The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1890-06-28
D0INGS OF CONGRESS
What our National Lawmakers
Have Been Doing the
Past Week.
SENATE.

NAT
of 81 to %.
Senator Platt called up the bill for the ad-
mission OF Wyoming, and that now becomes
the unfinished business of tine senate. The
admission of Idaho will speedily follow.
90 HOUSE.
The bill to limit the hours Of work Of clerks
employed in first. second and third class post
Offices, as amended by the committee, the
vorably reported.
The second conference on the antitrust bill
has reached an agreement. by the terms OF
which the bill is stripped Of all amendments
added by tho senate and house, and remains
as it originally passed the senate.
The snndry civil appropriation bill was
passed. The amendment making n specific
IN lieu OF an indefinate appropriation for the
payment OF back pay was defeated. Re
representatives. Hall and Dunnell secured. an
appropriation for an object they were
greatly interested ia. The sum OF $4,000
was appropriated for a signal station at Red
Wing, at the south end Of Lake Pepin.
SENATE,
Mr.. Morrill,, from the finance COMMITTEES.
reported back the tariff bill, and said that it
was not expected that it would be brought
up for consideration earlier than a week.
On motion OF Mr.. Henderson, the house
bill extending the time Of payment to pur-
chasers of a of the Omaha tribe OF In
dams in Nebraska was taken from the calen
dar and passed with }amendments).
The senate then proceeded to the consider
alton of the legislative, executive and judi
cial appropriation bill. IN amendment was
agreed to increasing the salary of 26 COM
mittee clerks from $1,000 to 81, 800 and the
salary of clerks to senators from 81, 500 to
$1,000.
HOUSE. =
As Secretary McCook announced the pas
sage of the silver bilt with sundry amend
ments, the Democratic side ofthe house broke
out in O loud applause, which was continued
for a minute. -,
The house went into committee of the whole
on the Indian appropriation bill.
SENATE.
The senat committee on Indian affairs
has decided in favor of the appropriations
asked by several bills from time to time pre-
scented to this congress for the aid of the
Chippewa Indians in Minnesota.
The senate committee on appropriations
has made several increases in the amounts
o. appropriations for land office expenses.
As reported in the legislative, executive
and judicial bill, the amount given surveyor
general OF South Dakota is $13,7OO for sal
| airy and clerks, an increase from IS, 900; the
allowance for Washington has been increased
from $4,000 to $40, 500 for clerk hire. Mon
tana remains the same as originally reported,
$S. 500. North Dakota has an increase from
$1,000 to $4,000.
The chairman Of the house committee OH
election of president, vice president n re-
presentatives in congress submitted the re-
port OF the committee upon the fedreal cleo
ton bill, dra ted in pursuance OF the in
structions of the Rep ublican caucus.
The silver bill is now in the possession OF
the clerk ofthe committee on coinage, weights
and measures, and he has no authority to
surrender it's custody except upon the order
of the house or of the speaker. No such
order has been made by the house and the
speaker is not likely to recall it.
The consular and diplomatic appropriation
bill was reported to the senate. A number
of amendments are made in tho bill as it
passed the house. The committee incorpor.
ated in the bill the suggestions made by Sc
cretary Blaine to enable the president to
carry into effect the recommendations of the
Pan-American conference.
Senator Plumb received the p%ostofice ap
preparation bill from the appropriation com
mittee. 1t ap%propriates $72,461, 699-an
Increase of $473, 900 over the amount ap
propriated by the bill as it passed the house.
HOUSE.
The house committee on postofices and
post roads has postponed the further consid-
Grafton of the postal telegraph bill until
further consideration.
The mad rush of the free coinage men was
checked. There is considerable question as
to how they will obtain the bill, which isnow
in the hands of the committee on coinage,
weights and measures. Meanwhile there has
been considerable delay and absent Republi-
cans have been coming in. Some Demo
Gratis arrived during tie day, but the longer
delay there is the more probable that conser-
vatives will win. The onslaught of the Dem
ocrats has been not so much for free coinage
as TO censure Speaker Reed and defeat him
and his party.
Senator Power introduced a bill providing
for the sale of public lands unfit for cult
walton, but valuable Tor the stone thereon.
The bill provides for their sale in blocks o.
100 acres, at the minimum price, $3.50 per
acre. Provisions are mad that no mineral
lands or mining claim shall come under this
bill, and no rights heretofore acquired shall
be molested.
The Mormon bill passed. 1t provides that
all funds or property lately belonging to the
Mormon church shall be devoted to the use
and benefit of common schools in Utah.
- HOUSE. 80
The speaker made O statement concerning
his action in referring the silver bill to the
committee on coinage, weights and measures,
and the subsequent proceedings in the house
in regard to- that action. In conclusion he
announced that the bill had been referred &C.
cording to the rules to the committee on
coinage, weights and measures, and an ap.
peal could be taken from the reference.
SENATE.
Senator Plumb reported a bill providing
that all persons who settled between August,
1887, and January, 1889, on any improved
lands in the so-called second indemnity belt
of tho Northern Paclfic's grant under the
homestead and presumption laws Of the
United States may transfer their entries
from this tract to any other government
lands, subject to entry under the homestead
laws, as they may select.
Representative Comstock is far from
pleased with the amendment. The bill by
Mr.. Plumb is almost a new bill to such an
extent has it been changed. ,
Now that the houee committee on coin
age, weights and measures have the free
coinage bill in their possession by reference
of the speaker and sustained by the house,
the question arises as to what they will do
with it. Should it be reported back amend.
ed SO as to provide for the purchase Of
four and a half million ounces OF bullion
issued for the same and free coinage when
371A grains worth a dollar. there is
doubt about the Eastern Republicans &C.
cepting it. They claim it is going too far.
The conference report on the dependen.
pension bill was taken up and Mr.. Berry
feet of it would be, he said, to put 30 per
cent Of the Union soldiers into O pension roll.
II was really q service pension bill, and the
chairman of the committee on pensions (Mr.
Davis) could not deny that.
Mr.. Davis, chairman of the committee on