The National tribune., 1911-02-09
DOINGS OF CONGRESS.
Senate.

DOINGS OF CONGRESS.
Senate.
Monday, Jan. 30.-Mr. Davis spoke
in advocacy of the constitutional
amendment for the elections of SEN
ators by direct vote.
Mr. Stone opposed the ship subsidy
bill, ard strongly urged the ratification
of the Canadian reciprocity agreement.
House.
Under rule brought in late in the
afternoon. the House considered and
passed, with amendments, the tariff
board bill.
Jan. 31-The Rivers and Harbors bill
was passed after some debate.
The bill to enlarge the tariff board
came over from the House. Senator
Reveridge tried to secure an order that
it lie upon the table subject to be
called up. but Senator Bailey said he
would insist it go to the committee.
The matter was not disposed of.
The Senate passed the bill incorpor
ating the National organization of the
Grand Army of the Republic.
House.
The day was given over TO oratory in
connection with the Kahn resolution
directing the Secretary of State to in
wife the nations of the world to take
part in an exposition 10 be held in San
Francisco in 1915 in commemoration of
the completion of the Panama Canal.
San Francisco defeated New Orleans in
the contest for the Endorsement of the
House, which accepted the Kahn rcso-
luton, the Estopinal bill, providing
that the fair should go to New Orleans
being defeated. The House then for
mally passed the Kahn resolution.
Consideration was given the Agricul-
tural Appropriation Bill, which went
over without action.
Senate.
Feb. 1.-The principal event was the
speech of Senator Norris Brown, of Ne
braska, on the Lorimer case, in which
he served notice on the Senate that un-
less an agreement was reached to vote
on the Lorimer case, the resolution
pertaining 70 the election of Senators
by popular vote, the bill to create Il
permanent tariff board, and a general
pension bill, that none of the general
appropriation bills would be permitted
20 pass.
Calendar Wednesday was devoted to-
the consideration of the Moon bill, pro-
viding for codifcation of the laws
relating to the Federal judiciary. Cal
endar Wednesday is an institution that
was created in the fight for new rules,
and an effort made by Representative
Crumpacker, of Indiana Rep), to have
the business of the day set aside was
defeated by an overwhelming vote
The debate was enlivened by a YER
bal passage at arms between Represent
tative Keifer, of Ohio, who was a
Union General during the war, and
Representative Bartlett, of Georgia. Mr.
tn % 10 90
of an amendment that referred to the
war between the States as the rebel
lion" He made a motion that the
words civil war; be substituted, and
the motion was adopted after a debate
in which Messrs. Keifer and Bartlett
had told the story of the SOS.
Senate.
Feb. 1.-The Senate passed the ocean
mail subsidy bill by tie vote, Vice !
President Sherman deciding the issue. |
The vote was 80 to 80.
Among the bills passed was one by
Senator Nixbn, of Nevada, extending
the benefits of the enlarged homestead
act to the arid lands in the State of
Nevada.
House.
The Agricultural appropriation bill
was taken up in the House. and Repre-
sentative Scott. of Kansas, in charge
of the measure, sang his swan song. He
is lame duck, and will go out of Con-
sress on March 4. For five minutes
after he concluded his speech the bust
ness of the House was suspended, and |
his colleagues filed by him and shook |
his hand.
During general debate on the bill |
Bennett, of New York, |
continued his attack on the Commits |
sioners Of the District of Columbia. He |
presented records from the Recorder |
of Deeds Office in support of his charge |
that improper financial relations have
existed for some time between Samuel |
T. Ralbfus, member of the District |
Board of Assessors, and of the Excise |
Board, and local brewing company.
Senate.
Feb. 3.-The feature of the Senate
was the speech of Senator EIihu Root
of New York, in which he declared |
that Senator William Lorimer of Hi
nois, should be excluded from his seat
because of corruption by which his cleo
ton was brought about. Senator Root
spoke for more than two hours and |
his speech made a profound impreSSioni
on the Senate.
Following the conclusion of Mr.
Roots speech, Senators Bailey, Hey
burn, and Paynter defended the report |
Of the Committee on Privileges and
Elections. Senator Bailey replied that
II Mr.. Lorimer was to be excluded on
account of general corrupt conditions
n Illinois politics, then his colleague
Senator Cullom, would probably be.
The Senate took up the consideration
IF the Alaska BILL but before it had
proceeded far Senator Warren, of Wy
)ming, moved that when the Senate adj
iourned for the day it be TO meet on
On roll call this motion was
1t was evident that the DEM
)crats and insurgent Republicans had
IN object in voting down the motion to
adjourn over. for Immediately after the
result was announced Senator BOrah
moved TO proceed Immediately to the
of a resolution providing
for the election of United States Sem
ators by popular vote. Senator Hale
IF Maine, suggested that it was evident
that the Senate was in u mood to dis
place the Alaskan coal lands bill and
make the resolution, providing for the
popular election of Senators the unfin-
shed business. He asked Senator b.
rah to assure him that ample time would
be given to speeches on the question,
and Senator Rorah acceded. Then, at
he suggestion of Mr.. Hale, the roll call
was dispensed with, with the consent
of Senator Borah, and the Senate by a
viva voce vote displaced the Alaskan
bill and made the poular election Of
Senators the unfinished business.
House.
The day was given over in the House |
20 private bills and war claims. A num-
ner of such measures were passed, none |
of them of general interest.