Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1897-02-25
IMMIGRATION BILL.
The Senate Agrees to tho Confor.
ence Report on the Measure.
THE arid REGIONS OF The WEST.
The House Passes the Bill for the Use Of
Reservoir sites-Ths Bill TO Prevent
Black Lists-The Free
Homes Bill.

WASHINGTON, Feb. lS.-The immigra-
ton bill now goes to the president, the
last legislative step having been taken
in the senate yesterday by an agree
ment to the conference report on the
bill. Strong opposition was made to
the report, but on the final vote the
friends OF the measure rallied small
majority, the vote being yeas "a,
nays 81. The bill as passed ex-
tends the immigration restrictions
against 'all persons physically capa-
BILE and over 10 years Of age who
cannot read and write the English
language or some other language; but
person not so able to read and write,
who is over 80 years Of age, and is the
parent or grandparcnt of a qualified
immigrant over 81 years OF age, and
capable of supporting such parent or
grandparent, may accompany such i'm
migrant, or such parent or grand
parent may be sent for and come to join
the family Of child or grandchild over
81 years Of age, similarly qualified
and capable, and wife or minor
child not SO able to read and write may
accompany or be sent for, and come to
join the husband or parent similarly
qualified and capable" For the purpose
of testing the immigrants illiteracy he
is compelled to read and write from
20 to % words of the United States
constitution. Aside from these ex-
tensions of the present law, the
bill inaugurates new system OF re-
stricting immigration from border
countries, and designed to apply
principally to immigration from Can
ada. A special provision exempts from
the operation Of the law persons arriv-
ing from Cuba during the continuance
Of the present disorder there. The law
is to take effect July next. During
the morning hour Mr.. Allen (pop.) Of
Nebraska, spoke on his resolution re-
lating to dismissals from office at South
Omaha, Neb. His resolution calling on
the civil service commission for full in
formation Us to the South Omaha dis
charges was then agreed to. Also a res
olution by the same senator asking the
secretary of the interior whether
he had granted privileges to GER
tain persons to operate steam passen-
ger appliance in the Yellowstone can
yon, and If SO, to suspend such grant
Senator Bate presented remonstrance
signed by official representatives of the
five civilized tribes Of Indians, protest
ing against the passage of Legislation
for reforms in the Indian territory, us
proposed in the Indian appropriation
bill.
THE HOUSE.
The house yesterday, after o two
hours debate, passed bill OF consider.
able Importance to the arid regions Of
the west, 1t opens to use and occupa-
ton under the right-of-way act of
March 8, 1891, all the reservoir sites re.
served by the geological survey. There
are 1888 OF these sites scattered through
out the arid country, and this act will
enable them to be put to practical use
by individuals or corporations. Two
amendments were attached TO the bill,
one of which permits states or terri
tories to occupy these sites II they
choose, and the other empowers the
states and territories in which they are
located to fix water rates.
BILL TO PREVENT BLACK LISTS.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 1s.--The house
committee on labor yesterday author
lied favorable report on bill intro
duced by Representative Lorimer, OF
Illinois, to prevent conspiracies to
blacklist Letters were received from
p. M. Arthur, Of the Brotherhood OF
Locomotive Engineers; L. L. Clark, Of
the Railway Conductors, and W. v
Powell, of the Railway Telegraphers
all approving the bill.
THE FREE HOMES BILL.
WASHINGTON, Feb Is. - The free
homes bill has been favorably reported
by the committee on public lands o.
the house to the committee on appro
priations, which leaves 1t in no better
condition than 1t was before. Friend,
of the bill, however, are diligently a
work to get it reported back to tn,
house.