The Delta independent., 1900-12-28

The pension appropriation bill, car
rying $145, ,145,23O, was passed by the
House in exactly thirteen minutes.
Mrs. Nellie Grant Sartoris says there
Is no truth in the rumOred engagement
Of Miss Sartoris and Mr.. Nichols OF
New York.
The Senate and House committees OF
judiciary have reached an agreement
to postpone consideration OF the Ray
bill for the amendment Of the bank
ruptcy law until the next Congress-
The House passed the Indian and the
Military academy appropriation bills
The former carried 9,O36, ,526, and the
latter $7OO 151. Neither provoked much
discussion A few minor amendments
were placed upon the former.
The attempt to pass bill giving sol
diers and sailors Of the Civil Spanish
and PHILIPPINE wars preference In the
executive departments OF the govern
ment was overwhelmingly defeated In
the House.
The Indian appropriation bill ms COM
pleted by the House committee on In
dian affairs carries something over
$1,000. 600. the exact aggregate not yer
being determined. The number OF In
dian agencies is reduced from hfty-tWo
TO forty-four. .f
The Senate committee ON finance has
authorized a favorable report On the
House bill giving the superintendents
OF coinage at mints the right to e1-
change gold bars for gold coin at their
discretion. The present law makes the
change mandatory.
Representative Sutherland Of Ne
/ ,.lrn h.. int n
the appointment Of a special committee
of seven toSinvestigate the whole sub
ject of the government ownership OF
railroads in Europe, as well as In this
country, with a view to future leSisla-
tion upon this subject.
Senator Nelson Of Minnesota offered
In the Senate an amendment which ne
will propose to the army reorganization
bill providing for the issuance by the
secretary Of war to the governors OF
the states and territories of kraR-
JOrgenson rifles and equipment for the
use Of the national guard.
Though Charles A. Towne. the newly
appointed United States senator from
Minnesota, will serve not more than
six or seven weeks in that once. Ms
term will be by no means the shortest
on record. The annals Of Illinois pre-
sent q somewhat parallel case In which
a senator wore the tOga for exactly one
month.
Chairman Lacey Of the House public
lands committee has introduced . bill
setting aside a large tract Of land In
New Mexico as an additional park for
the preservation OF cli6 dwellings and
other prehistoric relics. The settlers
within the limits Of the proposed res
ervation will be permitted to select
other lands in lieu of those now held
by them.
As a special mark Of distinction for
keeping the Democratic plurality In
New York county below 10000, Gener-
al Francis v. Greene, president Of the
New York county Republican commit
tee, has been appointed grand marshal
OF the INAUGURATION parade. Senator
Hanna, chairman Of the national com.
mittee, offered the place to General
Greene and he accepted 1t.
The board Of naval construction, con-
sidering the bids for the construction
of battleships and cruisers has settled
these points: One of the big armored
cruisers shall 60 to Cramps, one to
Newport News and one to the Union
Iron Works In California. One battle
ship will 20 to the Fore River En-
gine Works at Quincy, Massachusetts.
This leaves seven ships to be disposed
Of.
Representative shafroth to-day called
upon the supervising architect and
urged that contracts be entered into nj
once for purchase Of machinery for the
new mint at Denver. Mr.. Shafroth
suggested to Supervising Architect
Taylor that delay in the matter might
prolong unnecessarily the equipment
OF the mint and called attention to the
fact that much special machinery will
be needed, requiring much time for Its
manufacture.
Representative Newlands has intro
duced bill for the contraction Of res
eryoirs for the storage Of water on the
Humboldt river in Nevada and for the
disposition and settlement Of public
lands within reach Of the stored wa
ters. The chairman Of the rivers ond
harbors committee-infOrmed him that
the committee will not consider any
legislation relating to the irrigation or
reclamation Of arid lands.
At n dinner given by Senator Depew
and Miss Paulding In honor Of Cover
por-eIect Odell of New York and Mrs.
Otlell the senator announced the en-
gnremept OF Miss Paulding to John
Edje u. q. n. Miss Paulding In the
niece Of Senator Depew and has been
the mistress Of his home In Washing
ton. Mr.. Edie Is the son OF the late
John X. Edie Of Washington city and
a graduate Of the naval academy of the
class Of 1880.
The House on the 18th passed 1O2
private pension bills and then. on mo-
tion OF Mr.. LittlefieId Of Maine, passed
| a Joint resolution to appoint Represent
| alive Charles A. Boutelle Of Maine Of
| the retired list rs q captain In the
| United States navy. Mr.. Boutelle had
been reelected to the pext House, but
| his condition had taken an unfavorable
| turn and that Il would be Impossible
| for him to serve. He said Mr.. Boutelle