Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-04-20
AT THE CAPITOL TO-DAY.
THE HOUSE ONLY IN SESSION.
Indian Appropriation Bill Passed.
THE PENSION BILL THEN TAKEN UP
Both District Committees Hold Meetings.
House OF Represent..,v...

"VuB0 VI k2ePte0e0t0ItVGDe
On motion OF Mr.. McRae {Ark) a senate oil
was passed authorizing the Kansas City, Texar.
kama and Gulf Railroad CO. to construct bridges
over the Red and Little rivers in Arkansas.
on motion OF Mr.. Anderson Ul), Senate bill
was passed extending the system of beacon lights
TO the Illinois River.
on motion OF Mr.. Townshend OILY, Senate
amenoments were concu-red In to the Military
THE INDIAN APPROPRIATION BILL PASSED.
me house then resumed the consideration ol
the Indian appropriation bill, the pending ques.
tlon being On the motion OF Mr.. Randall, of Penn.
sylvahia, TO strike out the Choctaw Judgment sec.
tion. Tne motion was lost and the bill wat
Mr.. Townshend Ull), from the committee on
milsary affairs. reported his bill, placing Gen. W.
+: lBaidy) Smith on the retired list with the rank
OF ma1or-General. Private celendar.
mOtiOn 70 proceed to the consideration OF
private business was defeated by the managers OF
Tue various appropriation bills, and, on motion OF
MI; 6ianchard OF Louisiana Chairman OF the
committee on rivers and harbors) the House went
'nIo committee OF the whole on such measures.
THE PENSION APPROPRIATION BILL
Tne nrst Dill on the calendar was the pension
appropriation bill, and Mr.. Blanchard showed q
disposition to object to its consideration in the in
terest Of the river and harbor BILL but in view OF
disposed OF In an hour he Withdrew all objection,
and the pension bill was taken up!
BOND PURCHASES, PENSION ARREARS, AND TIE
Mr.. Henderson uowS in speaking to the bill
alluded to the recent action OF the House in regard
to the purchase OF bonds with the surplus in order
70 d1spel the doubt in the mind Of the President
as 10 MS authority to purchase bonds, such au-
tnor1ty having been conferred in an appropriation
DILL IN examining the arrears OF pension act It
would be found that there WIS no Limitation as to
the time when claims should be ned The only
Limitation ever placed upon that act was found in
q Ia T. f0 ha Ga dnfv IN
call the attention OF the Administration to this
iact, Tor II the President had trouble in buying
ncu.ty In not allowing arrears OF pensions
II the Administration could not, without an
expression or opinion from the House, 60 into the
logical and consistent, to withhold arrearages or
pensions He appealed to the Administration to
Ue consistent, and come up like q little man and
their inns within the provisions or the act That
should be done until declaratory act was passed
saying that he Lust be governed by the provision
OF the appropriation bill
Capitol Topics.
THE BILL FOR ADMISSION OF SOUTH DAKOTA As 4
STATE PASSES THE SENATE.
After q lively political debate the Senate yester-
day evening passed the bill to admit Dakota INTO
the Union by strict party vote. The discussion
OF the day was chiefly with regard to the electoral
controversy or 1876. The substitute offered by
Mr Butler providing an enabling act Tor The adms-
sion or Lh whoe territory OF Dakota was voted
down by % TO ga party vote-and then the
committees bill was passed by the same vote. Tue
Dill divides Dakota and proposes TO admit tie
Southern nalf as South Dakota, the Northern half
10 retain the name OF North Dakota and remain
Tor tue present T. riiJory. IL admits South
u .kota upon &he constitution and state govern.
ment adopted by its citizens some time ago. After
passing the bill the Senate adjourned iii Monday
REVISION OF THE PATENT LAWS
The House committee on the revision Of the
patent laws has as stated In yesterdays STAR
completed an important work on which 1t mas
been engaged for some time. This is a radical
change IN the patent laws as they at present
Wien they become the posseSSors OF valuable
Invention TO nle caveat and then employ shrewd
lawyers to delay as long as possible the granting
OF the patent. Senator COckrelrs report on tue
some Cases monOpOlies have by trivial motions de-.
layed tne nual issue Oh patents Tor eight and ten
years. In the meantime, however, the Company
has enjoyed the full Use or its inven ION, and when
te. patent Is granted the legal term ot seventeen
years Is lengtnened by just as many ye rs as the
delay has existed. The revision Will prevent the
recurrence Oh this In the future 1t Is proposed
ohave all patents either granted Or disallOwed in
two wears. The com'uitlee will also recommend
that the term OF an American patent be allowed to
plratlon of foreign y tent upon the same inven-
Ciun. Al present the American patent expires
when the foreign patient dies. The committee
wLiprobably consider in the future the necessity
control OF inventions whicn would ben ut The
pubic ana locking them up where they do the
pubic no good.
It is expected by both democrats and republicans
that the nsneries treaty Will be taken up IN
VIII be considered from day 70 day until q fnal
v0le Shall be reached.