, 1889-02-20
Congress1onaI Notes.

WASHINGTON, Feb. l9.-The commit
tee on the presidents message relating to
the Union Pacific and Central Pacific rail
roads had a meeting to-day, and decided
to ask that the Union Pacific funding bill,
which has been on the senate calendar all
this session as special ORDER, be recon-
mitted to the committee. This action pre-
cludes the possibility of accomplishing any
legislation on the subject this session.
The house committee on military affairs
has decided to recommend the appoint
ment of William IL. Mark ham of Pasa-
dena, Cal, as manager of the Pacific coast
home for volunteer soldiers.
The senate committee on foreign rela.
tons decided that it would not be polite
to take further steps in the Samoan mat
ter pending the proposed Berlin confer
ence. This determination was reached as
the result of a telegram from the editor of
the New York World, asking if the COM
mittee desired the testimony of its CORE
spendent, j. g. Klein. now in San Fran
cisco.
In the house to-day Representative
Butterworth of Ohio introduced for refer
ence a joint resolution authorizing the
president 10 invite the members Of parlia.
ment of Canada and premiers and the
cabinets of the provinces to visit the
United States May l, 1889, and be the
guests and partakers of the hospitality Of
the people OF the United States. An ap.
preparation of S150,0O0 is made to carry
out the provisions of the resolution and a
joint committee of the house and senate is
provided for TO receive and entertain the
nations guests.
The conferees on the omnibus terrific
rial bill were in session again this morning
but no progress was made.
After many hours consultation the con-
ferees on the omnibus territorial bill
reached a conclusion this evening and
Platt and Springer are preparing a report
to accompany the return of the bill to the
two houses tomorrow. The bill as agreed
to by the conferees fixes the names of the
two Dakotas as North Dakota and South
Dakota. The people of South Dakota
are to vote upon the adoption of the
Sioux Falls constitution May IA and the
location OF the capital is to be settled by
election. On the same date the resi-
dents of North Dakota, Washington and
Montana may vote for the election of
delegates to the constitutional convention
anu lOT u luu Isl OF SldUe Objects.
On the first Tuesday in October the peo-
pile may vote upon the constitutions pro-
posed by the conventions, and if adopted
after the presidents proclamation to that
effect the governors of each may order an
election of members of the legislature and
representatives in congress. The leglsla-
lures may meet to elect two senators each
in time to take their seats at the begin
ming of the first regular session of the
fifty first congress in December next, at
which time representatives shall also be
admitted to seats. These provisions APP
ply also to senator and representatives of
South Dakota.
Representative Lafoon from the COM
mittee on expenditures in the war depart
ment, to-day reported to the house a SUBJ
st;tute for the bill introduced early last
session by Breckenridge, providing for
the creation in the war department OF a
bureau of harbor and water ways to un
dertake all river and harbor improve
ments. The substitute provides for the
creation of such department, to be off
cered by corps of the United States civil
engineers, composed of an equal number
OF military officers and civilians. The
theory of the present bill is to provide an
advisory as well as an administrative
agency. The bill presented to-day is
supposed to meet the objections urged
against the original bill.