Omaha daily bee., 1901-02-05
TO ADJUDICATE WAR CLAIMS
House Passes the senate niiI to Cree
ate Commission for that
Purpose.

WASHINGTON Feb i.-The house met
at l2:l5 today, Immediately after the con
| clusion OF the Marshall exercises and took a
recess until 1 o'clock to permit the hall to
be cleared OF the chairs which had been
| brought in to accommodate the guests of the
occasion.
After the recess the house took up con-
! siGeration of the senate bill to create a
commission to adjudcate the claims Of citi-
ztns OF the United States against Spain
which the United States agreed to assume
! by section 7 Of the treaty OF Paris. This
bill had been postponed until today by order
Of the house. The bill had been reported
with an amendment to refer the claims to
the court of claims. that action having been
| taken in accordance with the instructions
of the house when the bill was recommitted
at the last session.
Mr. Haugen CWs), in charge of the
! bill, asked the house to vote down the
| amt rdment and pass the original bill This
course led the opposition under the lead
| OF Mr.. Underwood (Ala.) last week TO
charge that the consideration OF the bill
had been agreed TO under n misapprehen-
sion. Mr.. Grosvenor (Ohio) today argued
in favor OF the passage of the original
senate bill. lie said that not more than
! 500 000 600 Of claims were now on file at
| the state department.
Mr.. Underwood urged that the amend
ment should be adopted. first because
the house, after full discussion on previous
occasions had instructed the committee
to bring in such amendment. and secondly
! because the government already had a
well equipped court for the trial of just
| such claims
The senate bill passed by vote Of 12s
to SIS.
The house next passed the bill for the
extension of the charters of national banks
| Mr.. Lacey of Iowa moved the passage
under suspension of the rules of the sen.
tate bill to ratfy an agreement with the
| Crow Indians In Montana
Mr.. Cannon opposed the bill. The lands
| which the government was to purchas,
| from the Crows, he said. were not wortl
| 100000, much less ST. 00O 900, which tn,
| government was to pay. 81 am opposed >
said Mr.. Cannon. Ito buying any more golt
bricks after twenty minutes debate on
side under suspension of the rules"
Mr.. Maddox of Georgia and Mr.. Grow o
Pennsylvania also opposed the bill which
was defeated, "a to 40
| Mr.. Knox, chairman of the committee or
| territories, moved the passage under sus
pension of the rules of the bill TO redeem
|
lawful value at par and recoin them int
standard silver coins of the United States
abraded coin to be received at its bullior
| value.
Mr.. Wilcox, the Hawaiian delegate, wa
asked to explain the relative value OF ma
tive and American silver in Hawaii. III
said that both circulated at par, but tha
gold commanded per cent premium. Mr.
| WilcoXs English was broken. He was of
fered time to give his views in extenso
but declined to do so. The bill was de
feated, 20 to 90, two-thirds not havln,
voted in the Affirmative.
The Indian appropriation bill was sent t
| conference. Mr. Sherman of New York
Mr.. Curtis of Kansas and Mr.. Little of Ar
kansas were appointed conferees. TIL
house then resumed consideration of tn
postoflce appropriation bill. II. C. Smltl
Of Michigan continued his speech in favo
Of his amendment to reduce railway mai
pay. Without action on the amendmen
the house, at 5:25 p, m, adjourned.