The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1897-01-12
WORK OF CONGRESS
Condensed Proceedings of the Ma
tiOnal Law Mill

Washington, Jan. THE senate to-
day passed the house bill abolishing
the death penalty in a large number of
cases. The measure is in the line OF
recent state laws abolishing capital
punishment and applies the same prin-
ciple to federal offenses, although the
change is not extended to a total abo-
lition of the death penalty. The pres
ent laws, which have come down from
colonial times, have a sdnguinary as
pect, and prescribe death for offenses
of various character. The bill just
passed reduces the offenSeS to five
VIZ: Treason, rape, murder and two
Offenses applicable to the army and
navy. In all other offenses hard labor
for life is substituted as the maximum
punishment, and even in cases of MUIR
der and rape hard labor may be sub
stituted if the jury states in its verdict
without capital punishment AS the
bill has passed the house after long
crusade by Representative Curtis Of
New York, and is amended but slightly
by the senate, it is likely to go to the
president when the minor disagree
mentS are arranged in conference.
During the day Mr.. Call Dem. Fla.)
introduced resolutions calling for in
formation as to the condemnat ton of
Julio Sanguilly at Havana to life i'm
prisonment, and also directing the Sec
retary of state to demand Sanguilly's
immediate release. Mr.. PETER deliy-
cred a speech in support of his resolu-
ton for a national monetary commits
sion.
The house entered upon it's work inn
meditcly after reassembling to-day by
taking up the Loud bill to amend the
laws relating to second class mail mat
ter. The whole day was devoted to
general debate on the measure under
a special order which will bring the
bill to vote tomorrow. Mr.. Loud
(Cal), the author of the BILL is it's
champion on the floor, and Mr.. .Qugg
On. " has charge of the opposition.
Those who took part in the debate to-
day were MeSsrs. Kyle Dem, Missy;
Burton Rep., Ohio; Bromwell (Rep.,
Ohio and Ogden Oem., La in favor
of the bill. and Messrs. Quigg rep,
n. "; Johnson Rep., Cali. and Cum
mings Dem, n. W against it.
Washington, Jan. S-The Loud bill
to amend the law relating to second
class mail matter was passed by the
house to-day after two days debate,
by vote CT IA to 105 The opposi-
ton to the bill made a strong tight
against it. The statements made on
the floor as to it's effect on certain par
ticulars were very conflicting. The
most important provision of the bill
denies the serial publications admiS-
sion to the mails at L cent per pound
rates. 1t is as follows: THAT moth
ing hereing contained shall be so con-
Strucd as to admit to the second-claSs
rate publications purporting to be is
sued periodically and to subscribers
but which are merely books or reprints
of books, whether they be issued com
plete or in part. whether they be bound
or unbound, whether they be sold by
subscription or otherwise, or whether
they purpOrt to be premiums or SUD-
plements or parts of regular newspa-
pers or periodicals." The bill also de-
MES to newspapers the sample copy
privilege and the privilege enjoyed by
newsdealerS of returning unsold pub
LEGATIONS at the secOnd-class rate. The
only other important change in the
present law provides that publishers
whose publications are admitted as
SecOnd-claSs matter shall be required
before depositing such mail matter in
the postoffice to separate the same into
United States mail sacks or bundles
Jy Suites, CIlIeS, lOWLS anu
the postmaster general shall direct.
The speech of Senator Call of Flori-
ola on Cuba to-day served as the medi-
um for making public a letter giving a
graphic description Of the Cabanas
fortress of Havana and the surround
ingS Of the American citizens impris-
oned there. The circumstances sur
rounding the letter attracted marked
interest to it, as Mr.. Call said it came
from a public man of high standing in
the United States who would shortly
occupy a place in the legislative
branch of the government. The let
ter dealt with the Immediate present
and described a visit made by the
writer and Gen. Lee to Cabanas fort
ress on the morning of Dec 30. 1t
told of the pitiful condition of the pris-
oners, some of them Americans, in
Guiding Julio Sanguilly and a young
man who was the companion of Chas.
GOWN, the American newspaper cor
respondent killed in Cuba. The re-
cital of these prisoners was given in
full
During the day the senate passed
house bills amending the laws relating
to timber culture and authorizing bre-
vets to active or retired officers of the
army or navy.
The bill exempting settlers on pub
lie lands from paying the original gov
eminent price fixed Oh the lands were
debated. Mr.. Pettigrew of South Da-
kota and Mr.. Carter of Montana spoke
in it's favor, but a final vote was not
reached.
Washington, Jan. 9.-The senate had
4 long and busy session to-day pass