The Lamar register., 1902-04-09
LATE WASHINGTON NEWS AND
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS

The Senate committee on Indian af-
fairs decided to adopt an amendment
to the Indian appropriation bill offered
by Senator Rawlins, providing for the
opening of the Uintah Indian reserva-
| ton. in Utah. to settlement. To each
head of an Indian family it is pro-
posed to allow eighty acres of land,
and to every other member of the two
tribes forty acres. The rest is to be
sold to settlers at the rate of $1.25 per
acre. the proceeds above $4,000 to be
paid into fund held for the benefit
of the Indians. The committee voted
unanimously for this amendment. and
II is very likely to become Il law with
the Indian appropriation bill.
The following bills were passed in
the Senate April I'd: Authorizing the
appointment of John Russell Bartlett
as rear admiral on the retired list of
the navy; providing for the issuance of
patent to the town of Basin City.
Wyoming. to the municipal authorities
thereof for the use and benefit of said
town; to extend the time for presenta-
tion of claims to reimburse the COVER
nors of states and territories for ex-
pense incurred by them In aiding the
United States to raise and organize an
army in the war with Spain to jan
uary 1. 1903; granting land near Salt
Lake. Utah, for miners home, and
seventy-one private pension bills.
After passing the Indian appropria.
tion bill April 5th, the Senate consid-
cred the Chinese exclusion measure for
nearly three hours. The principal
speech of the session was made by Mr..
Fairbanks of Indiana, in support Of the
bill. He analyzed its provisions to
demonstrate they were not in contra
vention of our treaty with China and
discussed ut length the right of Con-
gress to enact exclusion legislation. He
maintained that 1t was cardinal prin-
ciple of this government to protect out
side labor against such low priced Ia
Dor as would come - the United States
from China. An extended debate up
on some of the provisions of the pend
ing bill followed Mr.. Fairbanks
speech. Mr.. Gallinger of New Hamp-
shire and Mr.. Platt of Connecticut in
dicated their belief that the provisions
of the measure relating to the exempt
ed classes were in contravention of our
treaty obligations to China. Mr.. Lodge,
Mr. Penrose and Mr.. Fairbanks COM
batted this view. the supporters of the
measure maintaining that its provi-
sions were drawn clearly within the
treaty obligations of this country.
The House committee on banking
and currency. by vote on party lines.
ordered u favorable report on the finan-
cial bill framed by the Republican
members of the committee and intro
duced by Chairman Fowler ito main
tain the gold standard, provide an elas-
tic currency. equalize the rates of in
terest throughout the country and fur
ther amend the national banking
laws" The details of the measure
were given when Mr.. Fowler introduce
ed 1t, and since then the changes made
have not effected any of the princi-
pies of the bill. 1t brings together
many plans which have heretofore
been urged separately. A division of
banking and currency is created in the
Treasury Department with II board of
control of three members. superseding
the present comptroller of the currency.
The methods by which banks may take
out circulation are provided; the parity
OF the silver dollar with gold is estab-
lished; provision for the establishment
OF branch national banks is made; sill
yer bullion in the treasury Is to be
coined into subsidiary silver; guaranty
funds are provided to protect against
insolvent banks.
When the Chinese exclusion bill was
under consideration In the House Mr.
Kahn of California made an exhaustive
speech in support of the minority bill.
He reviewed the whole history of Chi
nese exclusion legislation and conclud-
ed as follows: I'VE of the Pacific
coast are perhaps more deeply concern
ed in this question than any other peo-
pie. We have probably learned to
know the Chinamnn better than our
fellow citizens elsewhere. 1t is only
the sordid and the selfish who prefer
low standard of wages and II low
grade of morality-men who want
cheap labor because 1t will increase
their individual profits-who would
open loOpholes in the barriers we have
erected after many years of hard. bit
ter. practically experience. ! had hop
ed that the committee would have seen
fit to allow the section giving TO Amer
lean seamen that same measure of
protection against Chinese competition
that we accord the shoemaker. the
tailor and all other skilled and un-
skilled mechanics. When the bill comes
up for discussion under the five-minute
rule l shall have something to say in
favor of such a provision"
During the consideration of the sun
dry civil appropriation bill, Mr.. Spight
of Mississippi and Mr.. Pou of North
Carolina spoke on the question of the
disfrnnchisement of the negro in the
South. The former appealed to the
Republicans not to disturb the era of
good feeling inaugurated by the late
President Mckinley. and Mr.. Pou. af
ter describing the manner in which 800
negroes had been inducted into office in
North Carolina between 1894 and 1899
through coalition between the Re-
publicans and Populists, said that the
Democrats. again having secured con-
troll. proceeded to disfranchise as many
negroes as possible. IF our represen-
tn finn iS Ia ha rnlucal foI. TINT :, On III