Windham County Reformer

CONSIDERATION OF SOME WEIGHTY MEASURES THE PAST WEEK

Senate at Washington Passes the Elkins Anti Trust Bill—Senator Proctor Defends Capt. Brownell—The Sundry Civil Appropriation Bill—Chairman Lord of Postoffice Committee Makes Final Address.

In the house Thursday Representative Bristow of New York introduced a bill increasing the salary of the president of the United States to $100,000 a year.

President Roosevelt sent to Congress the notes of the Mexican and Chinese governments suggesting the co-operation of the United States in an effort to bring about the establishment of a fixed rate of exchange between the gold standard countries and those which are now using silver. If this policy is adopted, the substitution of the Lodge coinage bill for that passed by the house extending the monetary system of the United States over the Philippines seems probable.

The cabinet at its meeting Friday cordially approved the action of Congress toward strengthening coast defenses and generally improving the naval and military establishments, though it was made clear that the United States is not expecting or desiring trouble in connection with the Venezuelan question.

The Senate considered the army appropriation bill Monday. During the discussion a senator criticised as remarkable a defence made several days ago by Senator Proctor of Vermont, of Capt. Brownell of Burlington, said to have been connected with the death of Father Augustine in the Philippines. This was in connection with the Rawlins resolution calling for information regarding courts martial in the Philippines. Senator Berry of Arkansas said that Capt. Brownell admitted having given 'the water-cure' to Father Augustine, and yet the autopsy was said to have shown that he died of fatty degeneration of the heart. Father Augustine, he declared, was murdered, and yet Capt. Brownell was to be held up as the highest specimen of the American soldier or American officer. Mr. Proctor said with some emphasis in reply: 'The senator from Vermont defended Capt. Brownell and continues to do so, and resents the implication of the senator from Arkansas that he was guilty of murder.' Capt. Brownell, he said, was in a situation where he had to defend his men against treachery in which Father Augustine was the prime mover. Mr. Berry, answering Mr. Proctor, said that if Mr. Proctor approved of Capt. Brownell's conduct, that was a question for him to determine. 'As to his saying he resents,' he said, 'I do not know in what way he purposes to resent.' Mr. Proctor made no reply.

Amendments to the bill were agreed to authorizing the president to appoint an officer of the signal corps as chief of the telegraph and cipher bureau of the White House, who shall have the rank of major; appropriating $2,000,000 to supply and equip the organized militia of the several states and granting to officers who have been retired by reason of wounds or disabilities incurred in active service equal benefits enjoyed by other officers in cases of retirements.

Among about forty bills passed by the house Monday under suspension of rules was one authorizing a resumption of the negotiations with Great Britain for the preservation of the Alaska fur seals and to give the secretary of the treasury authority, if a modus vivendi is not concluded prior to the opening of the pelagic sealing season this year, to exterminate the seal herd on the Pribylov islands except 10,000 females and 1,000 males; also the senate bill appropriating $500,000 for a new department of agriculture building. The sundry civil appropriation bill reported Monday carries an aggregate appropriation of $78,007,929. Among the appropriations carried for construction work on federal buildings is $145,000 for Burlington, Vt. An appropriation of $3,000,000 is recommended for the relief of distress in the Philippines.

In the senate Tuesday, the Elkins anti-trust bill to amend the interstate commerce law was considered by unanimous consent and passed without debate, all the amendments recommended by the committee being adopted. They do not materially change the effect of the bill. The army bill was passed after eliminating the provision establishing a general staff. Later the independent measure, identical in its provision with the general staff section of the army appropriation bill, was passed after having been reconsidered to allow the incorporation of an amendment, placing the chief of staff exclusively under the direction of the president. Another bill was passed amending the Revised Statutes to allow national banks to keep their reserves in cities of 30,000 population, instead of 50,000 population as at present.

The house committee on naval affairs which investigated the Lessler bribery charges reported that evidence shows that an attempt had been made corruptly to influence Mr. Lessler's action on proposed legislation by Philip Doblin, on his own responsibility, in the hope of making money for himself if he should succeed: that there is no evidence implicating Lemuel E. Quigg, the Holland submarine boat company or any of its agents in the matter. The committee on foreign relations reported favorably on the Colombian treaty for building an isthmian canal.

The senate Wednesday concurred in the house amendment providing for a new department of agriculture building and fixing the cost at $150,000. This passed the bill. There was a lively passage at arms over the unequal representation in congress of certain states. Twenty-seven private pension bills were passed, also a senate bill to expedite the hearing and determination of suits in equity pending or hereafter brought under the Sherman anti-trust law.

The house debated the postoffice appropriation bill, with a diversion in the way of tariff debate. Mr. Lord, chairman of the postoffice committee, is to retire from congress March 4 and made his closing address on postoffice legislation. He said he desired to warn those who were to follow him of the insidious methods employed to increase the expenses of the service. The bills to classify postoffice clerks and letter carriers, he said, were in reality bills to increase the salaries of these men. If these bills were ever taken up he expressed the hope that the clauses providing for compulsory promotion would be stricken out. He explained his regret that the rural free delivery service had not been placed under the contract system. The rural free delivery service, he declared, was the most extravagant bureau of the government.