The great West., 1889-12-20
DOINGS OF CONGRESS
WhatOur National Lawmakers
Have Been Doing the
Past Week.


SENATE.
Senator Davis bill creating new district
o. the United States circuit court was read in,
the senate to-day and went to the committee
on judiciary. The bill proposes to divide the
Elgnth district, over which Judge Brewer has
presided. and create the Tenth district, to in
clude Minnesota. North Dakota, South Da-
kota and Montana. The terms of court are
70 % neld thesame as at present. except that
the Two terms are provided for in Minneapo-
lis, one on the first Monday in February and
one on the second Monday in September.
senator Butler introduced a bill to-day to
provide for the emigration of persons OF col,
or rom the Southern states OF the United
states. 1t provides that the head OF any
family, or for himself if not married, may
make application to the nearest United
states commissioner under oath, setting
1orth the fact that he desires to emigrate to
foreign country for permanent residence
ana citizenship and that he is too poor to
pay the cost of transportation. certifi-
cate OF this statement shall be forwarded by
the commissioner to the quartermaster gen.
eral OF the army, who shall thereupOn fur
nlsn TO said applicant the necessary trans
portatlons by the cheapest route. For this
purpose the bill appropriates IS, 100000.
HOUSE.
Mr. Butterworth of Ohio, rising to ques-
ton df privilege, offered preamble and res
olutlOn, setting forth the fact that the Gin
clnnati Commercial Gazette and other public
Journals had published an exact copy OF a
certain contract, said to have been entered
into by certain members of the house and
senate, and that this contract was basis
1or charges OF corruption and fraud in the
matter of the proposed purchase of certain
ballot boxes, and providing for the appoint
ment OF committee OF five to invertigate
and report by whom the contract was pre-
paired, and whether the appended signatures
are forged r. franuino
The Southern members have already com.
menced their war upon the internal tax. Re-
preventative Brewer of North CarolAa put in
the first bill of the kind dtoday-repealngt the
tax on tobacco-and had it referred to the
committee on ways and means. The ways
and means committee is not made up in the
interest OF this movement, the only Southern
mem bers being from the Democratic side of
the house, and they are in favor Of reducing
the customs duties instead of internal rev.
enue.
Senator Moody has been busy the past few
days preparing bills which he intends to intro
duce. He is looking up authors as tomake
his bill for national prohibition in the prohibi-
tlon states sound in the matter of constitu-
tionality He does not expect it to pass,
but he wants to get it before the senate.
HOUSE.
mileage at the rate of ten cents a mile each
way which helps some of them out of the hole
in which they we're placed by Sicott To
those members near the capital the amonnt
is not great, but to those ''iar away" the
sum each receives is by no means insigniti-
cant. Minnesota members receive on the av-
erage about $500, while those from the two
Dakotas rake in perhaps $40 each, Florida
$500 each. Texas same as Dakotans, Califor-
mans $500 and Oregon $3.50.
SENATE.
! The House resolution for printing the
agricultural reportfor 1889 was amended SO
as to provide for the printing of 100000
copies and vas then agreed to.
| A resolution offered by Mr.. Mitchell was
agreed to, instructing the committee on the
judiciary to inquire and report whether
Chinese laborers, excluded under the exist
ing law, should be permitted to enter the
| United States, for purpose of transit, with
or without permission.
The concurrent resolution of Mr.. Ingalls,
providing for a holiday recess from Dec. 10
| to Jan. 6 was adopted, At to 12, Mr.. Ed
munds leading the opposition.
In the secret session of the Senate num-
Der of consular and diplomatic nominations
were confirmed, among them that of Solo,
mon Hirsch to be minister to Turkey. The
judiciary committee reported favorably the
nomination of David j. Brewer to be associ-
| States.
resolution offered by Mr.. Enloe, of Ten.
| nessee, authorizing the sergeant-at arms
to offer a reward of IS 900 for the arrest of
| Silcott, the absconding cashier. was referred
Mr.. Springer introduced bill to organize
the territory of Oklahoma.
| bill was passed appropriating $15O.oOO
to meet a deficiency i'll the appropriation for
| r,,1h1 11o rirt1 hirIf -
meet deficiency in the appropriation for the
census bureau. resolution was adopted
| instructing the election committee to take
up the Clayton Breckenridge contest in the
Second Arkansas district, aud at 2:3O the
| House adjourned.
| The following were among the bills intro
| duced in the Senate today:
By Mr.. Washburn-Appropriating $780,
600 for the erection of public building at
Mankato MINI.
| By Mr.. Pierce-Appropriating S15O,OOO
| to provide for survey for the purpose of
| irrigation of the state of North Dakota; ap-
propriating $50 900 to establish a peniten-
tiary in the state of North Dakota, and to
carry out the provisions Of "An ct to pro-
vide for the division of Dakota into two
| states and to enable the people of North
and South Dakota Montana and Washing
| ton to form constitutions and state govern
ments and to be admitted into the Union;"
appropriating $4,000 for extending the
military reservation and repairing the quar-
| ters at Ft Abraham Lincoln, N. D.
By Mr.. Hale-Increasing the pay of super.
visors of pensions from $500 to 81 200 per
year.
HOUSE.
Hall q dozen bills having been introduced,
Mr.. Houk of Tennessee offered resolution
directing the clerk to call the states alphabet.
ically Tor the introduction of bills, but on mo.
tion of Mr.. Oates. of Ala bama, the resolution
was referred to the committee on rules.
Mr.. Tracy, of New York, having previously
been recognized, the clerk proceeded to read
the titles of the bills introduced by him.
which were as follows: To refund duties
paid by the state OF New York on arms
| imported in 1888; TO enforce the eight hour
law on government premises.