Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1899-01-13


The first session OF the Senate after the
holiday recess was held on Wednesday
and occupied only fourteen minutes, al.
though in that brief time two open SEES.
sions and one executive session were held.
The galleries were filed with spectators,
the general expectation being that the
peace treaty would be presented. The
senatorial members of the peace commits
sion appeared on the floor and were given
a hearty greeting. In the absence Of. the
Vice-Presidcnt Mr.. Frye (Maine), the
president pro tem., called the Senate to
order, and after the chaplain had extolled
the late Senator Morrill, of Vermont Mr..
Frye recognized Major Pruden, assistant
secretary to the President, who presented
a message containing the treaty Of Paris.
On motion OF Mr.. Davis the Senate Went
into executive session in order that the
treaty might be referred to the Committee
on Foreign Relations, and upon being re-
convened in open session Mr.. Allison an
nounced the death Of Senator Morrill,. The
usual resolutions were adopted. and as
at 1916 o'clock.
The House spent the opening day con-
sidering the bill to define and punish
crimes in Alaska and provide n code of
criminal procedure for the territory. Six
ty-seven pages were completed, md the
bill 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-
ton referred fcelingly 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
Rcp.. Mass.) said that as the bill pro-
posed a code for the government of a de-
tendency of the United States, it might
be well to consider whether we were able
to deal intslligcntly 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repealed all existing laws relating to the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 AlaskaI
and made it only unlawful to sell liquor
to Indians. 1t was a monstrous PROPOSE
ton. he declared. Virtually it meant free
rum in Alaska-thc sale of liquor without
license. without regulation and without
restriction of any kind. An amendment
was adopted giving a jury in case n YER
dict of guilty of murder in the first degree
was AStuiAcu ulSCICtlOlury power 10 Ill.
fict capital punishment. When the sec
ton was reached prohibiting the sale or
gift of Intoxicating liquors to Indians Mr..
Moody offered an amendment continuing
the existing law, which prohibits the I'M
portation of liquor, except for medicinal,
mechanical and like purposes. Mr.. Tongue
Rep., Orc.) said it was utterly impossi-
bic 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 rcsolu-
tons regarding Senator Morrill,. AS a
further mark Of respect the House adj
journcd.
Little business except that of a 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 Spain
which were in existence before the present
war, and the status Of such claims after
the ratification of the treaty, was adopted.
Mr.. Caffery 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
the net proceeds of cash sales of public
lands in the State and classifying clerks
in first and second class postofices. 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 pro-
vide additional circuit judges for the third
and sixth judicial districts; to regulate
the terms of court in the eastern district
of Tennessee and the district of Butte.
Mont; to retire Cassius s. 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 to
prosecute patent claims and to release
the International Cotton Press Company
of New Orleans from liability for $3,4S9
of internal revenue taxes. The remainder
of the day was occupied in continuing the
consideration of the bill to codify the laws
of Alaska. Some twenty-one pages were
disposed of, making e%ighty-three in all of
the 232 pages.
News Of Minor Note.
During the year ending September,
1898. 1,25S criminals were sentenced in