New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-12-20
FAILS TO GET MESSAGE
No Quorum in House as Con.
gresS AdjournS for Holidays.
APPOINTMENTS HELD UP
The Senate Confirms Only One
in Hour and One -Half's
Executive Debate.

Washington, Dec. ~. -Congress ad.
journed for the Christmas holidays to.
day after some lively maneuvring to get
President Taft's message into the record
secure action >on the Presidents recent
appointments and bring proceedings in the
Archibald impeachment trial to a point
where they may be disposed Of early IN
January. The House was unable to get
quorum. and adjourned after a seven
teen-minute session without even having
received the Presidents message
The message waited for four hours 10 Sc
cure entrance into the Senate When that
body convened at noon the Republican
Senator's asked for immediate cOnsidera-
ton again Of their demand for an execu-
tive session TO take up appointments. The
Democrats consented to the plan. and
until the impeachment trial automatically
took the floor at 30 o'clock the Senate
fought over the filling Of Presidential Of
fees with the debate carried on behind
tightly closed doors. It was not until the
impeachment court adjourned about {
O'Clock that the Presidents message was
received and read.
Both houses of Congress adjourned to
meet on Thursday, January 2. The SEN
ate. sitting as a court of impeachment,
will reconvene Friday, January 3. The
House money trust committee, winding
no its session with J. p. Morgan at $50
o clock, adjourned until o'clock Monday.
January s. Practically all business Of
Congress will stand in allegiance through
out the holiday recess and a majority Of
the members Of both houses will leave
Washington for the vacation.
The Senate confirmed only one appoint
ment. that Of John H. Brown as post
master at Concord, y. H., in the hour and
a half of executive debate. No action was
taken on the reappointment OF Edgar E.
Clark, whose term as Interstate COM
merce Commissioner expires December 81.
Senator Hoke Smith, acting for many
Democrats. offered a resolution for thu
confirmation OF army and navy appoint
ments. but the Republican Senator'S M
sisted on starting at the head Of the list
for the consideration Of postmasters.
Objections by Senator Hitchcock. Demo
Graf. that the postofiice appointments had
not received consideration by the full
membership of the Postoffice Committee.
, drew the declaration from Senator Lodge
that. il this point was forced. it would be-
embarrassing throughout the adminisua-
ton Of Woodrow Wilson. Senator Lodge
declared that the Senate had always fo.-
lowed the precedent OF confirming post
office appointments on the recommends
ton of the subcommittee or individual
Senators 10 which they were referred.
Senator Hitchcock finally withdrew his
objection but no action was taken on
any of the other postoftice appointments
Figures presented by Senator Smoot .
show that in previous changes OF ad-
ministration the Senate had always con-
firmed the appointments Of the retiring
Presidents met a sharp reply from SEN
ator Hoke Smith. He declared that Presl-
dent Taft had sent over thirteen hundred
appointments to the Senate during thres
weeks OF this session, while President
Cleveland sent in but four hundred ap-
pointments during the whole three months
OF the last Congress OF his first term.