The Press., 1902-05-01
WASHINGTON LETTER.

whole, when the Cuban reciprocity bill
was under consideration, appears to have
had most salutary effect, In that 1t has
greatly expedited the transaction Of rou-
tine business, and, while none of the great
questions before congress has been con-
sidered in the house during the past week,
large amount of regular business has
been disposed of. On Tuesday the mill
tary academy appropriation bill was pass,
ed. This makes the twelfth appropria-
tion bill passed by the house this session,
two of them having been "urgent defic-
regular appropriation bills, one Of them
the agricultural bill, now under consider
alton, to be acted upon. The two re-
naming are the District of Columbia bill
and the naval bill. On Friday the PEN
sion calendar was taken up and was
cleared with the passage of 145 bills.
The naval appropriation bill, which
carries total appropriation of $76, ,0OO,-
600, $2,OOO,O00 less than last year, Is
practically ready to be reported and will
be brought In at an early date. The Dis
trict of Columbia bill is being framed and
will be reported In the near future. As
soon as the regular appropriation bills
are all passed the representatives will be-
gin to talk of adjournment, and strong
pressure will be brought on the senate to
hasten its deliberations to facilitate that
end. On Saturday Representative Mercer
of Nebraska reported the omnibus public
building bill, which carries total appro-
priation of $15, 800 600, and provides for
public improvements of more or less ex-
tensive character In all but two states In
the union. To-day the committee on
rules will submit a special rule for its
consideration, and it is not expected that
more than few hours will be required
for its passage. But nine appropriation
bills have thus far passed in the senate.
The week In the senate has been prac-
tically devoted to consideration of the
Philippine civil government bill, and Sem
ators Rawlins and Carmack have pre-
sented exhaustive expositions Of the dem
ocratic position In regard to the measure.
In accordance with the expressed wish of
Senator Lodge, the republicans have SO
far refrained from replying to democratic
charges. Several important conferences
have been held by the republican sena-
tors, and it has been determined to make
an investigation of the holdings of the
sugar trust of Cuban sugar, In accord
ance with the resolution introduced by
Senator Teller. There Is now little doubt
but that the senate committee on rela-
tions with Cuba will report straight rec
iprocity bill, and 1t will have to stand or
fall on it's merits. Opinion among the
senators of both parties Is so divided as
to the outcome that 1t is impossible TO
make any unpIejudiced prediction at this
writing.
The Chinese exclusion bill is now In
conference, where it was returned by the
house, after giving instruction to It's con-
ferees not to yield on certain points which
will make the bill more effective in Its
provisions. The Joy with which the Pa
cific coast republicans greeted the first
passage OF the bill has BEEN largely miti-
gated by further examination of the
measure, and they feel that unless 1t Is
reinforced 1t will operate against the sue
cess of the republican party In their Sec
tion of the country. The oleomargarine
bill lie also in conference, but the changes
which were made In Its provisions by the
house are inconsequential and will doubt
less be accepted by the senate conferees.
| While the attorney general has an
nounced that he has ordered that pro-
ceedings be brought against the beef
trust, and the announcement has caused
great qualification to the consumers, a
delegation of western Nebraskans has
been appearing before committees of the
house and the senate, and has expressed
the view that the cause of the rise in the
price of beef Is not due to the manipula-
tions of the trust but to the actual scare.
ity Of beef cattle. Mr.. Richards, a mem.
ber of the delegation, stated before a sub.
committee of the committee on public
lands, on Friday, that there were but
thirty million cattle in the United States
including milch COWS, and that were these
deducted from the total, there would not
be left one-third of carcass for every
man, woman and child In the country
The object of the delegation Is to secure
the enactment of some law, In accordance
with the recommendations of the secre
tary of agriculture, whereby the ranch
men will be permitted to rent the public
lands and fence them for pasture for theil
herds. Mr.. Richards pointed out that O
the sixty million acres Of public lands
only ten per cent. was susceptible of irri
cation, but that of the remaining ninety
per cent. much would be available fol
pasture purposes II the government woult
permit it's fencing and use at fair rental
Holds UP q Congressman.
i .sAt the end of the campaign" :" writes