The state republican. (Jefferson City, Mo.) 1871-1896, 1895-03-14

ment provided for the purchase for
$l50,000 of the site of the Blaine
mansion. Provision was also in
cluded for the transfer Of the mill
tary prison at Fort Leavenworth,
Kan, to the department of Justice,
to be known as the United States
penitentiary and maintained for
keeping United States prisoners
who have heretofore been held in
the state prisons under contracts
The naval bill was noticeable because
of the "new navy" provision of two
battleships and six torpedo boats
and the increase of the enlisted force
by the addition of LOO men.
The general deficiency bill reported
to, the house amounted to S., ,599, 500.
An amendment requested by the
secretary OF state to pay the claims
Of Great Britain for Si15, 900 dam
ages for seizures of sealers in Behr
ing sea was voted down by the
house.
The most conspicuous personal
legislation passed was the revival of
the grade of lieutenant general of
the army that Major General Scho-
field might he promoted to the rank,
while the act of greatest Importance
to the government departments and
congress was the printing bill, which
practically places the control of all
government printing in the hands of
joint committee of three members
from each of the two houses. Laws
affecting shipping were passed, to
establish rules to prevent collisions
on the great lakes and tributary
waters, another of the same effect
applying to harbors, rivers and inland
waters, supplementary to the act Of
August 10, 1890, for preventing col
lisions at sea. The time for making
the report of the board of engineers
surveying canal routes from Lake
Erie to the OHIO river was extended
to the next session of congress.
Numerous bridge bills were enacted.
The commercial travellers organ
izltion secured an amendment to the
inter state commerce Law permitting
the issuance OF joint interchangeable
5000 mile tickets good over. more
than one road. The house adopted
a joint resolution, or an amendment
to the constitution, providing for the
election of United States senators by
direct vote of the people of the
states, but the resolution was re-
ported adversely by the senate COM
mittee on privileges aud elections.
The most important of the senate
bills which failed to pass the house
we're: A joint resolution for inquiry
into the practicability of deep water
ways between the ocean and the
great lakes, and the bill for the reg
ulation of steam vessels.
Among important house bills which
died was one for the reorganization
of the line of the army, ana one to
punish train wreckers by capital
punishment and attempts at train
wrecking by heavy terms of impris-
onment. Dramatic authors OF the
United States secured a report of a
bill for punishment by Imprisonment
of play piraLins by theatrical man
ayers, but in the house considerable
opposition was manifested by mem
bers, who objected to penal punish
ments for violation of civil statutes,
80 the bill was withdrawn.
The only legislation affecting the
tariff act was resolution 20 extend
to April 10 the time for making
returns to the interrogatories to the
income tax sections, and modify ing
the questions required to be an
swered.
The following figures show ap-
proximately the total appropriations
made during the present session of
congress: Agricultural, 1903, 700;
army, s23, 1852, ,608; diplomatic and
consular, sl,575, 5,O73; District of
Columbia, s5,915, ,53S; Notifications,
sl,9O4, ,557; Indian, $9,976, ,O4s; mill
tary academy, s424 26l; pensions,