The Lamar register., 1902-12-10
WASHINGTON NEWS AND
. CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS

staff corps of the United States army.
The bill provides that the staff be COM
posed of officers detailed from the army
at large, under such rules as 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 efficiency
of the army and its state of prepared |
ness for military operations; to render |
professional aid to the secretary OF war |
and to general officers and other supe- |
rior commanders, and to act as their |
agents in forming and co-ordinating |
action of all the different officers in |
carrying out their orders. 1t Is pro-
posed that the general staff corps con-
sist of one chief of staff of the army, /
with the rank and pay of lieutenant
general; one major general and one
brigader general. to be detailed by the
President from officers at large not be-
low the grade of brigadier general;
four colonels, six lieutenant ,colonels
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, 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 ana
stone lands under the desert land law
and the Communication clause or 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 can
vass of the situation in the House re-
| yeals 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 it. Passage of the pro
posed legislation would at once cut OH
the greatest source of supply OF FUNDS
by which irrigation of lands is 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 laXity in
methods of administration in the gen.
eral and local land offices; that the
land laws themselves are not op)ec-
tionable. and under strict adminlstra-
ton. especially by local land office Of
ficials, frauds would be reduced TO
minimum. 1t is expected the secretary
of the interior will submit the form OF
bill to the Senate committee on pub
llc lanuS, pTONlulHB ioi thO i'PSAi "a
the timber and stone act.
Representative Bell of Colorado in
troduced bill which he intends to
press at the present session making
certain amendments in the irrigation
law of the last session. The changes
are intended primarily to meet condi-
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, filling in
omissions, as it were. The first amend
ment permits acquisition of reclaimed
lands under cash entry. as well as
under the homestead law, in cases
where the land is part of former In
) dian reservations open to set.,ement
, under treaties which stipulate that the
Indians shall be paid so much an acre
: for their lands. In the region to be
) reclaimed by the Gunnison river prof.
ect there is a considerable area form
: erly included in the Ute Indian reser-
2 vations. which could hardly be acquired
under the homestead law on account OF
} the payment insured to Indians An
5 other amendment permits the secretary
: of the interior, at his discretion, tc
e lease for mechanical, manufacturing
/. electric or general power purposes
, |
: tens for periods of not exceeding
e thirty years. when such use of water
e VIII not materially injure or decrease
the efficiency of the water for irriga-
/ tion or domestic purposes. 1t is es
:. timated that the water power of the
: Gunnison is worth at least 100000, ant
y Mr.. Bell believes the government
0 should be allowed to acquire this addi
: tional money, especially as the use o
y the water for power will not injure the
i work of reclamation.
O Practically the whole policy of thu
Il Postofiice Department in its recen
, classification reforms is involved IL
. three decisions rendered to-day by th'
+ District Court of Appeals. In two o
: the cases the decisions are against tn
! Postoffice Department, and in the 9th
! er the government is sustained. Al
r. three cases will be appealed to th
If United States Supreme Court, pending
- whose final action the classification re
&c form policy, under which many publ
% cations have been excluded from tn
h second-class privileges, probably vii
, remain in suspension. The two case
- decided adversely to the government
# are those of the National Railwa
J. Publication Company. and the Rail
q way List Company. The department !
10 upheld in the case of the Chicago Busl
ness College. The lower court is sus
4 tanned in each of the three cases. TIL
A. courts opinion in the railway publica
If ton cases holds that Congress has nc
n committed to the postmaster genera
n or any one else the determination
,f what should be carried in the mails
40 second-class or third-class matter. tha
m power being reserved exclusively t
al Congress, which makes the classitics
Ms ton The court says that it may /