The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1898-03-26
PROCEEDINGS OF CONGRESS.
Something of the Talks and the Acts
of Both Brnnches.

Consideration OF the postotiice appro-
priation bill was continued in the house
Friday. Mr.. Loud admitted the draft of
an amendment drawn at the postofiice de-
partment. 1t made it a misdemeanor for
any person TO place or cause to be placed
in the mails anything during the regular
weighing period with intent to increase
the weight of mails and the compensa-
ton paid therefor. 1t made the offense
punishable by fine of not less than $500,
nor more than $1,000 and imprisonment
not TO exceed five years. The amendment
was adopted without division.
Free of Duty.
At the opening O. the session of the
house Saturday Mr.. Dingley offered the
bill, reported from the ways and means
committee, providing for free entry into
TINS country of guns, ammunition and
other naval supplies and war material pur-
chased abroad until January J., 1899. He
explained that the committee unanimous
ly reported the bill. 1t was asked for by
the secretaries of war and the navy. The
house then went into committee of the
whole and resumed consideration of the
postofiice appropriation bill.
Relief Bill Passed.
The house Monday unanimously passed
the bill for the relief of the survivors
and victims of the Maine disaster. The
bill reimburses the survivors, officers and
men, for the losses they sustained to an
] 30 20 - md
directs the payment of a sum equal TO
years pay to the legal heirs Of those
who persisted. There was quite a spir-
tied debate over an amendment suggest
ed by Mr.. Cannon TO give the survivors
a years pay out OF hand instead of at
tempting to reimburse them for actual
losses. Som old alleged scandals in con
nection with the reimbursement of the
survivors of the Samoan disaster were
raked up, but the debate in the end wa,
saved from n rather sordid tone by 6
beautiful tribute paid to the gallant deaC
by Mr.. Cousins of Iowa in short but
eloquent speech. He aroused the CALLER
les to spontaneous applause. The remain
der of the day was occupied in the con
sideration of the old claim of John Roacl
the shipbuilder, for 1891 900. No actor
was taken upon the claim.
Among the bills passed in the scnat
We're the following: Granting TO tn
Washington Improvement and Develop
ment company right of way through
, the Colville Indian reservation in Wash
ington. To remit the penalty of $50, 80
! imposed upon the Union Iron Works G
! San Francisco because at the official tria
, of the Monterey the required horse powe
was not maintained. To pay the Unio
Iron Works of San Francisco for eXtr
d. work on the Monterey, Si4,742
c The NavnI Bill.
s The naval appropriation bill, as repor
T. ed 10 the house Tuesday, carried $50
I 6S6,05S, an increase over last year of So
n 764,432 and over current estimates
e S2.5l4,S24. For the increase the nav
bills allow to be constructed by contrac
h three sea-going, coastline battleships d
l. signed to carry the heaviest guns, wit
l. displacement of IL 900 tons, with highe
q cost, exclusive of armament, not eXcee
if ing S3,000,00O each; one TO be named Il
e Maine: six torpedo boats and six TO
pcdo boat destroyers, to cost not eXcee
is ing 81 100000, and one gunboat to tai
Is the place of the Michigan, to cost exclu
is i've of armament not over S260,O00, TO
p built on the great lakes. One OF the
o seagoing battleships is to be built on Il
e. Pacific coast. Contracts for the 60
II struction of these vessels are to be ma
within 60 days from the enactment of t
bill.