The Holly chieftain., 1902-12-12
$WASHlNGTON NEWS AND
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS

Armed ~ the Senate to 0uccee0 tAef
late Justice Gray - memher a the
bench Of the United states auprems'
Court There WAS no oppoattton.
Senator Cullom has intrpduced hill
to ansend the Sherman antitrust lAwl
It pruAibfts interstate commerce IN ar
ticles ps,oduced BY trusts. The penAltyj
for violation being 1Ae Of from 3600
TO t6.0o0. The bill authorixss the At;
torney general or any district attorney
to make application to the federal
Judges for the summoninx OF person
before them to answer questions ~ I'd
material Violations of the anti-trust
law In advance Of the trial Of . c4sel
and requires the judges to issue orders
for the appearance Of such persons up-ll
on this application. In such cases Wit
nesses are to be protected against prosl
ecuti0n on account Of their revelations;
but they are to be deprived of their
right to refuse to answer because Of
self-tncrimination- Annual reports are
required to be made by all persons. firms
and corporations engaged in interstate
commences. They are TO b. hled with
the lnterAtAte Commerce Commission,
and they are to b subject to the scruJ
tiny OF the attorney general, but not OF
the general public. Tho attorney gen.
eral II authorized to appoint fifty spe-
cial agents to seek out violations Of the
law.
Representative Hull, chairman Of the
House committee on military affairs,
has Introduced q bill creating general
stan corps OF the United States army.
The bill provides that the staff be COM
posed Of oflcers detailed from the army
at large. under such rules a. the Pres
ident may prescribe. The proposed du-
ties of the staff are to prepare plans
for the national defense and for the
mobilization Of the military forces in
time OF war; to investigate and report
on all questions affecting the efIiciency
Of the army and its state of prepared
ness for military operations; to render
professional aid to the secretary Of war
and to general oficers and other supe-
rior commanders. and to act as their
agents in forming and co-prdinating
action Of all the different oficers In
carrying out their orders. 1t Ii pro-
posed that the general stan corps con-
with the rank and pay OF . lieutenant
general; one major general and one
brigadier general. to be detailed by the
President from oficers at large not be-
low the grade Of brigadier general; !,
four colonies, six lieutenant colonies
and twelve majors. to be detailed from
the corresponding grades in the army
at large; twenty captains. mounted.
Following suggestions Of the Presi-
dents message, q bill was introduced
In the Senate by Mr.. Quarles Of Wis
consin, and In the House by Mr.. Pow
ers Of Massachusetts, to repeal the law
providing for the sale Of timber and
stone lands under the desert land law
and the Communication clause Of the
Homestead law. Friends Of the meas
ure claim that the Senate public lands
committee will report the bill favor
ably and that there is reasonable hope
Of It passing the Senate. A brief cam
veals the fact that the measure has no
chance of favorable action BY the
House public lands committee. all the
western members Of the committee be-
Ing opposed to 1t. Passage Of the pro-
posed Legislation would It once cut OF
the greatest source Of supply Of funds
by which irrigation Of lands b to be-
accomplished under the new irrigation
act. Western members state that re-
ported violations Of the land laws are
due in great measure to laxtty In
methods OF adninistxat ation In the gen
eral and local land ofAcss; that the
land laws themselves arc not obtec-
tionable, and under strict administra-
ton. especially BY local land once Of
hcisls, frauds would be reduced to q
minimum. II II expected the secretary,
Of the interior will submit the form OF
q bill to the Senate committee on pub
lie lands. providing for the repeal Of
the timber and stone act
Representative Bell of Colorado In
troduced . bill which he intends to
press ct the present session making
certain amendments In the irrigation
law OF the last session. The changes
are intended primarily to meet condij
tions In Colorado. and do not seriously
alter the intent or character of the
present law. In fact, says Mr.. Bell, the
amendments rather carry out the orig.
inal intent Of the legislation, nlling in
omissions. ~ It were. The first amend.
ment permits acquisition Of reclaimed
lands under cash entry. a. we'll al
under the homestead law, In cases
where the land IL part Of former In
dian reservations 0psn to se...ement
under treaties which stipulate that thu
Indians shall be paid 70 much an acre
for their lands. In the region to be
reclaimed by the Gunnison river prof.
ect there u q considerable area form
erly included in the Ute Indian reser-
vations. which could hardly be acqAired
under the homestead law ON account Of