Omaha daily bee., 1895-12-06
JOHN H. GEAR IS RECOGNIZED
Iowa's Junior Senator Gets Place on the
Republican Steering Committee.
LEW MAYS CHANCES GROW BRIGHTER
His Friends in Washington Mnkinp
nm Earnest Effort 10 secure His
Selection ns United states
Fish Commissioners.

WASHINGTON, Dec. Especial Tele-
gram.) )-The appointment of Senator Gear Of
Iowa on the steering committee Of the re-
publcans to make up the list Of committees
and officers is regarded as an exceptional
honor for so young senator, although Mr..
Gear has had long legislative experience.
Tho personnel Of the committee is decidedly
interesting looked at through presidential
glasses. Mitchell and Teller are noncom-
initial on questions, Pettigrew is for Allison.
as is also Gear; Pritchard Is for Mckinley,
Cullom is for Shelby NJ. Cullom first then
probably Allison, while Chandler Platt and
Quay are for Reed.
A petition was circulated among the Ne
braska delegation today, directed to the post
master of the house, asking that official to
appoint John Steen of Wahoo, Neb., to a
place in the postotiice. Congressman Hainer
is active in securing place for Steen, who
has seen Washington life in other congresses
and who would like to be back again.
Lew May is to receive, boost in his can
ddacy for United States fish commissioner
call upon the president to urge his appoint
ment. While it may seem somewhat singu
lar for a republican delegation to urge the
appointment Of democrat, the members rea
son that a democrat will be appointed,
they would like to see the appointment go to
Nebraska. Only one objection is heard to
Mr.. May here-his lack of scientific knowl-
edge upon some phases of the work. This
objection is counteracted, however by the
assertion that he will give the department
a clean business administration, one desirable
in every way Senator Allen has written
strong letter Of recommendation in behalf of
Mr.. May 70 the president.
MIR HAINER'S EARLY BILLS
Congressman Hainer will tomorrow intro
duce a number Of important bills which ran
the gauntlet of committee and house success.
fully last session. but failed to reach the
president. Among those which the member
from the Fourth will present are: A bill TO
establish and maintain national school of
forestry; bill to amend to certain para
graphs relative to the more complete endow-
ment and support of agricultural colleges
tunder this bill 100000 year will be perma-
nently donated to colleges for the benefit of
agriculture); to establish and maintain agri-
cultural experiment stations in Alaska; to-
transfer the bureau of the United States geo.
logical survey and the United States Com
mission OF Fish and Fisheries to the Depart
ment of Agriculture. HI will also introduce
a memorial passed by the last session of the
Nebraska legislature, asking congress to give
to each surviving prisoner of the war 81 per
day for time while actually in rebel prisons,
and S12 per month during life.
Congressman Picker Of South Dakota has
received large number of petitions from
res.dents and would-be settlers on Indian
reservation lands in South Dakota asking for
legislation to- reduce the price charged for
reservation lands
ARTESIAN WELLS AND IRRIGATION.
Congressman Pickler of South Dakota had
a conference Of some length today with Su-
perintendent Walcott of the geological sur
vey concerning prospective legislation touch
ing artesian wells and irrigation in the west.
Mr.. Pickler favOrs an appropriation for eX-
perimental artesian wells by the government
and claims it is. the proper business of the
government to put down sufficient number
of wells to define the artesan basin in his
and other states, SO that the people interested
may know that the expenditure of money to
put down wells will be a successful under
taking, and further that the government
should send men with practical experience in
irrigation to such wells to demonstrate the
means and process Of the practical distribu-
ton of water. Mr.. Pckler says that there will
be an effort made to make an absolute dona-
tion of the million acres of land to each of
certain states for irrigation purposes, which
was granted condtionally by the last con-
gress.
Acting Secretary Reynolds rendered de-
cisions in the following cases today: Ne
braska-Andy Johnson against William e.
Holt, ONeill district decision Of commission
modified Hollis entry held for cancellation
and the land restored to public domain;
Isham r. Darnel, exparte, McCook district,
decision reversed and Darne permitted to
perfect his entry; Isaac Dillon against Union
Pacific Railroad company. North Platte dis
trict, decision reversed patent to issue to
Dillon and the county allowed to make
new selection South Dakota-Carl Stras-
burg against M. S. McDearmon, Huron dis
trict, motion for review denied and McDear-
mons entry held for cancellation.