Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1901-02-04
CONGRESSIONAL NEWS.

| CONGRESSIONAL NEWS.
Washington, Jan. 24.-The senate
today devoted its time to the Indian
appropriation bill but made only fair
progress. The chief feature of the
debate was sharp attack by Senator
Pettigrew on the Dawes commission
which he said was extravagant and &C
complishing little in the way of re-
suits. Senator Aldrich, chairman of
the senate committee on finance, re-
ported the war revenue reduction bill
back to the senate. The committee
reports complete substitute for the
ILL as it passed the house. Senator
Aldrich made statement explaining
| the changes which are as follows:
| Stamp taxes repealed are on promis-
sorry notes, mortgages, bills of lading
| for export, powers of attorney, protest.
charter party, certificates of all kinds.
leases, warehouse receipts, telegraphic
dispatches, telephone messages, pas
sage tickets costing less than $50,
express receipts, freight receipts.
! bonds, except bonds of indemnity;
| legacies to religious charitable, liter
airy or educational institutions. Special
taxes repealed are on commercial
Erokers. Taxes reduced are on con-
veyances, insurance, bankers, capital,
proprietary medicines, cigars, tobacco
and beer. Taking the estimates of
the treasury department as a basis,
the reduction of revenue effected by
| the bill will be nearly $40,000,000, a
reduction somewhat less than
was proposed by the bill as it passed
the house of representatives. The eff
fecr Of the committee substitute is to
reduce the beer tax to $1.50 per bar
rel and on snuff and tobacco nine
cents pound.
The house considered the naval ap-
preparation bill all day and completed
it with exception of one paragraph.
remain as reported, namely, two bat
tleships and two cruisers. Some op-
position was manifested to any in
crease of the navy. Mr.. Cannon of
| Illinois sounded a note of warning as
| to the size of our annual appropria-
ton $320,000,000 would have been
spent on our new navy and we should
stop. Speaking to an amendment, Mr..
w. A. Smith, (Mich.) brought up the
question of the abrogation Of the
treaty of 1917, prohibiting the main
tesaGce of war vessels upon the great
lakes. Mr. Smith said the treaty was
an inhibition upon ship-building and
commercial interests of the lakes
against which he protested. The
treaty originally made in times of
peace was very properly negotiated.
Reasons which then existed had pass
ed away. He desired to see the
shipyards of the great lakes partici'
pate in the building of warships.
MI. Mann Ill) opposed the abroga-
ton OF the treaty. If we built war
ships on the lakes, England must have
similar privilege. The treaty, he
argued, was absolutely essential to
the safety of cities of the lakes in case
of war with Great Britain. Mr.. Rixey
offered an amendment to strike out
the entire provision for the increase OF
the navy, but it was lost on a rising
vote of 46 to 90
Washington, Jan. Ex-senator De-
pew Of New York delivered in the
senate an address in support of the
shipping bill The Indian appropria-
ton bill was then taken up again and
when the reading of the bill had been
finished an amendment was offered by
Senator Pettigrew providing that
lands allotted in severalty to Indians
may be condemned under the laws of
the states or territories in which the
land is located. It was adopted.
Washington, Jan. 25.-The house
adopted the conference report upon
the army reorganization BILL The
contest over it was brief, Mr.. Hull
chairman Of the military affairs com.
mittee, preventing a prolonged debate
The debate was chiefly notable for a
short exchange between Messrs Rich
ardson, the minority leader, and Hay
| (dem., Va.) a member of the con
ference committee, who reproached
| the democratic leader for not making
a fight for the temporary army bill
when the bill was originally before
the house. The navy appropriation
bill was finally passed.
Washington, Jan. 26.-National irri
cation was discussed in the senate fol-
three hours today, the text being an
amendment to the Indian appropria
ton bill providing for surveys and
! looking to the construction of an ir.
| riratinn dam. and bitches for pzafnrin @