Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1902-02-21
CONGRESSIONAL

ment since last Congress, when the
bill had LOG majority, and shows that
the opposition to the measure has
gained strength While the passage
of the bill is not endangered, it is not
likely that the majority, when the final
vote is taken, will exceed thirty. The
opposition was strong enough, in CON-
mittec of whole, to adopt two import
ant amendments, one providing that
nothing in the act should be con-
strued to prevent the manufacture and
sale Of oleomargarine in any state for
consumption entirely within such
state, and the other to provide for
the inspection and branding OF reno
waited or process" butter. The latter
amendment was especially obnoxious
when The bill was reported to the
House a separate vote was demanded
en- it. That vote was pending when
the house adjourned. Although the
amendment commanded a majority of
twenty in committee of the whole,
where no record is made, 1t is not I'M
likely that the action OF the commit
| tee will be reversed when members are
obliged to go on record. Several COM
mite amendments adopted changed the
phraseology Of the bill, the most i'm
portant being that making the 10-cent
tax apply to oleomargarine made in
imitation of butter "of any shade Of
yeliow." Considerable feeling was
injected into the proceedings toward
the close fine session. Mr.. Scott, of
Kansas, on behalf of the minority Of
the committee on agriculture offered
the amendment to substitute for the
provision in section / another provid-
ing that nothing in this act shall be
construed to forbid state to permit
the manufacture or sale of oleomar-
Earine in any manner consistent with
the laws of said state, provided that
1t is manufactured and sold entirely
within the state"
The third of the industrial commits.
sions final report is made public. 1t
treats of labor, immigration, taxation,
and irrigation and says: Congress
having no power to legislate directly
upon the subject, it is recommended
that the several states recommend uni
form hours of labor and also specially
regulate the hours of employment Of
persons between the ages Of IA and
Fl. The working day Of all public
employment, the report says, should
be eight hours, in the hope that it
would bring private employment to
the same standard. The period of
work in underground mines should be
eight hours day. 1t is recommended
thai Congress under it's powers as to
interstate commerce prevent any per-
son under IS years being employed as
n telegraph operator on railroads;
that all engineers and switchmen
should submit to an examination for
color blindness; that it should be
misdemeanor for an engineer or
switchman to be intoxicated while on
duty. The report says the states
should adopt law providing +. that
labor should be paid in cash or cash
orders without discount and not in
goods or due bills, and that company
stores should not be allowed. Pro-
visions should be made for fair
weighing at mines.
The Indian appropriation bill, just
completed, carries total of $4,000, 900.
The various schools are provided for
as follows: Cherokee, $4,000; Chill
eco, $4,000: an increase in each Of
$4,000. Haskell institute, $53,250.
The committee struck out $2l 900 for
the purchase of lands. The commit
tee added legislative provision that
the judge in the Indian territory shall
hold court also at Okmulgee and Sail
saw; also a provision that no rations
shall he withheld from any Indian
who attends other than government
schools Inc committee also set
aside $4,000 belonging to the Otoe
and Missouri tribe of Indians in the
territory to settle claims for lands
sold for them in Nebraska. Provision
is made to capitalize the funds of the
Eastern Shawnee and Seneca tribes In
the Indian territory and to pay the
Chickasaws on their capitalization of
100000, 4 per cent interest The bill
allows t.. Cd, Peoria, Kaskaskia and
Piankishaw Indians in the Indian ter
ritory to sell their lands on such con-
ditions as the president and the tribes
may agree, the proceeds to be divided
to ownership. A provision
is inserted wh.>.- was left out in the
estimates appropriating $4,000 for the
townsite commission in the Indian ter
ritory. The bill makes it unlawful for
the police to deport from the territory
any person in lawful possession of
land in any town or city which is
designated at a townsite. 1t cuts out
the gratuities to the Kiowa, Com
anche and Apache Indians and allows
the Wichita and affiliated bands $685.
600. 1t also contains an agreement to |
pay the Creek nation per capita total |
Of $12,220 in accordance with the |
treaty Of April A, 1882. Finally the
bill capitalizes the funds Of the Mus
4. II