Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1889-02-14
DOINGS OF CONGRESS.
IMPORTANT MEASURES CONSIDERED
AND ACTED UPON.

At the Nations Capitol = what Is Being
Done by the Senate and House = Old
Matters Disposed of and New Ones Com
s'dered.
THERE was long debate In the Senate on the
9Th inst. over the reference OF the House bill
for Territorial government for Oklahoma Mr..
Platt moved that the bill be referred to the Com
mittee On Territories, and after long debate
the motion adopted Tho Senate
agreel to the committee amendments to the
legislative appropriation bill, the principal
one being to increase the salary OF the Presi-
dents Private secre AIRY from -, 500 to 5OJl.
The House Joint resolui ion for payment of
S5O0O0J to the representatives OF the late James
Is. Eads was passed 10y the Senate. The con-
ference repors on the Nicaragua canal bill WAS
called up in The Hous- and the discussion of
the bill and amendments occupied most Of The
day. The Senate bill apPropria ing $75000O for
apostofiice building at st. Paul was fay orably
reported TO the House, with an amendment
ducing the amount to $60O,0O0. The House
agreed TO the Senate amendment to the bill TO
retire Gen William +. Smith. The President
transmitted 10 Congress for ratification pro-
yisional ,reement lately entered into with the
Creek Indians by which the title to al lands
such as are held and occupied as homes, are
ceded to he United States. BY its terms he
Greek Nation ce1es 10 the United States the
tire western ha I OF the domain OF the nation,
lying west OF the division line established by
the treaty of 1886. The United ST ates agrees 10
pay TO the Indians 81. .2s1 SJ7-s2S e57 to be paid
5000 900 TO remain in the United States Treas
ury to the credit OF the nation and bear interest
at the rate OF per cent. The nation agrees to
devote not less than Sc, 600 annually to ednca-
tional purposes
Tue Senate bill granting TO the Big Horn
Southern Railway Company right of way across
the reservation in Montana was reported and
passed in tho Senate on the 9th inst. Mr..
Chandler offered resolution, which was
agreed TO- calling on the Secretary OF
authority given by him for cutting tin ber in
the Chippewa indian reservation within the La
oepsg 6y HgeMGy cbrnser nsrnepc tbe Co
mittse on Approp iations to investigate the
matter OF naval officers claims, was taken up,
and after long debate the resolution went
over without action, also the executive and
judicial appropriation bill The House,
after a long debate agreed to the conference re-
yeas TO CD nays Mr.. Chipman (Mich.) made the
principal spee,h I'm favor of the report, declar-
ing that the House amendments which were
dropped by the conferrees " ere added 10 the
bill on tho idea that the Uni ed lates should
isolate itself aud keep free from entanging
alliances; That dav, he said, had passed. Inc
enterprise to plant itself in foreign coun-
tries was too late. The time had come
for naughty and dictatorial American policy
and certainly wise American policy. We are
carrying the flag into that region OF Central
America with the Endorsement of this Govern
ment. We have put ourselves where, though
we may not he pecuniarily liable we shall be
morally responsible for the safety and protec-
tion Of a great American enterprise which will
holp to spread our country over the world. He
hoped that this step was only a prelude to tho
day when the flag shall wave over the state OF
Nicaragua as @ State of the United States OF
America.
The Senate continued it's discussion OF the
civil-service system on the 7th inst. when it re-
sumed consideration OF Mr.. Hawleys amend
ment 10 tho legislative appropriation bill
providing an additional clerk for the Civil
Service Commission. The amendment was
make the Board of Pension Appeals con-
sist Of six members instead OF three.
The bin then went ove,. Tho confer
ence report on the Nicaragua canal bill was
agreed to and it now goes TO tho President The
Senate passed the bill au horizing the Mount
water from tho Wabash River. Mr.. Blair intro
ducei joint resolution providing for a consti-
tutional amendment extending the right of suf-
frage to women, and presented a majority
port of the Senate Committee on Woman Suf-
fIage favoring the same. The Senate passed
a substitute for tho House bill to remove the
charge Of desertion from soldiers of the late
war and OF the Mexican war VIII re such soldiers
afterward served faithfully till the expiration of
their term OF enlistment. The House passed
the Senate bill providing that public lands
available for agricultural purposes. now subject
to private entry, shall only be disposed of under
the homestead laws. Amendments were
adopted striking out the provisions exempting
Missouri from tho opera ions OF the bill,
repealing the Communication clause of the home
stead law, ana allowing persons VINO nave aDan-
doned or relinquished their homestead cries
to mako another entry. The House passed the
bill granting a pension OF SOD a month to the
widow OF Gen. w. II. Emery. Amendments
aggregatng S6l 500 were added to the army APP
propriation bill by the House. The appropria-
tion OF 100000 for the new military post at
Denver stricken out upon the suggestion
that the item is covered in the sundry civil bill.
In the Senate the naval appropriation bill and
the fortihcation appropriation bill we're re-
ported on the Sth inst, with amendments and
placed on the calendar The Senate bill 10
move the bar the statute OF limitations
TO certain claims or compensation
for horses and other property lost III
the service of the United states was
reported from tho Committee on Military Az
IA ars and placed on tho calendar. resolution
was offered which was referred to the Commit
tee Contingent EXpenses) for the appoint
ment of a select committee OF seven ON riga
ton aud reclamation of arid lands to consider
the subject Of irrigation and the best mode Of
reclaiming the arid lands OF the United states,
with leave TO sit during the recess. and TO en-
poy clerk at So n day. The Senate
then proceeded to the consideration Of
the House bill TO quiet title of settlers on
the Des Moines river lnnds in Iowa. After some
discussion, and without division or amendment,
the bill passed. The report of the disagree
ment OF the conferrees on the bill admitting
South Dakota and creating, the Territory OF
North Dakota was made and a now conference
ordered message from the President in
regard 10 Samoa was laid before the Senate.
together with n message transmitting the
Canada of the Massachusetts fishing vesssl
Bridgewater. After passing hfty-two pension
bills tho Senate adjourned. In the House
motion was made TO take up the bill to increase
the pension OF the widow OF the late Con. Ward
Burnett, but the motion failed 10 receive the
necessary majority. The House then took up
the army appropriation bill, which was passed.
On motion OF Mr.. Spinola IL was agreed TO retire
Gen. w. II. Hunt, WHO is now at the point OF
death The agricultural appropriation was then
considered and passed, after which the House
took n recess till o'clock, when a number OF
aion hills cOngidorel