Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1885-12-19

Plumb, to open to homestead settlement,
certain portions of the Indian territory,
(this is the Oklahoma bill of the last con-
gress, and passed durir 6 the closing hours
Of the session. By that bill the president
was authorized, apdhe thought the word
authorized" meant required, To open ne
gotistions with the IntiaDs for the pur.
pose of securing eessiop ct the lsnd. IL
mad been expected that that would have
been done during the last summer, and that
the results would be reported to cor gress
at this session, BE was informed, now.
eve; that no steps he'd been taken IN thai
direction, and thought it fne that
some settlement of thie question saoa.d be
reached. If not settled by cons.sss 1t
might settle itself in q way not cred Die
to the country. he expressed the hope
that The measure would receive the atfen-
ton of the committee on Iudian affairs.
By Mr., Van Wyck, to establish an addI-
tional Ian d district In the state of Nebraska:
BIZ Mr.. Gibson, to transfer the United
States barracks ut Baton Rogue, La, TO
the Louisiana state university. BY MI.
Plumb, to improve the efficiency OF the
militia, lit authorizes and directs the &c Gro
taly of war on application Of any state or
territory to recall unserviceable ordinance
or ordinance stores issued to the militia,
and replace them with the kind supplied to
the regular army By Mr.. Mccall, to repeal
municipal corporation to interfere in any
yav with q commercial traveller selling
goods of which he, or the merchant be rep
resents, is not citizen). By Mr.. Wilson,
of Iowa, to promote peace among nations,
lit authorizes the president to enter into
negotiations with other governments, with
q view to the formation Of an international
tribunal for the arbitration OF any dlfhcul-
all laws an6la1ts of laws prohibiting per
CONS to wounded soldiers and officers with.
out proof of loyalty; also to amend the ar
ticles of war, 80 thGt no psrscn can be
tried by court martial for desertion, whose
offense was committed two years before
his apprehension, provided he has been that
length of time in the United States since
his desertion; also to investigate the issue
of fraudulent land warrants; also to regu-
late the submitting of contracts for car
rying the United States mails. 1t pro-
vides that contracts for carrying the
mails shall not be sublet without the
consent of the postmaster general. Also
authorizing the secretary of the treasury to
override and reverse the decisions of ell in
ferior officers of the treasury department.
BY Mr.. Plumb, to make an additional arti-
Gle of war. 1t provides that any officer
serving with troops, or any soldier not on
furlough, " no gamble, or any officer OF the
army, whether or not serving with troops,
who, by gambling. shall win money from
an inferior officer, shall be court martialed;
and that any post trader who permits gam
bling in his establishment shall have bis
appointment revoked, and makes 1t
the duty of every commanding officer
O enforce the provisions of tnis act
At 2:O7 D. M, the senate went into exec
utive session, after which On adjournment
was taken till Monday.
In the senate on December 14th. The
chair laid before that body the joint reso-
luton of the legislature of Connecticut, urg-
ing congress to pass, without unnecessary
delay, q bill to provide for presidential
court. There was laid before the senate a
memorial from the state executive commit
tee appointed by the constitutional conven-
ton Of Dakota. praying for the admission
of southern Dakota as state Of the union
and transmitting the draft of q constitution
for the approval of congress. Mr.. Harri:
&C n, of Indiana, said he had only awaited
the receipt of this memorial in order to in
trcduce bill providing for the admission
of the territory named and that he would
introduce such bill ct an early opportu-
nifty. Mr.. Hoar, of Massachusetts,, from
the committee on privileges and elections,
reported favorably the original bill. pro-
yiding for the performance of the duties
of president in case of the death resignation
or inability of both the president and vice
president, and said it was substantially the
same bill that had been acted on last year
by the senate. A resolution, offered by Mr..
Morgan, of Alabama, was agreed to, r. quir-
ing the president, it not incompatible with
public interests, to communicate to the
senate the report CT the actual instrument
survey of the line of the ship railway across
the Isthmus of Tahauntepec, and of any
canal or canals, designed to connect such
ship railway with the Gulf Of Mexico or
the Pacific ocean. Mr.. Sswell, Of New Jer-
sey, at his own re quest was relieved OF the
Craftsmanship of the committee on military
affairs and Mr.. Logan. of Illinois, was ap-
pointed in his stead. Several other unim-
portaut changes were made in commit
tees. Hoar, from the committee on Judicial
ry, reported favorably bill fixing the sal
airy of United States district Judges ct So
600. It was placed on the calendar. At
1:2O p. m. the senate went into executive
session and at 2:20 the senate doors reopen
ed ar message was received from the
president transmitting the Kelley CORES
dence, recently called for by Mr.. Vests res
olution. It was ordered printed.
The following bills were introduced: By
Senator Mcpherson, to suspend the coinage
of the standard silver dollar. By Senator
Dawes, to regulate rates of postage on Sec
ond class mail matter. Itprovides that the
rates on second class publications deposited
in letter cattier Offices for delivery by car
riers, shall be uniform at the rate 1 cent q
pound. By Senator Vance, torepeal certain
provisions of the act Of March, 1875, relating
to the purchase of arms for the use ofstates
By Senator Ingalls, (by request). to make
the Lake Borgue outlet to improve the low
water navigation of the Mississippi river
from New Orleans to Cairo. By Senator
Plumb (by request), for the relief of the
widows and children of officers who were
taken captive by Indians. BySenator Con.
ger to provide for q final settlement with
the PottaWatomie Indians of Kansas, in
accordance with the treaty stipulations.
Adjourned.a
THE HOUSE.
In the house on December oh later the
reading and approval of the journal, the
speaker asked and received permission OF
the house to appoint committee on rules,
accounts and enrolled bills. Morrison, OF
Illinois, offered resolution for references
to the commit ee on rules when appointed,
continuing in force the rules OF the forty
eighth congress, with certain notifications
among them being one for the distribution
of the work of the appropriation commit
tee. Among the other standing committees
of the house, this committee shall be left
with jurisdiction over legislative and sun
dry civil bills. Mr.. Springer, of Illinois.
presented code of rules for tha govern
ment of the house on which he demanded