The Washington weekly post., 1900-04-17

amendment vas resisted by the Agricul-
{ tural Committee, and lively debate en-
sued but the amendment was agreed TO.
81 to s..
Mr. Eorli..' Amendment.
/ Representative COrliss, Of Michigan. Of
& fered an amendmens 80 the provision for
( the free distribution OF seeds, providing
/ that dinner pals for the laboring peO-
l PIE be included in this distribution. He
said this was done in good faith, az there
/ vas as much reason TO give dinner pails
I % one class ar 10 give seeds to another
class. He asserted also that the seed
I trust disposed OF large quantities OF
worthless seeds to the government.
/ Representative McRae. Of Arkansas, op-
posed the amendment. declaring that IL
was due 20 the fact that Mr.. COrliss had
an extensive seed concern in his district
/ The amendment was finally lost
Representative Coriiss offered an
amendment designed 10 prevent the free
distribution Of vaccine for the cattle
disease known as black leg He said
this placed the government in competI-
ton with private enterprises. After de-
bate the amendment was defeated I!:s
Bill was then reported to the House and
passed.
-@Na-+ANA Al tic AdN "A senate resolution
was adopted. which orders the printing OF
a special edition Of the year book OF line
Department OF Agriculture for distribu-
ton al the Paris Exposition.
The Nicaragua Canal Bill.
Representative Hepburn, chairman OF
the Committee on Commerce, asked for a
reprint or the Nicaragua Canal bill Rep
fesentatlVe wheeler, OF Kentucky. asked
"hether IL was the intention to consider
tho canal bill at this session.
Il cannot answer that question ~ "a
Piled Col Hepburn. 1T is my purpose to
bring II Up IL ] can"
How about the gentleman's COL
leagues? There is no objection on this
side" va '''i0
Inc gentleman knows as well as /"
responded Col, Hepburn. that no indi-
NduaI can state whether a bill will be
considered. But 1 VIII say that if l can
effect 1t, it will be done"
Under the call of committees Represen-
tatiVe Powers, of Vermont, called I'D The
Dill TO create commission to make a SET
tIement with the Sioux City and Pacific
railroad OF its Indebtedness to the United
states, which was considered, but rot
disposed OF several weeks ago. Col. Hen
burn' OF Iowa, supported the bill, which.
ne argued, would bring about a satisfac
tory settlement with the road The road
was only about lO0 miles long and was
valuable only as a feeder for some trunk
line. - N''''
Not an Impecunious Road.
representative Shafroth, of Colorado.
thought the bill should be amended So as
10 permit OF competition in the settle
ment Of the debt of the road. The road
was not impecunious, he said. The last
report or the Pacific Railroad Commits
sioner showed that II had earned Sl-2 Der
cent on its entire Indebtedness. Including
ITS debt 10 the government, principaI and
interest. There were four roads which
would naturally compete for this road. He
oHered an amendment, which was accent
ed, enlarging the powers of the commits
sion so that IL could receive propositions
from any corporation, sell, or assign the
government lien or do any and all things
necessary TO secure the best settlement
for the government
Representative Bell, of Colorado
thought that unless the commission could
obtain the full amount Of the govern
ment's claim the subject should be re-
feTTed back TO Congress, and Representa-
tive Williams, of Mississippi, offered an
amendment providing that the settlement
reached by the commission should be re-
ferred 10 Congress for approval and ac-
ceptance. This amendment was defeated,
S5 TO 100. and the bill then passed.
The Senate amendments to the Indian
appropriation bill were non-concurred in.
and Representatives Sherman, Curtis, and
Little were appointed conferees.
At 4:l5 the House adjourned.
Secretary Gage transmitted TO the
House Tuesday his estimates regarding
the surplus that will be created in the
Treasury at the end of the present fiscal
year and at the end of the next fiscal
year if the present laws for raising rev.
enue are continued in force This infor-
nation was in response to a recent resolu-
ton. adopted in the House on motion of
Chairman Payne. Secretary Cages csti-
mates follow: