The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-01-22

made by Chairman Bartholdt. OF the House
committee. For the purpose of testing the
ability OF immigrants TO read. IL is provided
that they shall draw from box printed
slip containing between twenty and twenty
five words of the Constitution, instead OF
five lines OF IL. required by the Senate BILL
and read these words. A clause Is added TO
the bill that IL the slips are not at hand for
use the officers shall make the test by the
most appropriate and available means at
hand, and state in writing the reasons the
slips are lacking and the substitute test en-
plOyed.
The plan of Representative Corliss. OF
Michigan. for excluding aliens from tenn
porary employment in the United States
reads follows: That IL shall hereafter be
unlawful for any male alien who has not in
good faith made his declaration before the
proper court of record of his intention tc
become a citizen of the United States 10 be
employed on any public works of the United
States, TO come regularly or habitually
into the United States by land or water for
the purpose of engaging in any mechanical
trade or manual labor for wages or salary,
returning from time TO time 10 foreign
country.
That it shall be unlawful for any person.
partnership. company or corporation know
ingly 10 employ any alien coming into the
United States in violation of the next pre-
ceding section of this act; provided. that
the provisions OF this act shall not apply
TO the employment of sailors. deckhands or
other employees or vessels. or railroad train
hands. such as conductors engineers.
brakemen, firemen or baggagemen. whose
duties require them to pass over the from
der 10 reach the terminus of their runs,
TO boatmen or guides on the lakes and
rivers of the northern border of the United
States.'
Violations of these sections by aliens or
citizens are made misdemeanors. punishable
by $500 fine or imprisonm- mt not exceeding
one year or both. and persons coming into
the country in violation Of the sections are
10 be Geported to the country whence they
came. The secretary of the treasury is au-
thoriZed to permit the entrance of aliens
for the purpose of teaching new arts or in
In 81 ri dor Q- hn nTO-
vide. The section of the Senate bill eX-
empting from the act persons who may en-
ter from Cuba during the disorders there Is
retained. new section Is added 10 the
bill, which follows:
THAT any alien who shall, i'm violation OF
this act or any other existing law secure
entry into the United States without in
spection or examination or through mis-
take. misrepresentation, collusion, deception
or fraud, may be taken into custody by the
properly authorized immigration officers
within thirty days after the facts become
known to them, and such alien, upon spe-
cial inquiry at the most convenient place,
conducted according to Section of the i'm
migration act of March 3. 1898. shall be
dealt with as provided by law for alien i'm
migrants upon their first arrival"
Instead of taking effect three months
after it's passage, the bill is amended 10
take effect July /, 1887.
Representative Hermann, of Oregon, the
chairman of the committee on irrigation of
arid lands, has introduced a bill embodying
the recommendations made by the national
iirrigation congress recently held at Phoe-
nix, A. 7. The bill provides for a public
land commission to be composed OF COM
missioner of the general land Office, the
director of the geological survey and three
other persons to be appointed by the Pres
ident, whose duty it shall be TO cause to be
made survey and contoured photo
graphic map of the areas embracing the
which 10
larger natural photographic basins and the
lands classified within each basin, accord
TREES, for pasture and for agriculture. The
water supply of each basin shall be ascer-
tained at important points, the amounts
utilized for irrigation and water power and
the amount flowing 10 waste. The under
ground supply shall be ascertained far
as possible, and where necessary expert
mental wells shrall be sunk TO determine
artesian conditions and the quantity of
available water. The character and value
OF the timber within each basin shall be
ascertained and that which can be cut
without injury to the water supply. The
areas which can be devoted to public
grazing without damage to the trees or
waters shall be ascertained. The com
mission shall, with the approval of she Sec
retary of the interior. make suitable reg
OF the public lands within the powers
granted the secretary. Persons snail be
appointed whose duties il shall be to en-
force the regulations of the commission
made for the protection of the forests
woodlands, grazing lands and waters.
Senator Chandler to-day introduced bill
prohibiting the secretary of the navy from
making any contract for the use of any
patent taken out by a naval officer, but au-
thorizing the secretary to appropriate any
device patented by subordinate. Naval
officers whose patents are thus taken pos
session of are 10 be allowed TO bring suit
fer damages in the Court of Claims The
bill also provides that hereafter no patent
shall be issued to any naval officer without
the written approval of the secretary.
1t Is the intention OF the House commit
tee on coinage, weights and measures to
authorize favorable report on bill pro-
viding for the use of the metric system i'm
the United States. Chairman G. w Stone
has investigated the practical working of
the system in Europe and will probably
incorporate the results in the report
The Senate committee on Indian affairs
to-day authorized favorable report on the
bill prohibiting the sale of intoxicating
liquors 20 Indians. and IL was afterwards
reported to the Senate by Senator Petit
grew. The bill has already passed the