Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1910-06-30

Washington, June 22.-After voting
down several amendments, the senate
today decided, A to rs, to concur in
the house amendments to the postal
savings bank bill and thus took the
last legislative step necessary to the
establishment of postal savings bank
in the United States.
The measure was included in the ad-
ministration's schedule, and its pas
sage marks another triumph for Presi-
dent Taft.
In accordance with the program
agreed on yesterday, voting began at
5 o'clock and the bill was passed Is
minutes later. Most Of the insurgent
Republicans Joined the regulars in sup
porting the measure in the final vote,
but Senators Bristow, Cummins and,La
Toilette refused to yield, and cast their
ballots with the Democrats.
Senator Chamberlain cast the only
Democratic vote for the bill.
No sooner had the senate disposed of
the postal savings bank bill than there
ensued a spirited contest among sena-
tors for precedence in the interest of
other measures.
Among the important bills before
the senate there were three candidates
for first place on the calendar. These
were the Appalachian forest reserve
bill, the irrigation and reclamation bill
and the campaign publicity bill.
Senator Brandagee, in charge of the
Appalachian bill, was the first to OBJ
tain recognition, and on ,rollcall his
bill was made the unfinished business.
Satisfied with the attainment of this
advantageous position, he graciously
gave way for the presentation of the
other two measures, and both of them
were passed within 80 minutes.
Washington, June 21.-Acting under
heavy pressure from the White House
and in partial fulfillment of promises
made to President Taft by Speaker
Cannon and Chairman Payne, the
house of representatives, by an over
whelming vote at 10 o'clock tonight
passed the bill making available $780,,
000,O to expedite the completion of
government irrigation projects.
Passage of the bill by the senate is
assured.
Not one man in ten who voted for
the bill understood its Importance or
appreciated the good it is intended to
accomplish. They voted for it because
of President Taft's insistence, and it
was apparent that the house would as
readily have voted $50, 900, 900 as $780,
000, 900.
All the amendments which were pro-
posed in the course of the four-hour
debate were voted down, for the mem
bers generally did not understand their
significance and all but Westerners la
bored under the erroneous impression
that the president wanted the ways
and means committee bill without any
change.
Agreeing to vote at o'clock to-
morrow on the Carter motion to concur
in the postal savings bank bill, the
senate adjourned at 6 o'clock after
day devoted largely to an onslaught
upon the house measure.
Representative Mondell today intro
duced bill in the house carrying into
effect the recommendations made by
the president in his message, advocat-
ing legislation permitting appeals to
the Court of Appeals of the District of
Columbia from decisions of the secre-
tary of the interior upon questions of
law affecting titles to lands entered
under the United States land laws.
Washington, June 20.-On condition
that the senate would separate the
$50, 900, 900 irrigation bill from the
bill authorizing the withdrawal of pub
lie lands, President Taft today gave
assurance to four Western senators
that he would not sign the withdrawal
bill until both houses had agreed upon
and passed bill making available at
least $40, 900, 900 for irrigation.
When this assurance was received
from the White House, the senate re-
called the conservation bill, took off
the $50, 000, 900 amendment and let the
withdrawal bill 60 back to the house
for conference.
The house today passed the Jones
bill authorizing the Northern Pacific to
build a bridge across the Columbia
river between Grant and Kittitas coun-
ties.
Instead of reaching a vote on the ac-
ceptance of the house postal savings
bank bill, the senate was apparently
further from that consummation when
it adjourned today than when it con-
vened.
Late in the day, and following
speeches in opposition to the house
measure, Senator Bacon offered an
amendment striking out the provision
regulating the investment of deposits
in government bonds, and the motion
was pending when the senate ad-
journed.
The principal speech in opposition to
the house bill was made by Senator
Cummins, who contended the measure |
was a radical reversal of the senate
bill.
The conferees on the naval appropri-
alton bill completed their work today
and their report was submitted to the
house by Chairman Foss, of the house
naval affairs committee. This bill
makes provision for two battleships to
cost, exclusive of armament not eX-