Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1899-01-11

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The House spent the opening day con.
sidering the bill to define and punish
crimes in Alaska and provide a code of
criminal procedure fof the territory. Six
ty-seyen pages were completed, and the
Dill was made a continuing order until
disposed of, not, however, TO interfere
with appropriation bills or other special
orders. The blind chaplain in his invoca-
tion referred feelingly TO the critical ILL
ness of Mr.. Dingley. the floor leader, and
prayed for his speedy recovery. When the
Alaska bill was taken up Mr.. Moody
thep., Mass.) said that as the bill pro-
posed code for the government of de-
pendency of the United States, il might
be well to consider whether we were able
to deal iutelligently with dependencies
generally. He then launched a bitter at
tack upon that section Of the bill which
repealed all existing laws relating to the
sale of liquor in the district of Alaska.
and made it only unlawful to sell liquor
TO Indians. 1t was a monstrous proposi-
tlon, he declared. Virtually Ii meant free
rum in Alaska-the sale of liquor without
license, without regulation and without
restriction of any kind. An amendment
was adopted giving jury in case YER
diet OF guilty of murder in the first degree
was returhed discretionary power to in
hlet capital punishment. When the sec
tion was reached prohibiting the sale or
gift of intoxicating liquors to Indians Mr..
Moody offered an amendment continuing
the existing law, which prohibits the inn
portation of liquor. except for medicinal,
mechanical q M ltt-a
tRep., Ore.) said it was utterly impossi-
BILE to enforce the present law. The in
habitants of this district will not uphold
officers of the law and liquor is openly
sold. Several minor amendments were
adopted. The Speaker then laid before
the House the Senate memorial resolu-
uons regarding Senator Morrill,. AS a
forther mark of respect the House ad-
iourned.
Little business except that OF routine
character was transacted by the Senate on
Thursday. A resolution offered by Mr..
Hoar of Massachusetts directing the Com
mittee on Foreign Relations to report TO
the Senate whether the treaty of Paris
makes any provision for the claims of citi-
ZenS of the United States against Snain
which were in existence before the present
war, and the status of such claims after
the ratification of the treaty, was adopted.
MIR. Gallery of Louisiana continued and
practically concluded his speech begun be-
fore the holiday recess in opposition to the
pending Nicaragua canal bill. Bills were
passed to ratify agreements with the
Lower Brule and Rose Bud reservation
Indians, to grant California 8 per cent OF
fnn nor nrOrpnIS nF ,pyh galag ne
lands in the State and classifying clerks
in first and second class postoiiices. The
judiciary Committee had the right of way
In the House for three hours and the fol-
lowing bills of minor Importance reported
from the committee were passed: To pre-
vide additional circuit judges for the third
and sixth judicial districts; to regulate
the terms of court in the eastern district
of Tennessee AMI the district OF Butte,
Mont; to retire Cassus =. Foster, United
States district judge of Kansas; to amend
the Revised Statutes so as TO allow the
United States FIVE peremptory challenges
in criminal cases; to permit ship owners
TO file indemnity bonds; to allow legally
appointed guardians of insane persons 70
prosecute patent claims and to release
the International Cotton Press Company
of New Orleans from liability for SO. .4S9
of internal revenue taxes
Immediately after the Senate convened
on Friday the resolution offered the preyi-
Gus day by Mr.. Hoar of Massachusetts.
calling on the President for information
as to the instructions Of the commissioners
who negotiated the treaty of Paris. to-
gether with all correspondence and re-
ports relating to their work, was laid be-
fore the Senate. Chairman Davis one of
the commissioners, desired that it be re-
ferred to the Foreign Relations Commit
tee, but Mr.. Hoar insisted that the Sem
ate had as much right to such information
as the members of the Foreign Relations
Committee, and that the President should
determine whether the Senate should
have it. The resolution was adopted in
secret session. In support Of the resolu-
tion offs red by Mr.. Vest of Missouri In
oppositi, n to expansion, Mr.. Caffery of
Louisiana delivered an extended speech.
The anti-civil service reformers scored n
victory In the House. The legislative.
executive and judicial appropriation bill
was taken up for consideration and when
the appropriation for the civil service com
mission was reached Mr.. Evans Qlep.l of
Kentucky made a motion to strike it out.
The motion to strike out carried by a
narrow majority, GO to 81. During gen
eral debate on the bin Mr.. Swanson
Dem.) of Virginia delivered speech on
anti-imperialism.
On Saturday the House, In committee of
the whole, resumed consideration of the
bin making appropriation for the legisla-
tive, executive and judicial expenses of
the Government for the yeer ending June
30, 1900. On a point % order made by
Mr.. Dockery Dem, Mo- paragraph ap-
propriating $4,000 for making a series of
charts of the coasts and harb0rs of the
Philippines was stricken from the bill. In
the Senate the District Of Columbia ap-
preparation bill was taken up. As passed
by the House, the bill appropriated So
100000, as against estimates OF 50, ,230.-
600. As reported by the Senate Commit
tee on Appropriations, it appropriates ST.
251, ,905. The appropriation for the cur
rent fiscal year was $6,426, $50. The
House bin granting extra pay upon mus
ter-out to officers and enlisted men Of the
United States volunteers was taken up
aud passed without amendment. The
Senate then went into executive session,
and afterward adjourned.