The Meeker herald., 1900-03-31

l '
any modification. Some Of ne Nepub-
lican senators think tile bill should be
SO changed as 10 provide for the con
tinued exemption from duty of the ar
| tlcles which were exempted by the
| fresidents order. They also find the
House bill deficient in that it fails to
provide any means of collecting the
duty which 1t imposes.
After n brief and spirited debate the
House OIL Saturday took the last con-
gressional step in completing the Puer-
to Rican relief bill. agreeing to the
conference report by vote Of 1876 to
". The bill turns ever to the presl-
dent for the use of Puerto Rico, about
! $2,OOOOO OF customs receipts collected
on Puerto Rican goods up to January
LIST last, nnd such amounts as may here
| after accrue, until otherwise provided
by law. The debate lasted but an
hour, but in this time the whole range
Of Puerto Rico legislation was dis
cussed. An importan. bill passed dur
ing the day, approprating 10000 for
designs for suitable memorial
in Washington 70 Ulysses $.
Grant, this being the first step in
movement to secure an arch similar
to the arch Of triumph at Paris. com
|
resolution was passed asking the
secretary Of state for information OH
the open door negotiations concern
ing China.
| Representative Shafroth last week
presented the petition of the wool grow
ers' association and the cattle growers
association of Lincoln county against
the leasing or ceding the public lands,
l Kill tIp., All VltlE
have been received by members of
| Congress from associations and indi-
viduals living in the arid states, the
great bulk of the petitions with which
| Congress has been flooded have come
from persons not directly concerned In
public land problems, and from parts
OF the country where accurate knowl-
edge of public land conditions Is not
| likely to be in possession of those
sending the petition. The form OF all
these petitions is indentical and they
are mainly sent by labor and trade or
CARNATIONS located in the eastern and
southern cities. That they are not
spontaneous but are the work of Sc
Great bureau. is shown by the fact of
the opposition to the Shafroth bill,
which provides for absolute reclama-
tlon Of the land to be ceded and for its
|
small tracts.
Representative Hay of Virginia filed
the report OF the House committee on
military affairs on the bill establishing
a national battlefield memorial park of
5000 acres on the sites of the battles of
fredericksburg. Charlottesville, The
Wilderness and Spottsylvanla Court
House. The representative states that
more men were here engaged than in
any battle in the worlds history. num-
bering at least 100000, with losses in
killed and wounded on both sides
amounting to 120,S3S. The intrench-
ments all over the field are said to be
In n remarkable state of preservation.
At Fredericksburg also is the home of
Washington still intact, n monument
erected by the Daughters Of the Amer
lean Revolution. Here, too, Captain
John Smith anchored his little bark
and fought the Indians in 1908, and
within sight of the city were born
Washington, Monroe, Jefferson and
Madison, the Lees Of both the Revolu-
ton and Civil War, and Zachary Tny-
lor. The report adds that In Virginia
the great war began and ended, and not
an acre Of this soil, where more men
fell than on all the other battlefields of
the war, has yet been dedicated as a
national park.
The correspondent of the Chicago
Record, Republican paper. says:
Representative Page Morris of Mime
sofa and six other Republican members
Of Congress have found 1t necessary to
go home and explain to their constitu-
ents their reasons for voting for tariff
on Puerto Rico, and all of them are
likely to lose their seats because Of that
inexcusnble blundcr. One member
who is similarly situated LAY right
down and let his constituents jump on
him." to use his own words. He did
not attempt to defend the bill. He
said that 1t would have been necessary
for him to change the 0pinion OF every
intelligent man in his district, and that
Is too big job, so he promptly entered
the plea Of guilty" and threw himself
upon the mercy of his constituents,
asking them to take into consideration
certain extenuating circumstances. II
told them that was led by party 10y
atty Into voting against my own convic-
tion," he said, but | promised never
to do 30 again. This seemed to please
the people, and think am stronger
than ever in my district, hut had a
mighty narrow escape from political
oblivion" Those members who are at
tempting to defend their action meet
with many embarrassments and only
provoke controversy In which they
come out second best. 1t is the gem
eral opinion that the passage of the
Puerto Rican tax bill will cost the Re-
publican party the control Of the next
House of representatives.
Il think the Cubans are getting to I'M
derstand that steady progress Is being
made toward the establishment Of their
government. do not think they wish
the present condition of affairs to con-
tinue. but they are not impatient about
taking over the government" Sec
tary Root made this statement after he
had reported to the President on his re-
turn from Cuba. 1t was evident from