Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-02-11
CONGRESSIONAL.
MONDAY, FEBRUARY I d.

senate a letter from the secretary of
war transmitting report on the militia
of the United States also a letter from
the secretary of the interior transmit
ting the report of w. Hallet Phillips,
relating to the Yellowstone Park, also
q letter from the secretary OF the
treasury transmitting copy of a COM
munication from the superintendent of
the coast and geodetic survey, with a
draft OF proposed bill to authorize the
supplying of standard weights and
measurement TO the territories. The
senate then went to the calendar and
took up and passed the bills providing
for the division of part of the Sioux
reservation ia Dakota and the relin-
quishment of the Indian title 10 the re-
mainder. After reviving the genesis
and history Of the electoral college, and
the change effected by the people in it's
practical operation and effect, ingalls,
characterized the whole affair as at
present conducted as rubbish. Senator
Evarts obtained the floor and the SEN
ate went into executive session, and
when the doors reopened the senate ad-
jOurned.
Householder the call Of the states
the following bills were introduced
and referred. DIR. King, La appro-
priating 3 million dollars for closing
gaps in the levees Of the Mississippi river
and Strengthening and giving perman-
enGy to the same. When the call of
states was completed, several motions
to adjourn were made on the republic
an side, but they were all voted down
and Matson having secured the floor
moved to suspend the rules and put up
on It's passage the bill incr easing the
pensions of soldiers widows from eight
dollars to twelve dollars, with an amen
dnent providing that this act shall ap-
ply only to widows who were married
to deceased soldiers prior to it's passage,
and to those who may hereafter marry
prior to or during the service of the
soldier. a motion to suspend the rules
and pass the bill was agreed to; yeas,
1913; nays, GO. Adjourned.
MONDAY, FEBRUARY, z.
Senate. The chair laid before the
senate a letter from the secretary of
war in compliance with the recent T es-
Olution of the senate transmitting the
report of w. a. Jones, corporal of en-
gineers, regarding river Improvements
in Oregon. Among the measures fav-
orably reported from the committees
was joint resolution by Blair, from
the committee on woman suffrage,
providing for constitutional amend :
ment extending the right of suffrage to
women. Cockrell stated that this re-
port was not tho unanimous Judgement
of the committee and the minority re-
served the right to present written
report in opposition to the measure. The
joint resolution was placed on the cal
endar. The electoral count bill was
then taken up, and after long discuss
ion, in which Sen. Evarts and others
participated, the bill was re-
submitted so the committee for amend
ment and the senate adjourned.
House - After the reading of the
journal. Mr. Holman offered the follow.
ing resolutions:
Resolved That the house has received with
profound sorrow the intelligence of the death of
Thomas A. Hendricks, late Vice-preSldent OF the
ResolUed That the business of the house be
suspended in order that the eminent services and
private virtues of the deceased may be appropri-
ately COmmemorated.
Resolved, That TIE clerk of the house be di-
rected to communicate these resolutions to the
senate.
Eulogies were then pronounced by
Bynum and Others. Tho resolutions
were then unanimously adopted and the
house adjourned.
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 3.
Senate-AmOng the measures report
ed fAvorably from the committees was
q resolution by Frye, reported, as he
believed, with unanimity," from the
committee on foreign relations, declar.
ing it to be the opinion of the senate
that congress ought to provide for a
joint commission of Great Britain and
she United States in relation to the
fisheries. Ii was placed on the calen-
dar. A bill was passed for the benefit
of the state Texas, Colorado, Oregon, Ne
6ra8ka, California, Kansas and Nevada,
and the territories Washington and
Idaho. 1t provides that ia case of the
original vouchers required by law for
the states and territories named, the
secretary of war may accept copies
thereof properly certified by the state
or territory officers. At 2 o'clock the
Dakota bill was placed before the SEN
ate and Logan took the floor and ad-
dressed the senate in favor of the bill.
Sen. Harrison took the floor and gave
notice that he would ask the senate to
vote on the bill tomorrow. The senate
adjourned.
HOuSe.-The speaker laid before the
house a communication from the post
master general in response to the house
resolution calling for information as to
what changes should be made in tie
law regulating the compensation to
railroad companies for carrying the
mails. The postmaster general states
that up to the present time he has been
unable to form any clear opinion as ito
the changes to be made in the law. At
future day, he states, he will be able
to place before the house all the infor-
nation, which inquiries that have
been instituted and are approaching
completion, will afford. Referred. In
the morning hour the house resumed, in
committee of the whole, {h1r. Crisp in
the chair the consideration of the bill
to abolish certain fees for officials ser.
vice to American vessels. Pending the
action the committee rose and the house
again resolved itself into g committee
(Mr. Hammond in the chair on the bill
relating to the taxation of fractional
parts of gallon of distilled spirits.
Mr.. Butterworth briefly discussed the
provisions pending, and opposed it as be-
ing at a disadvantage to the distilling
interests of Ohio. Without action the
committee rose, and the house adj
journed.