Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-02-25
TIE RECORD COMPLETED.


the opening Of the session, and passed
before the holidays. 1T aroused little
party opposition, as the minority sup
ported the proposed reduction and
urged also an income tax. The bill
as it passed the House reduced the
revenue about $40, O00, 600, the chief re-
auctions being on beer, and in the re-
moval of stamp taxes on bank checks,
kilograms, commercial papers, life in
surance policies, proprietary medi-
cines and many other articles. In the
Senate an entirely new substitute was
passed. This, however, retained the
main feature OF the House bill, but
materially changed the rates through
out, adding reductions on tobacco in
various forms and restoring the tax on
bank checks. This revenue reduction
Measure is still in controversy between
the two houses, the conference commit
tee not having reached and agreement.
IL dSI dpPOl JlOlltiS W LuG several
States their representation in the
House of Representatives followed as
a result of the twelfth census. The
census disclosed various increases in
the States and a new basis of repre-
sentation was prepared based on the
changed condition of the population.
The contest on the bill was confined to
the House of Representatives, where
considerable feeling was aroused over
the prospect that some States would
lose in representation. AS finally enact
ed, the total representation is fixed
at 3S6 members, or 20 more than in the
present House.
Hazing at West Point has received
attention at the present session, with
the prospect that strong restrictive leg
lsiation will be enacted. Public atten-
ton was directed to the matter by the
death of Oscar L. Booz, of P~ennsylva-
mia, a former cadet who had suffered
severely from hazing. An investiga-
ton committee was appointed by the
House and an elaborate inquiry made.
The report of the committee severely
arraigned hazing, and recommended
stringent laws for dismissal of cadets
from West Point for any brutal prac-
tees. The Senate adopted anti-hazing
provisions in the military academy ap-
preparation bill. This has aroused a
counter movement, however, and 1t
will remain for the last days of the
session to determine just what ~restric-
tions on hazing are to be imposed.
Government participation and aid in
the Louisiana purchase exposition
seems assured during this Congress.
At the first session a Senate amend
ment to the sundry civil bill pledged
the government to appropriate S., 0O0,-
600 when st. Louis had raised $10,-
900, 900. The bill is now pending and
is likely to become a law, making the
appropriation S., 900, 900 and providing
general plans for the exposition. The
enterprise will have an international
as well as a national scope, and will
take on the dimensions of the Worlds
expositions at Paris and Chicago.
Among the other important general
measures enacted during this Congress
are those giving free homes" on the
| public lands acquired from the Indians
and known as the free homes act;"
providing a system of extradition for
insular possessions, under which C. F.
w. Nicely was extradited to Cuba for
alleged postal frauds; authorizing the
"~aggregating" of pension disabilities
and increasing to $3.50 the allowance
to widows in certain cases, on the
lines of recommendations by the G.. A.
R.; authorizing the appointment Of
| Charles A. Boutelle, a veteran mem
Der of Congress, as captain on the re-
tired list of the navy; providing for
the centennial celebration of the es-
tablishment of the permanent seat OF
| government at Washington; extending
the mining laws to Saline lands; pro-
| viding a criminal code of laws for
Alaska; allowing employees Of navy
yards, a~rsenals, ETC., fifteen days an
nual leave.
Aside from legislation, the two
houses have several animated personal
| controversies. Charges of treason
were made against Delegate Wilcox.
of Hawaii, but on inquiry by the House
committee, the delegate was upheld in
the right to his seat on the ground that
| the charges preferred to action prior
to the Hawaiian territorial act. At
| the first session Brigham H. Roberts,
| of Utah, was expelled from the House
| after an exciting contest; Senator
| Quay, of Pennsylvania, was refused a
| seat in the Senate on the appointement
| Of Governor Stone; observation-disclosures
aginst Senator Clark, of Montana,
were investigated by a Senate ON
mittee: the exciting mining riots in