Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-12-16

~O1A'AiA' liz AeASC INV occupies tVu
acres, but additional space is needed
to provide for safety from stray balls.
Washington, Dec. S.-Mr. Allen
(pop., Neb.,) introduced in the senate
resolution declaring it to be the
sense of the senate that congress
should with all due convenient speed
acknowledge by appropriate act the
political independence of Cuba. He
followed it with a speech declaring that
the commercial spirit Of the United
States was preventing action. The ma
tional republican convention had de-
cl4ed in favor of the independence of
Cuba, going further than simple
recognition of belligerency. He
thought that the president is under OBJ
legations to carry out the pledge which
had been made to 100000 people.
The president, MI Allen thought, had
! been lulled to sleep by the declaration
Of Spain that she would give Cuba
/ semi-political existence. He expressed
| the belief that the presidents neglect
i to take such action as would insure
i the political independence of Cuba
was an exhibition Of frank hypocrisy
! and fragrant neglect of public duty
which would be corrected by the all
ruling power in its own good time.
| Senator Gallinger, introduced a bill
prohibiting the granting of pensions
to widows of soldiers whose marriage
| +ho of
the bill under which they make their
claim.
Washington, Dec. S.-The session
of the house lasted only fifteen min
ntes. Representative Barney (rep.,
Wis., introduced two private pension
bills to increase the pension of Col. D.
Phinney to $45 a month, and to in
crease that of Mertz B. Tschope to $40.
Washington, Dec 9.-In the senate
Mr.. Gallinger (rep., n. HI chairman
of the committee on pensions, called
attention to the increasing demand
for private pension legislation and re-
quested the senators to be careful in
the future to see that their bills for
private pensions were meritorious be-
fore they were introduced. He thought
that the practice of pensioning remar-
ried widows and several other similar
classes of claimants ought to be stop
ed. An attempt was made by Mr.. Nc
Bride (rep., Ore.) to secure an APP
preparation for the relief of Klondike
miners, but the net result was a reso-
luton calling on the secretary of war
for all the information that he had on
that subject. A resolution by the
Pacific railroad committee asking for
information regarding the sale of the
Kansas-Paci6c was adopted. This gave
Messrs. Gear (rep., Ia and Thurston
rep, Neb.) opportunity for short
speeches congratulating the country
upon the settlement of the Pacifi
railroad question. Mr.. Gear said tina
too much credit could not be given the
present administration for the admir-
able manner in which it had handled
and disposed of the Pacific railroad
matters. Mr.. Thurston congratulated
the country upon the result of the ad-
ministrations efforts regarding thu
Pacific railroads. He said that if the
plan proposed by Mr.. Harris (dem.,
TENN had been adopted the United
States would not have received any
thing approximating the magnifcen
sum which has been paid for the main
line of the Union Pacific. He said that
he noticed in the presidents message
that the administration is committed
to a policy of purchasing the Kansas
Pacific branch unless a better bid is
offered. He did not believe in govern
ment ownership of railroads and he
was of the opinion that the expert
ment Of such ownership, if it was to be
tried, might better be with some other
than the Kansas-Pacific railroad. He
suggested to the Pacific railroad COM
mittee that the authority asked for by
the president to bid in the road be
coupled with full power to resell it.
Mr.. Hoar (rep., Mass.) presented a
petition signed by 21,269 native Haw-
a1Ians, protesting against the annexa-
ton of Hawaii. Adjournment was
taken until Monday.
Washington, Dec. 9.-The house
entered upon a consideration of the
pension appropriation bill and stirred
up debate that promises to continue
for several days. Several southern
democrats offered criticism on various
classes of pensioners and Private John
Allen (dem., Miss.), presented a series
Of amendments designed, as he said,
| to correct some of the most glazing
evils. They prohibit granting pen
sions to widows whose applications
were not filed Curing their widowhood
and the granting of pensions to wild
| oWs whose applications were based on
marriages contracted after the passage
| OF this act, and to permanently insane
or 1dlotic minors who had reached
heir majority. 1t was admitted on
9th sides of the house during the
discussion that the $40, 100000 carried
by the bill for pensions would not
EcCver the expenditures but, as con-
gress would be in oession, Mr.. Cannon
rep, liz said it would be easy to
make good any deficiency that might
occur. He gave a detailed statement of
prospective revenues and expendi-
lures and pleaded for economy. The
debt for 1898 was put by him at s21,-
O0O,0oO but Mr.. Allen (dem., Miss.)
declared it would be S72,O0O,OOO. A
long debate on pensions ensued.