The Valentine Democrat. [volume] (Valentine, Cherry Co., Neb.) 1896-1898, 1898-03-17
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After a debate lasting several days the
| Senate on Friday passed the bill extend
! ing the homestead laws and providing for
| right of way fO- railroads in the district
| of Alaska. Comparatively little discus
sion of general interest was created By
| the BILL Section Is, providing for certain
| bonding concessions to Canada in lieu OF
| privileges to be extended by the Domin-
| ion Government to this country. however,
/ induced a pretty lively debate. as it
brought into the controversy the old fish
, cries question on the New England coast
which has been pending between the Unit
ed States and Great Britain for 100 years.
Two more appropriations were sent to
the President Friday. the pension bill and
the consular and diplomatic both OF
which went through their final stage in
the House. 1t was private bill day. The
most important action taken was acqui-
escence i'll an agreement to make the bill
approprating about 81 100000 for war
claims approved by the court of claims
under the provisions of the Bowman act
a special order for the next Friday The
claims carried by the bill, 130 in number,
are for stores and supplies seized during
the war in the Southern States Only
two bills were passed. one to pay the heirs
of Sterling II. Austin about $4,000 fer
cotton seized during the war, and the 9TH
er to pay an aggregate of S3,360 in small
claims growing out of back pay. ETC.,
earned during the war. The House ad-
journed until Monday.
In the House on Monday the Hawley
bill providing for two additional regiments :
of artillery was passed under suspension
of the rules by almost unanimous vote.
Mr.. Bailey. the Democratic leader want
ed more time for debate than the forty
minutes allowed, and because he did not
get it he inaugurated 4 flibuster against
District of Columbia legislation that con-
tinued all day. In the Senate the session
was devoted to consideration of the Dis
trict of Columbia appropriation bill. At
the hour of adjournment the bill had not
been disposed Of
The District of Columbia appropriation
bill, containing q provision for the reduc-
ton of about One-half of the present
rates of telephone charges in the district,
was passed by the Senate on Tuesday.
bill to authorize the relocation and re-
building of q pQntoon bridge across the
= .MissfssipTpi River NJ Prairie du Chen,
Wis, was passed. The e6h 6iihl- -fQr the relief
of the Methodist Episcopal Church South
of Tennessee. appropriating $2SS,0OO. was.
passed. In the House the bill appropriate
ing $50,0O0,0O0 for defense passed unani-
mOusly.
In the House on Wednesday the legis-
latiye, executive and judicial appropria-
tion bill went through its last stages in
the adoption of the financial conference
report. The remainder of the day was
consumed in consideration of the Senate
amendments to the Indian appropriation
bill. The substitute for the Senate pro-
vision regarding the opening of the I'm
coTnpahgre reservation was knocked out
on point of order, and the amendment
goes back to conference. The desire Of
the conferees to non-concur in the Senate
Tree homestead clause encountered bitter
opposition. and an arrangement was made
whereby four hours are to be devoted to
debate proposition to concur submitted
by Mr.. Eddy of Minnesota. Mr. Sher-
man, chairman of the Indian Committee,
declared that the free homestead provis-
ion would cost the Government $56. .OO0.-
600. He desires to eliminate it from the
bill, and has the support of the Secretary
of the Interior. In the Senate the $50
100000 defense bill was passed by n
uhahlLlouS 'ote. hdWdHdn annexation
was considered in executive session.
In the House all day Thursday was
spent ON the Indian appropriation bill.
The Senate amendments were noD-con-
CURED in and the bill sent to conference
In the Senate no business of real imnor-
tance was transacted in open session. The
session lasted only an hour the time be-
ing largely consumed in dispOsing Of rou-
tine morning business. a few bills of
minor Importance were passed.