an investigation of
the land and forestry controversy be-
tween Secretary Ballinger and Mr..
Plnchot were introduced, and it is I'M
derstood that action will be taken
soon. Senators Calkins and Crawford
also introduced resolutions looking to-
ward an inquiry into the high cost of
living In long and active session
the House passed the Mann bill cen
Trailing in the President the control
OF the Panama Canal and the canal
zone and abolishing the present COM
mission. The Democrts fought the
measure hard. Resolutions were in
troduced looking to the investigation
of the land Office and forestry service
growing out of the Ballinger-Pinchot.
controversy.
The Senate Thursday was deeply
stirred by the reading of letter from
Chief Forester Pinchot to Senator
Dolliver warmly defending L. R.
CLAWS and Mr.. Price, and Mr.. Shaw,
the minor officials connected with the
Alaska coal lands cases, and uphold
ing the criticisms of Secretary Balm
ger. Mr.. Pinchot went so far as to
intimate that President Taft himself
hid GlCICo u1OCI q odDpl
The Presidents message transmitting
Attorney General Understands report
defending Mr.. Ballinger was received
and the report was referred to the
Committee on Public Lands. Senator
Jones resolution for investigation into
this case was referred to the same
committee. The Senate adjourned until
Monday. In the House a resolution
was adopted asking the revenue cutter
service to show how much money had
been spent in the recent search for
John Jacob Astor's yacht Nourmahal
A resolution was introduced providing
for a laboratory to study criminology.
After declining to enter upon discus
sion of the joint resolution introduced
by Mr. Humphrey the House ad-
journed.
The Senate was not in session Fri
day. In the House President Taft's
special message recommending the
curbing Of the trusts and the regula-
ton of railroads was received and
read. The so-called 'insurgent' Re
publieans won a victory over the con-
servative wing of the party, when rs
of them voted with the Democrats to
take from the Speaker the right to
name the House members of a joint
committee that is to investigate Secre-
tary Ballinger and Forester Pinchot.
The vote stood 149 to LAG.
The Senate was not in session Sat
urday In the general debate on the
army appropriation bill Representa-
tive Hull, of Iowa, chairman of the
Committee on Military Affairs, eX-
planned in the House that the bill car
ried an appropriation of $95 ,212,718
for the maintenance of the army in
1911 and stated that the estimates had
been pared to the bone. Mr.. Bartholdt
indicated he would offer an amend
ment providing for the restoration Of
the army canteen. Mr.. Kustermann,
of Wisconsin, spoke in opposition to
ship subsidy legislation. Mr.. Smith,
of California, spoke in opposition to
the government exercising control over
water power sites in the West. Mr..
Goulden, of New York, spoke in favor
of deeper water ways. Mr.. Henry, Of
Texas, took the Republicans severely
to task for violating the party's
pledges in failing to give the country
revision downward" Adjourned I'M
til Monday.
Fireman burned to Death and Six