The Washburn leader., 1900-06-16
WHAT CONGRESS HAS DONE.
The Session Now Practically Closed the Busiest
in Many Years.


on matters Of detail. The act provides
a system of government much like that
| Of territories, with q governor appointed
by the president, a legislature Of two
houses, franchise rights practically tho
same as those Of voters in the United
States, with an additional qualification
that a voter shall "be able to speak, read
and write the English or the Hawaiian
language" Administrative and judicial
officers are provided. and the island is
given delegate to the house Of repre-
senta;ives Of the United States, chosen
by the people. with right to debate in
the house, but not right to vote.
The Philippines and Cuba
have occupied much attention in the way
| of debate and the adoption of resolutions
of inquiry. The Spooner bill providing
that when all insurrectiOn against the au-
thority of the United States shall be at
an end, then all military, civil and judicial
powers shall, unless otherwise provided
| by congress, be carried on under the di-
rection Of the president, formed the basis
of the senatorial debate on the Philip
pine bill, but was fruitless of action. The
only legislation as to Cuba is of a COM
! paratively minor character, relating to
Cuban shipping.
Th. cxtraGi,ion bill, applying to all in
sula. possessions and dependencies, has
nassed both houses. and doubtless will
become law. Ii is designed mainly to
| reach cases like that of Charles +. w.
| lieely.
Canal and Shipping Subsidy.
The Nicaragua canal bill and the ship
ping subsidy bill are notable instances
of legisls ton partly advanced during the
| present session, but not enacted into law.
| The CANAL bill las passed the house and
has rcan made the special order in tho
sel2,c, Beginning Dec. 10 next. The ship
piEg bill is or tho calendar Of each house,
| With favorable recommendation from a
MA ajDrity rneml. .rshjl, Of the senate and
house committees. Antitrust legislation
has come prominently into attention in
the house at the close OF the session, the
house having passed Il new antitrust bill,
and
Defeated a Constitutional Amend-
| ment.
The senate has passed a bill for cable
to the Philippines and hey ond. to be con-
structed and maintained under govern
ment control, but no action has been
! taken on it in the house.
The restriction Of oleomargarine has
been productive Of considerable agitation,
mainly in committees, and radical re-
strictive bill has been reported to the
house.
The General PensiOn Laws
have been materially changed by tho
present congress. largely as the result
of the efforts Of the Grand Army Of the
| <I,a ~
bill amending the law Of June n, 1890.
SO as to permit the 'aggregating'' Of dis
abilities and changing the provision as
to widows, so that a widow may receive
pension when she is without means OF
support other than her daily labor, and
has an actual net income not exceeding
$780," ETC.
The Free Homes Act
has at last become law. It provides for
the patenting of homesteads on tho pub
lie lands acquired from the Indians on
the payment of the usual fees, and no
other or further charges. This opens 70
free homestead entry many millions Of
acres of public lands in the West, hereto
fore 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.
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 Census.
Consideration Of general legislation u
carried on appropriation bills. These pro-
visions include the amendment to the
military academy bill making tho com.
manding general of the army a lieutenant
general and the adjutant general Of the
army major general; also the amend.
ment to the sundry civil bill appropriate
ing $5.OOO.O0O for the st. Louis exposi-
ton. Both of these bills are still pend
ing. The naval appropriation bill adds
two battlcships three protected cruisers.
three armored cruisers and five subma-
rine boats to the naval strength, and
may include special legislation as to ar.
NOR plato and government plant. The
other appropriation bills in the. amaip
carry the usual government supplies.
The Alaska Code Bill,
giving complete system OF laws to the
territory, has passed both houses and
undoubtedly will become a law. Other
measures which have passed one house
Or the other but are still pending, in
I.clude those for the election of senators
by the people; authorizing the president
to appoint commission to study COM
.mercial conditions in China and Japan;
for increasing the efficiency of the army
by making service in the stan corps
temporary; extending the .eight-hour Law
and increasing the annual allowance to
the militia Of the country from 100000
to $1,OOOOOO.
What Allied Him.
'sYou look tired" said Mr.. Pitt to