Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1900-06-15

States, with the additional qualification
that u voter shall "be able to speak, read
md write the English language or the
Hawaiian language" Administrative and
judicial officers are provided and the ISL
and is given n delegate to the House of
Representatives of the United States.
chosen by the people, with a right to dc.
bate in the House, but not u right to
vote.
The Philippines and Cuba have occu-
pied much attention in the way OF de.
bate and the adoption of resolutions Of
inquiry. The Spooner bill, providing that
when all armed opposition to the author
ity of the United States shall be Mt m
end, then all military, civil and judicial
powers shall, until otherwise provided by
Congress, be carried on under the dircc-
tion of the President, formed the basis
of the senatorial debate on the Philip
pines, but was fruitless of action.
The only legislation as to Cuba is of a
comparatively minor character, relating
to Cuban shipping. The cXtradition bill,
applying to all insular possessions and
dependencies, has passed both houses,
and doubtless will become a law. 1t is
designed mainly to reach cases like that
of Charles Il. w. Nicely.
Bills Partially Advanced.
The Nicaraguan canal bill and the ship
ping subsidy bill are notable instances of
legislation partly advanced during the
present session, but not enacted into the
law. The canal bill has passed the House
and has been made the special order in
the Senate beginning Dec. 10 next. The
| shipping bill is on the calendar of each
house with favorable recommendation
from a majority membership of the SEN
ate and House committees.
Antitrust legislation has come promi-
nently into attention in the House Mt the
close of the session, the House having
passed a new antitrust bill and defeated
a constitutional amendment.
The Senate has passed n bill for n ca
BILE to the Philippines and beyond, TO he
constructed and maintained under gov
eminent control, hut no action has been
taken on it in the House.
The restriction of oleomargarine has
been productive of considerable agitation,
mainly in committees, and a radical re-
strictive bill has been reported to the
House.
The general pension laws have been
materially changed by the present Con-
gress, largely as q result of the efforts Of
the Grand Army of the Republic, which
secured the passage of u bill amending
the law Of June %, 1890, so as to permit
the ~"aggregating" of disabilities and
changing the provision as to widows so
that a widow may receive n pension
when she is "without means of support
other than her daily labor and has an
actual net income not exceeding $780,"
etc.
The 'frec homes" act has ut last be-
come q law. 1t provides for the patent
/, ing Of homesteads on the public lands
acquired from the Indians on the pay
ment Of the usual fees and no other or
further charges. This opens to free
homestead entry many millions of acres
of public lands in the West heretofore
sold at stated figures per acre.
Another measure passed Of some gen.
eral interest permits the Secretary of Ag-
riculture to restore game birds which are
becoming extinct, and provides means for
the restriction of traffic in dead animals,
birds, etc, from State to State, the lat
ter provision being, in part, designed to
limit the destruction of song birds for
the sale Of their plumage.
Miscellaneous Bills Pending.
Among other miscellaneous acts of the
session are those for the preservation of
the historic frigate Constitution, and for
extending the work of the twelfth CEN
sus.
Considerable general legislation is CIR.
ricd On appropriation bills. These provis-
ions include the amendment to the mill
tary academy bill, making the command
1 inv Oo,,neo1 0f Tho ,,,,, an 1:oyt ~, -1..
eral, and the adjutant general of the ar
my n major general; also the amendment
to the sundry civil bill a%ppropriating 3d.
100000 for the st. Louis Exposition. The
latter has been passed by both houses,
but the former is still pending. The naval
appropriation bill adds two battleships,
three armorcd cruisers, three protected
cruisers and five submarine boats to the
naval strength, and may include special
legislation as to arlnor plate and a gov
eminent plant. The other appropriation
bills in the main carry the usual govern
ment supplies.
The Alaska code bill, giving n complete
civil system of laws to the territory, hns
passed both houses, and undoubtedly
will become n law. Other measures which
have passed one house or the other, but
ure sui peIlullS, lucluue luOSe IOr tic
election of Senators by the people; au-
thorizing the President to appoint n COM
mission to study commercial conditions in
China and Japan: for increasing the eff
cheney of the army by making service in
the staff corps temporary; extending the
eight-hour law; increasing the annual al
lowance to the militia of the country from
100000 to $1,O0O,OOO.
Experts of the ordnance bureau of the
War Department say that the cost Of fir
ing the 12-inch guns of the coast de-
lenses, which are the largest now in use,
is approximately 5000. A charge consists
Of about 800 pounds of powder, valued at
$500. and about 500 or 900 pounds Of
shot, at an average cost of 80 cents a
pound.
The United States and Russia are be-
tween them producing, in round numbers,
130,0O0,O00 barrels Of petroleum per
year, and the production of outside coun-
tries has Of late increased so much that