Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1896-05-14
TIE HAEB0R Bill.
ELECTION CONTEST " TIE HOUSE.
ommsnd the Oklahoma Fr~- Homes
Bill and Mako Its PRO, isl0ns
Apply Generally.

mated contest Wnlch hhb proceeded
for the last four DAYS in the senut,
over deep water haroo on the south
ern coast Of California was brought /,
q close yesterday by compromise b.
tween the conflicting interestA Tn,
issue has been between the points o.
Santa Monica, the terminus OF tn,
Southern Pacific, and San Pedro, tis
locality urged BY the California sena
atora Senator Frye, chairman Of the
commerce committee, finally harmo
nized the differences by referring the
determination as between Santa Mon
lea and San Pedro to commission u
consist OF three civil engineers, q naval
officer and an officer OF the coast sur
vey. The compromise was accepted
by the California senators and was
unanimously passed. An amendment
urged BY Senator German limiting the
expenditure under the contract au.
thorizatons to $40, 0OO 900 annually led
TO lengthy debate. A motion by
Senator Vest 10 table the amendment
failed-yeas &c, nays 81. An agree.
ment was reached to dispose OF the bill
by three o'clock to-day. Senator War.
rem headed an effort which resulted IN
starting irrigation In the arid region
as an item In the river and harbor bill.
While the amendment injected into
the river and harbor bill simply pro.
vides for some survey work and re-
ports, 10 due time II Is expected that
provisions for irrigation purposes will
be made in the river and harbor bill
and become as prominently identified
with that bill as anything else.
The house yesterday entered upon
the contested election case Of Rinaker
versus Downing, from the Sixteenth
Illinois district The debate was very
spirited. Mr.. Leonard rep. J, Of Penn
svlvania, opened the discussion in the
Rinaker-Downing case in favor OF the
adoption Of the committees report.
lie remarked upon the difference be.
tween this and other cases tried by the
house. In this case there was not
suggestion Of fraud. On the free re-
turns Downing dem. J, had 40 plurality.
The majority by recount In two
counties and the admission of certain
ballots found that the contestant,
Rinaker, had aOplurality Mr. Moody.
OF Massachusetts. dissented from his
colleagues on the commit
tee and Joined with the democrats In
asking the adoption Of minority reso-
luton to recommit the case and re-
count the vote deemed fairly in dis.
pute. The vote will probably be taken
to-day.
THE FREE HOMES BILL
WASHINGTON, May lS-The sub-com-
mittee Of the senate com mittee on In.
dian affairs having under considera-
ton the free homes bill for Oklahoma
took up the bill yesterday morning as
1t passed the house and concluded to |
to the full committee,
which meets tomorrow, that the bill |
pass, with an amendment making 1t
apply generally to all reservations
open to settlement where payment for
lands is pending. 1t was decided that
the bill should become law, and also
that II the principle was good it should
apply to all parts Of the country alike,
and hence 1t was concluded to make 1t
general. In this respect, the change
Is much for the benefit Of the local Ok
lahoma bill.
INTERSTATE COMMERCE LAW.
WASHINGTON, May l3.-The bill
changing the penalty for the violation
Of the interstate commerce law from
to fine, was under con-
sideration in the senate committee on
interstate commerce yesterday, and IL
was practically decided to recommend
that the law be amended hy striking
out the provision for Imprisonment and
,onfne punishment to fines OF 81, 600
Tor the first offense, and to SIS, 900 or
ess for each subsequent offense.
BOND INVESTIGATION STARTED.
WASHINGTON, My 49, AT meeting
# the senate committee on finance
yesterday Chairman Morrill, appointed
! subcommittee of five TO investigate
he bond sales, under the PETER resolu
ion, naming for that service Senators
Harris, Vest and Walthal, democrats;
'latt, republican, and Jones,of Nevada,