The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1900-04-14
CONGRESSIONAL GRIST-
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The House committee ON public
lands has made a favorable report up
on Representative Mondells bill reduc-
ing the price of lands entered under
the desert land act to the same rate
as now paid for homestead entries, and
allowing second entries under tho des-
ert land law In certain cases.
The postofflce appropriation bill has
been finally agreed upon by the House
committee en- postotiices and post roads.
1t carries total of about Sill, coo, CO.,
The economic postage bill was also IA
vorably acted upon. The bill author
lies the use of a device by which postal
cards are paid for only In case Of use,
and 1t is designed to facilitate CONNER
cfal transactions.
Representative Hay of Virginia, one
of the prominent members Of the mill
tary committee of the House. has pre-.
pared bill to create out Of the militia
Of the several states a reserve volun-
teer army for use In time of war to sup
plement the regular service. The Dill
cOntemplateS q general broadening OF
the basis of the national guaru, It's
equipment with the service rifle and Its
complete organization In time Of war
Into regiments, brigades. divisions and
The other day the wife Of senator
who thinks she Is a linguist. but whose
friends have doubts, started q CONVEX
sation with Herr Won Holleben, the
German ambassador. in his native
tongue. He listened patiently for
few moments, and then gallantly re
marked: Madam. you will do me
great favor II you will speak English.
l do not understand German very
WELL" Mrs. Senator looked surprised,
but took the hint.
The popularity Of the rural free Dc
livery service IL clearly demonstrated
by the action of the House committee
on pOstofiices and post roads u franz
ing the annual appropriation bill for
the post0ffice department. In the esti-
mates submitted to Congress $1,JOOOOO
was asked for the coming year, and the
committee which has reputation for
economy, after careful investigation,
voluntarily increased the item to VI
75O,0O0, and that amount will pc SUD
mitted to the House.
The naval appropriation bill has been
reported to the House by Acting Chair
man Foss of the naval committee. Inc
amount carried by the bill Is $S1,219,-
GIG, the largest ever reported to the
House from the naval COMMITTEES Aside
from this, the report which accsmpan-
les the bill Is remarkable for IT. array
of facts regarding sea power TIT world
over, foreign naval programs and the
comparative strength Of the n4vies Of
the great powers, accompanied by col
nrad hu rto ahOx1riner n u1nhr1udiuR 0f
various great navies.
The House, inter four days of debate,
on Friday passed the substitute FOR
the Senate bill providing for teHifor-
iel form of government for H4eAMs
The bill now goes to conferences gThe
most interesting, feature Of the DAYS
proceedings was the attempt oil Mr..
Hill Comm to secure the adopti{n of
two amendments, one providing tor
resident commissioner instead Of del
ngate In Congress, and the other dtclar-
Ing that nothing in the act shOuf be
interpreted as pledge of statehood.
Both were overwhelmingly defeated.
On motion of Senator Davis the Sen
ate on Thursday considered the Hay
Pauncefote treaty for the modification
of the Clayton-Bulwer treaty. About
three hours were spent In the dNcus-
sion of the amendment to the treaty
made by the Senate committee on for
eign relations, providing that none Of
the conditions and stipulatons In Sec
tons !, =, 3, 4 and 5. of article 2. shall
apply to measures which the United
States may find 1t necessary to take for
securing by Its own forces. the defense
of the United States and the rlainte-
nance Of public order"
Representative Bell has Introduced
bill which provides that goods manu-
featured by convict labor and trans
ported into any state for use Or sale
shall be subject to the laws oil such
state enacted In exercise of its police
powers, to the same extent as though
such goods were produced in such state.
This masure, II adopted, Mr. Bell says,
will aid materially in preventing the
of goods by convict labor,
Ms It will enable many states prohibit
Ing such manufacture within Their own
to also prohibit the sale of
goods manufactured In
other states.
corps, with the three battalion f,rma-
tions as In the regular service, and is
designed to obviate the necessity of
large standing army upon the e3pira-
ton Of the present law, July 1, 1901,
the standing army to 5000
and authorizing the present volunteer
army of 5000. The bill makes all
citizens between the ages Of eighteen
and fOrty-five' liable to military service
In the volunteer army. 1t appropriates
$4.0OO,OO0 annually for the maintenance
and equipment of the national guard of
f1f nj ,tspfr
rotary OF wnr to keep in each state
supply of ordnance stores sufficient for
ninety days use in the event of war.
No disposition Ia manifested in the
Senate to disturb the war revenue lax
es during the present session of Con-
gress. Republican members of the
Senate committee on finance agree that
the session is too far advanced to JUS
THY any effort in that direction at pres
ent. Some OF them say there Is no
menace in the present surplus of rpvf-