The Lamar register., 1902-07-02
LATE WASHINGTON NEWS AND
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS

The Senate committee on appropria-
tious has reported the general def
cheney bill, adding to the bill as it
passed the House items of $1I5,OOO for
surveys and expenses of allotting lands
of the Uintah Indian reservation in
Utah. Walker river, Nebraska, and
Spokane. Washington. 100000 for pur-
chaos -ShetISgO$S. =
chase care and protection of buffalo in
Yellowstone National park. and S440.-
600 to pay Indian depreciation judg-
ments.
The labor committee of the House
perfected and ordered favorable re-
port on the bill empowering the Presi-
dent to appoint federal arbitration
boards to investigate and adjust
strikes, lockouts, etc, which are or
such magnitude as to effect interstate
commerce. The membership of the
board was reduced to five members.
three to be appointed by the President
and one by each of the parties to la
bor controversy. The duties of the
board are to investigate and report the
facts, the idea being that publicity of
the actual facts will do much to
compel an adjustment. Furthermore,
provision is made that the contending
parties may submit their case to the
boaord of arbitration for final decision,
but this is not compulsory. The bill
will be reported at once, but it is TOO
late in the session to expect final ac-
ton.
Senator Penrose, from the committee
OH immigration, has reported the gen.
eral immigration bill. There are nu-
merous amendments, in addition to the
amendment changing the educational
test. Among these IL one increasing
the head tax on immigrants to So per
head and extending 1t to immigrants
coming in overland, which is to be paid
by the transportation companies carry
ing the immigrants. The time for the
deportation of Objectionable immi-
grants is extended from one to three
years after landing, and the transpor-
tation companies bringing in such OBJ
jectionable persons are required to pay
half the land transportation where the
immigrants have left the seaboard.
There also are increased restrictions
on the importation of anarchists and
insane and diseased persons. and also
on the bringing in of contract laborers.
Because of the radical changes made
and the probability OF early final ad-
journment, consideration Of the bill is
doubtful.
During the debate OF the Philippine
bill in the House the horrors of the
Civil War were brought mp as prece-
dents by several OF the speakers. In
replying to remarks made by General
GrOsvenor and Mr.. Mahon as to the
treatment of Union soldiers in Confed
crate prisons Mr.. Bartlett of Georgia
read from report made by Charles
A. Dana, assistant secretary of war.
upon the conditions in the southern
prisons, saying that the condition of
the Union prisoners In the South was
no worse than that of the Confederate
soldiers in the field. To prove his state
ment made In the afternoon. that Il
greater percentage of Confederate sold
iers died in Union prisons than did
Union soldiers in Confederate prisons.
be produced the figures from Secretary
Stanton's report of January 10, 1866,
showing that OF 22O,OOO Confederate
prisoners in Union prisons, 2G.51G. or
over twelve per cent, died, against d.
576. of about nine per cent. of the 21O.-
600 Union prisoners who died in Con-
federate prisons.
1t has been determined that no reel
procity treaty with Cuba can be sub
mitted at the present session of Con-
i
the event of the failure of the admin
istration managers in the Senate to Sc
cure favorable action on the Cuban
sugar bill. treaty would be drafted
at once. This was on the understand
ing that Senor Quesada. the Cuban
minister here. had full powers and that
a treaty could be drawn in Washington
entirely. 1t is stated now, however.
that this cannot be done End that any
draft of n treaty must go to Havana
and be returned before 1t can be sub
mftted to the Senate. This. of course.
cannot be accomplished in the short
space of time intervening before ad-
journment. II the estimates of the
leaders that Congress will adjourn by
July 4th are correct. No confidence is
felt in administration circle as to the
ability of the Senate managers TO Sc
cure the verification Of treaty. even If
one is drawn. and while the President
may feel called upon to put the mat
ter to test, 1t will be rather with the
idea of demonstrating his own purpose
to do everything possible for Cuba.
than from any expectation that n two
thirds vote for ratification could be
received.
In his testimony before the Senate
committee on the philippines, Admiral
Dewey contributed an important adj
dition to the history of the, surrender
of the city of Manila. This consisted
of positive statement by the admiral
to the effect that the city had not been
surrendered to him at the time that
the Spanish fleet was sunk and that
when the city did surrender 1t was in
pursuance to definite understanding
between himself and the Spanish gov
ernor general. Admiral Dewey said
the Spanish governor wanted to sur
render the city to him after the de-
struction of the fleet and that he
Dewey would have accepted the
formal surrender IL he had had 5000