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 $95, 900 to the New Or
leans Towing Association for coal taken
by General Benjamin F. Butler in 1862
was adopted.
Senator Bristow rpm, Kan.) spoke
vigorously in opposition to the French
spoliation claims feature OF the bill.
Hogss.
The one-hundred- 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 as the short session
OF the Sixty-frst Congress has in the
first seven working days OF its existence.
Nearly two hundred million dollars has
been spent 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. 600 600 have been rushed through,
And tho House has found time to talk
about everything from the abolition oil
Indian warehouses to a tariff for rev.
enue only. The work OF passing the
appropriation bills has been done IN be-
tween"
The House has been in session Just
81 IL working hours-1890 minutes.
In that time 1t has disposed OF about
1892, 900, 900. That means that every
hour the House has been in session has
meant an expenditure OF more than
sixty miIlion-more than 100000 a
minute.
While a short session OF Congress
usually disposes OF the appropriation
bills in short order, the phenomenon oil
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 he disposed OF in record
breaking time.
The House committee on approprla-
tons reported the legislative, executive
and judicial bill carrying an appropria-
ton OF S35, 1926, 219, which is $4S2, SO
less than the estimates submitted by
the various departments and is Sl6S,.
953 less than the appropriation for 1910
exclusive OF the increase from 81, 900,
900 to 81, 500, 900 to complete the work
OF the twelfth census. The cut is affected
largely by the elimination OF 100
salaries, estimates for which make a
total cut OF 2S7 salaries on the present
appropriation for running the govern
ment.
A bill providing for a 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
aud 10 carry it out both in time oil
peace and war.
The answer OF the War Department
to the resolution OF Mr.. McLachlan.
calling for a report as to the ability oil
the U. s. army to repel invasion OF the
Pacific coast was sent to the House to-
lay 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
lit, 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 a fight to force it:
publication, as that was the purpose o.
his resolution.
| A fight that involved the principle:
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 las
calendar Wednesday," and he wanted
the bill amended.
Democrats and republicans Tough
| for ruling allowing the House to vote
upon the question OF considering th'
bill, and Speaker Cannon finally ruled
that the House had that right
The House thereupon voted in fayol
of considering the bill today but
Speaker Cannon's ruling establishes
the right OF the House to decide jus
what IL shall work on on calendar
Wednesday"
CONGRESSIONAL.
Tn tha Eenata Yesterday Mr.. Cum.