Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-06-04

made the special order In the Senate
beginning December 10th, next, The
shipping bill is on the Calendar Of each
house with favorable recommendation
from q majority membership Of the
Senate and House committees.
Antitrust legislation has come prom
inently into attention in the House at
the close Of the session. the House hav-
ing passed new antitrust bill and de-
feated a constitutional amendment.
The Senate has passed a bill for a
cable to the Philippines and beyond to
be constructed and maintained under
government control, but no action has
been taken on 1t in the House.
The restriction of oleomargarine has
been productive of considerable agita-
ton. mainly in committees, and rad
ical restrictive bill has been reported
to the House.
The General Pension Laws
have been materially changed by the
present congress, largely as a result OF
the efforts of the Grand Army of the
Republic, which secured tue passage
of a bill amending the law Of June *,
1880 so as to permit the "aggregating'
of disabilities, and changing the pro-
vision as to widows so that widow
may receive pension when she is with
out means of support other tnan her
daily labor, an has an actual net in
come not exceeding $3.50, etc.
The Free homes" act has at last
become law 1t provides for the pat
enting of homes .eads on the public
lands acquired from the Indians, on the
payment 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 herto-
fore sold at stated figures per acre.
Another measure passed Of some
general interest permits the secretary
of agriculture to restore game birds
which are becoming extinct, and pro-
vides means for the restriction of traf-
fic in dead animals. birds, etc., from
State TO State, t. latter provision be-
ing in part designed to limit the de-
struction of song birds for the sale OF
their plumage.
Among other miscellaneous acts OF
the session, are those for the preserva-
ton of the
Historic Frigate Consultations,
and for extending the work of the
twelfth census.
Considerable general legislation is
carried on appropriation bills. These
provisions include the amendment to
the Military academy bin, making the
commanding general of the army a
lieutenant general, and the adjutant
general of the army a major general;
also the amendment to the Sundry
Civil bill, appropriating 100000 for
the St. Louis exposition. Both of these
bills are still pending. The naval APP
preparation bill adds two battleships,
three armored cruisers, three protected
cruisers and five submarine boats to
the naval strength.
Our Foreign Commerce..
Of the $4,000 900 900 worth of COM
merce done by all the nations of the
world, England's share is 1873 per
cent; Germany's, 1913 per cent, and
81 per cent. falls to the lot of the
United States. So the United States
consul, Winter, at Annaberg, in re-
port to the State Department compar-
ing the relative positions of the three
leading countries in the trade markets
of the globe, says:
Germany has built up her foreign
commerce at England's expense, and
the United States, just entering the
field, is building UP great foreign
trade at the expense of both England
and Germany. In Australia, in Africa
in South America and in China the
commercial representatives of each ma
ton are fencing for vantage ground
upon which to build safe markets for
home industries"
Germanys success in competing in
the field of commerce with her might
Ter rival, England, Consul Winter at
tributes to several conditions. In the
first place, he says, German manufact-
ured goods are cheaper and in some
cases better. Then, too, German mer-
chants adapt themselves entirely to the
wants of their customers and Industrial
commissions have been sent out tC
South America, South Africa Mexico
Japan, China, etc., to study and report
upon the conditions and needs of the
people of those countries. Again, Ger
man travelling men are superior in
the technical knowledge Of their vari.
GUS branches and are familiar with
more languages than the representa-
tives of other nations. Their efficiency
in these lines is due to their training
in special institutions in Germany.