Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1888-06-28
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our regular correspondent.
Wa.urECrnNy IT, ous

all been quietly attending to their
usual duties in the Senate this week,
notwithstanding the fact that they
have all been mentioned in connec .
ton with the presidential nomina-
ton. The very fact that they had
been so mentioned, is probably what
kept the most of those gentlemen
away from the Chicago conven-
| ton.
The Senate has passed a bill for
the representation of the several
Government departments at the
Columbus (Ohio) Centennial Expo
sition next September and October.
The bill appropriates 100000 to pay
the expenses.
The Senate, Notwithstanding that
the large number of absentees and
pairs left it without quorum this
week, succeeded II doing a heavy
weeks work on the routine meas
ures, which could be put through
without a division.
The Senate will take up the river
and harbor bill next Monday. SEN
ator Frye, on Wednesday, submitted
his favorable report on the bill. The
report starts out by saying that the
bill exceeds by s2,s00,o00 the larg-
est appropriation ever made in a
similar bill, but as no bill was pass
ed last year, and as none is likely to
be passed at the short session follow
ing the presidential election, this
bill practically represents a period
of three years on basis of $1,000
900 year, which is considerably
less than the average expenditure of
recent years. The first river and
harbor appropriation was made in
1922, and was 22,7oO. Up to date
the aggregate is $l6l, 100000. There
is not one of the great maritime
governments of the world that does
not expend more in proportion to Its
rivers aud seacoast harbors than we
do. France and England both
spend s2O,0o0,O0O annually. The
report states that the commerce of
our inland waterways amount to
twenty-five or thirty thousand mil
lion dollars annually, and that Its
rapid increase of late years has been
largely due to Government appro-
priations. 1t argues that the open
ing of new regions and the cheap
ening of transportation more than
| Justify the expenditure, and that SO
per cent. of the money expended
this way goes directly into the hands
of the wage earners of the country,
and is, therefore, more fairly dis
tributed and more quickly restored
to circulation than through any 9th
er channel.
The action of the Chicago con-
vention in allowing Dakota and
Washington territories the number
of representatives in the convention
which they would be entitled to as
states, meets with general common
dation from republicans here.
The action of the Democratic
majority of the House, in passing
an amendment to the Sundry Civil
| Appropriation bill, which would if
accepted by the Senate, result in
stopping work upon the new con
gressional library building, until a
new plan could be made and &C.
cepted, is generally condemned by
the friends of progress and educa-
ton as step backwards The
action is thoroughly in keeping with
the record of the Democratic party,
which is and has always been op.
posed to anything calculated to
diffused knowledge and enlighten-
ment among the people.
A little breeze was created in the
House Wednesday by the Nebraska
Representatives, who denounced in
bitter terms the special land agents
sent out by the interior department
What brought on the debate was an
item in the Sundry Civil appropria.
ton bill, which was under consider
alton, appropriating 100000 fol
these special agents. Mr.. McShant
| favored a reduction to $4,000. lie