The Advocate and news., 1898-03-23
In Congress.

III lH6 IiOuno hu6 hppIUpIlhllOu LOI
free rural mail delivery has been dou-
bled
The Hawaiian treaty has been aban-
doned and an annexation resolution Is
being considered.
There Is contest In the Senate over
the confirmation Of Mr.. Powderly as
Commissioner Of immigration. The
committee reported adversely.
An increase Of $61 900 for the Ma
tlonal Military Home at LeavenworLh
has been favorably reported by the SEN
ate appropriations committee.
The President wants Congress 10 re-
main in session until the Spanish trouble
Is over in order that it may share the
responsibility for the action taken.
Congressman Mcmillan says that Con-
gress is afraid to grapple with the great
national question which now demands
solution and that 1t will adjourn as soon
as 1t dares to.
The Senate naval affairs committee
has decided TO refuse for the present to
report resolution for the immediate
and independent investigation of the
Maine explosion.
Senator Hale, chairman Of the naval
AFFAIRS committee, says that II war comes
It will be because the newspapers, by
their indlscreet talk, have forced the
government to 1t.
The conference committee on the
Alaskan land bill agreed on recon-
mendation that homestead entries be
limited TO 100 acres and that railway sta
tion grants be twenty acres.
Congress may adjourn May /. The
Republican leaders are trying to COM
plete their work by that time. Com
paratively nothing has been or will be
done except to pass the appropriation
bills.
Senator Hanna prevented a favorable
report from the Senate naval affairs
committee on bill authorizing Con-
gressional investigation of the Maine
affair. He said that the matter should
be left to the President.
The postofFice appropriation bill will
contain nothing more than Is regularly
allowed for Kansas. The policy seems
to be to refuse to increase regular ap-
preparations In this line until after the
war scare Is over, anyway.
Notwithstanding the vigorous OppOsi-
tion which has been manifested, Mr..
Powderly has been confirmed by the
Senate as Commissioners Of immigration.
The vote was 43 to 20. Senator Chand-
Ter was the only Republican who voted
no, while several Democrats voted In
the affirmative. Laboring men were
protesting, but It seems that they have
no rights that the Republicans feel bound
to respect.
In a hearing before the Senate inter-
state commerce committee Judge knapp,
Of the Interstate Commerce Commission,
made an address in favor Of the proposed
new law. He explained that the old law
had been crippled by the various courts
decisions. Senator Tillman observed
that 1T does not seem that plain Eng
lish alone is sufficient as applied to rail-
roads" Judge Knapp urged the advis-
ability Of adopting many new provisions,
among which was one providing that
rate and tariff sheets must be published
and posted.
When Congressman Dingley reported
his bill to permit the importation Of
guns and ammunition without the pay
ment Of tariff duties, the Democrats
gently interjected a number Of questions
which caused the tariff leader consider
able embarrassment. He was asked why
his measure was pushed II the Repub-
lican claim that the foreigner pays the
tax" was correct. Mr.. Dingley answered
that in the case OF imported goods the
consumer paid 1t. Mr.. Dockery, Of Mis-
souri,, said that this was really "a bill
to indemnify the tax payer" The bill
was passed.