The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1897-12-24
CONGRESS AT WORK
A Debate in the Senate Over the
Use of Alcohol in the Arts.
MEASURE Fer KLONDIEE RELIEF.
The House Refuses to Accept the Senate
Observation-Disclosures American Turn
erbund Protest Against Restrictive
Immie ration-RaiIroad BILL

Immie ration-KaiIroad bill.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 1S.-A spirited de-
bate was precipitated in the senate
yesterday by the submission by Mr..
Piatt, OF Connecticut, of the report of
the special joint committee of the SEN
ate and house representatives appoint
ed to investigate the use of alcohol in
the arts. 1t developed that wide di-
vergence of opinion exists among sem
atOrs as to the practicability, from the
point of view of government revenue,
of reducing the present tax upon alco-
hOl used in the arts. Mr.. Hoar, of
Massachusetts, who favors such a re-
duction, expressed the opinion that, if
congress would lay aside political con-
siderations and deal with the liquor
question courageously and honestly by
the imposition of an additional tax of
81 a barrel on beer, the question of the
governments revenue would take care
of itself. Mr.. Vest, of Missouri, siren
uously opposed any additional tax on
beer.
A joint resolution, accepting the in
vitation of Norway to participate in
an international fisheries exposition
next year, was passed.
At the suggestion of Mr.. Hawley,
chairman of the military affairs COM
mittee, the bill passed by the house
for the relief of the miners in the
Klondike region was taken up at once.
70 hot e.,
that of the house, and a conference
was ordered, with Messrs. Hawley, Car
ter and COckrell, conferees.
Under a special order 13s pension
bills were passed. One of them granted
a pension of $50 a month to Cassius M.
Clay, Sr., of Ken lucky, major general
in the United States army during the
war of the rebellion.
Mr.. Turpie, of Indiana, then pre-
sented the regular order of business,
the consideration of resolutions on the
death of William Steele Holman, late
a representative from Indiana. Trib-
utes to his memory were paid in elo-
quent eulogies by Mr.. Fairbanks, of
Indiana; Mr.. Mills, of Texas; Mr.. Cock
rell, of Missouri; Mr.. Frye, of Maine,
and MIR. Turpie, of Indiana. The reso-
lutions of coincidence were passed and,
as further mark of respect, the SEN
ate, at 4:25 p. M, adjourned until to-
day.
THE HOUSE.
WASHINGTON, Dec. lS.-The house
yesterday completed the consideration
of the legislative, executive and judi
cial appropriation bill, excepting the
paragraph relating to the civil service.
By agreement, the debate on this lat
ter paragraph will go over until after
t--e holidays. Two amendments were
adopted. The bill, as reported, abol-
ishes the assay office at Deadwood, s.
D., and the minis at Carson City, New,
and New Orleans. The representa-
tives from the two former states made
a vigorous and successful fight to con-
tinue the appropriations for Deadwood
and Carson City. The appropriation
was beaten in each instance.
The house refused to accept the
senate amendment to the bill for the
relief of the miners in the upper
Yukon and it was sent to conference.
Mr.. Bartholdt, of Missouri, read a
protest from the National American
against restrictive immi-
grafton legislation.
Mr.. Cox, of Tennessee, spoke of Sec
rotary Cages testimony before the
banking and currency committee as
frank statement of the position of the
He had avowed his
adherence to the gold standard as
against bimetallism, and his whole
bill was designed to uphold and per-
petuate that standard
On motion of Mr.. Mercer, of Ne
braska. bill was passed to increase
the cost of the government building
at the Transmississ;ppi exposition
s12, 500 and the cost of the government
exhibit like amount.
Delegate Callahan introduced bill
creating the Office of general surveyor
Of Oklahoma at a salary of 81, eco
year, making one district out of Okla
loma and the Indian territory, the
office to be located somewhere in Ok
ahoma- He also introduced a bill
for townsite entries in Okla
loma, repeating the act of May IA,
1870. There are no radical features in
he bill, it being designed simply to
make such entries of public lands more
legitimate and binding.
Mr.. Curtis introduced bill author
zing the Muskogee Coal & Railway
company to construct and operate a
'ailway through the Indian territory
md Oklahoma, beginning at a point
lear Fort Gibson, 1. T., and running
through the Cherokee and Creek ma
ions and Oklahoma, to Vernon, Tex.