Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1899-02-09
pOINos OF CONGRESS.

The bill to recognize and increase
the standing army of about 1000
men, but giving the president author
ity TO reduce the size OF infantry com
panies and cavalry troops To- 60 men
each. thus fixing minimum OF about
1000 enlisted men, passed the house
by vote of 1853 to 1875. Among the
important amendments adopted before
the vote was tnken was one TO exclude
the appointment of civilians to posi-
tons in the engineer corps, one to
abolish canteens and the sale Of liquor
in camps and one to strike out the
provision for additional pay for com
mands serving in the West Indies, the
Philippines and Alaska. The amend
ment of Mr.. Cummings, of New York.
to prohibit the use of troops in several
states to suppress riots, etc., except
upon the application of the states, was
defeated by large majority.
A bill has been passed by the senate
granting extra pay to the officers and
men of the temporary force OF the
navy--two months extra pay to those
who served beyond the limits OF the
United States and one months pay to
those who served within the United
States. The provisions of the bill are
to apply to all such temporary forces,
whether discharged yet or not.
The army appropriation bill which
will be taken up shortly will be framed
on the basis of 1000 men, and Mr..
Hull estimates that it will carry about
( 500, 900, 600. The war department sub
/ mitted to congress at the openingiof
! the session an estimate based on an
army of 1907 900 men at cost of Sl44,-
/ 900, 900, but since then the forces have
been largely reduced.
The house has entered upon the
consideration of the river and
harbor bill and is making rapid
progress. Fifty of the SO pages
of the bill was completed in a
single day. The bill appropriates di-
rectly about Sl2, 500, 600 and authorizes
contracts TO the extent of SIS, 600, 900
additional.
The river and harbor bill, carrying
slightly more than $50, ,000 passed
the house by a vote of l60 to 7. This
is the largest ajority any river and
harbor bill has ever obtained in the
house. The bill attracted little OPP
position and every effort to amend it
in important particulars failed.
The senate has ratified the peace
treaty, negotiated at Paris between
the commissioners of the United States
and Spain some time ago, by close
vote of 81 to 81, or one vote more than
the necessary two-thirds majority to
secure senatorial concurrence in a
treaty document.
The encouragement holds that this
government is no way liable for dam
ages by the cutting of the British East
ern Extension. Australasia & China
Telegraph company's cable at Manila
during the war with Spain. The in
demnity asked was $50, 000
The house has passed the bill to pay
the heirs OF John Smith 81 900 in salts
faction of Judgment against Gen.
John Il. Brooke for trespass and false
imprisonment while he was lieutenant
colonel of the Sd infantry in 1869
The American Newspapers Publish
ers' association have appealed to con-
gress for revocation of the present
duty on paper and pulp.
The senate is busy with the cxpan-
sion and peace treaty questions just
now.
The military academy bill, carrying
about $780, 900, has passed the house.