The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-03-05
THE SENATE AND HOUSE.
Alaska. Homestead and Right Of WAY
Bill Passed.
nID FISHERIES QUESTION REVIVED
Way Now open for settlement Of the
Dispntc--1Nvo More Appropriation
Hills Read. for Signature.

Washington, March i.@-After a debate
lasting several days the senate tcdsy
passed the bill extending The homeste d
laws and providing for rights of way for,
railroads In tho district OF Alaska. Com
parativeIy little discussion of great inter-
est was created by The bill. Section Is,
providing fer certain boaiing concessions
to Canada In lieu of privileges to be ex-
tended BY the Dominion governmentto THIS
country, however, Induced a rather lively
debate, as it brought Into controversy the
old fisheries question on the New England
coast, which has been pending between
the United States and Great Britain for
hundred years. a statement was made Oh
the floor OF the senate that these va,
every reason TO believe that by It's passage
the fisheries question could be settled
without great effort, as assutaaces to that
effect had been received from a large and
influential element in Canada.
Washington, March "A resolution was
passed by the senate today authorizing The
printing OF $4,000 copies of a pamphlet of
Commodore George ". Melville, on the
commercial, military and strategic adj
valntages to the United States of the
Nicaraguan canal aud of the Hawaiian Is
lands.
Arrangement was made 10 vote on the
Alaskan home stead and rights OF way bill
at O'Clock toaay
The Alaskan bill was then laid before
the senate, an amendment by MIR. RawliAs
tUtah) to section beng under considera-
ton.
Mr.. Carter (Mont.), in charge of the bin,
moved TO lay the amendment on the table.
The motion prevailed-Sl TO II,
The reading AID amending Of the bill,
while long and tedious, MAS accomplished
without particularly important debate until
section Is was reached. This provides for
the extension TO Canada of the bonding
privileges ON Alaskan trade witt, Canada
at the port of Wraneel, in Alaska, Oh con-
dition that certain concessions are given
this country by the Dominion government.
among them being the right OF our ilsher-
men to enter Canadian ports for the pur-
chase of bait or other supplies.
Mr.. Turner tWash.) moved 10 strike out
that part OF the section which related to
the entering OF Canadian ports by Amer
lean fishermen. He did not, he said, mako
the motion because he was hostile to the
New England fisheries, but because. he
deemed II unfair 10 burden this measure
with demand upon the dominion govern
ment that ii yield a contention which has
been discussed for hundred years.
Mr.. Hansbrough IN. ID said the com
mtttee on public lands was In possession
of information that Canada would accept
the conditions imposed by this action.
MIR. Hear tMass.) expressed the hope that
Mr. Turner would not insist upon his mo-
ton The fisheries question was not To-
cal one, applicable to the people of the
Northwest and where the fisheries interest
was annually becoming greater He felt
that the fisheries problem was of immense
Importance to the people OF the Northwest
and ought not to be stricken from he
measure.
In supporting and experimenting what
Mr. Hoar had said MIR. Frye tMc) sold
that the pending bill was OF National i'm.
portance. He thought there was never o
better opportunity to secure concessions
from the Canadian government than at the
present time, when the Canadians wanted
aoinethirg from the United states. He did
rot think the motion ought to prevail be-
cause we have long been giving Canada
much and receiving little in return.
Mr. Carter agreed with Mr.. Hoar and
Mr.. Frye that thn fisheries question, 80
far as it was considered in this bill. was
Of National importance The fisheries IN
dustry in Alaska and the Northwest now
Welded 81, 900 900 per annum, and was
SloWluE III libPpi NuhN' tNN'S s'"if ~ 'H'u
that II section IL should be adopted he he
lieved that this country would obtain every
CO ncegsion which was demanded OF Canada
by the pending section.
Mr. Turner's motion TO strike out the
fisheries portion of the section was de-
foated by a yea and nay vote-34 TO l6.
The section was adopted without division
md tie bill was then passed, also without
division
The senate at sos p. m. held an oxecu-