The Legislative Week

The Senate-- P: Debated the Italian debt settlement (see below). P: Debated farm relief measures. P: Passed two bills for the beautification of the Capital. One, carrying $1,900,000, was for a connecting link between Rock Creek and Potomac parks. The other extended the powers of the Park Commission. (Bills went to the House for perfunctory agreement to a few amendments.) P: Debated, in connection with appointment of Thomas F. Woodlock to Interstate Commerce Commission (TIME, April 5), the question of absolute secrecy at executive sessions of the Senate. Republican Leader Curtis promised prompt committee consideration of a proposal to alter the secrecy rule.* The House-- P: Impeached, 306 to 62, Federal Judge George W. English (see below). CP:Passed a bill authorizing an increase of $18,555,000 in pensions for Spanish-American war veterans. (Went to the Senate.)

*A Senator may be expelled for revealing the proceedings of an executive session. Senator Bingham thought one Senator had been. He was wrong. In 1844, Senator Benjamin Tappan of Ohio, after deep apologies, was forgiven for having divulged confidential information to newspapers. It has long been the custom of the Senate tacitly to permit a Senator to tell how he himself voted in secret session. Thus Senator Overman of North Carolina jubilantly boasts he voted against Mr. Woodlock.