Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1899-02-16
poINOS OF CONGRESS.

The agricultural appropriation bill
Was called up in the senate, considered
and passed with only lew unimport-
ant changes. Also a bill removing the
disabilities of certain persons engaged
IN the civil war was passed. Mr.. Hale,
chairman of the naval affairs commit
Tee, favorably reported, and the bill
creating an admiral of the navy, ii be-
ing intended that Rear-Admiral Dewey
should get the Office, was passed. A
bill amending the statutes concerning
the drawing off, gauging, marking and
removal of spirits, so that spirits may
be drawn off in packages smaller than
barrels and put in five-gallon cans for
export purposes. House bill for the
establishment of a lighthouse and fog
signal at Point Arguellow, Cal, were
passed.
BY unanimous vote the judiciary
committee of the house decided to rec
ommend the removal of what is said to
be the last remnant of disqualification
against those serving in the confeder-
acy. The proposed amendment is as
follows: THAT the sections of the re-
vised statutes which disqualify persons
otherwise qualified from serving as
grand or petite jurors in the courts OF
the United States who have taken up
arms or petite jurors in the courts of
the lion against the United States, be
repealed and that hereafter no person
shall be disqualified for any service in
any court or in any branch or depart
ment of the government of the United
States on account of participation in
the civil war of 1861 and 1865.
Chairman Cannon of the appropria-
tons committee of the house, in the
course of the general debate on the
sundry civil bill, sounded a note of
warning against eXtravagant appro-
priations and practically served notice
that neither the ship subsidy bill nor
the Nicaragua canal bill could be
passed at this session. Although he
specifically disclaimed speaking for
anyone but himself, the statements he
made, coming from the chairman of
the appropriations committee, caused
great interest
The house done some good work with
the public building bills. The COM
mittee had reported 70 bills for build
ings in 35 states. authorizing in the
aggregate an expenditure of Sl4,060,-
900 Little or no opposition developed.
AS result As bills, carrying or author
izing appropriations aggregating SILL
364 900, had been laid aside with fav-
orable recommendations before adj
journment
Senate committee on military affairs
have agreed to report the bill intro
duced by Sen. Fairbanks for the reim-
bursement of governors of states for
moneys expended in connection with
the recent war with Spain. The bill
is amendatory of the act of July Is
last and extends the provisions of the
act so as to include expenditures made
subsequent to July and prior to Aug.
II, 1898.
The state department, after mature
consideration. has declined to recog-
nize the claim of the ro-Hungar-
ian government for indemnity on ac-
count of the Hungarian strikers
killed by Sheriff Martins posse at
Ilazelton, Pa, Sept. 10, 1897. The de-
partment's action is based upon spec
ial opinion prepared by Solicitor w. L.
Penfield.
The Indian appropriation bill, which
has been pending for several weeks,
has been completed and passed by the
senate The legislative, executive and
judicial appropriation bill was taken
up but after "a pages of it had been
disposed of it was laid aside for the
day. A few measures of minor i'm
portance were passed.
The naval appropriation bill, which
will soon be considered in the house
carries S44. 15s, COS.
A night session of the house 81
private pension bills were passed.