The Holly chieftain., 1902-04-25
LATE WASHINGTON NEWS AND
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS


lands. Mr.. Sutherland wishes the pres
ent laws broadened so that actual dis
covery Of oil shall not be essential to
validity of location, but existence Of
such Indications as will justify the To-
Gator in developing claim with rea-
sonable expectation of producing oil
shall be sufficient. The subcommittee
took no action.
The house committee on military af-
fairs has completed consideration of
the military academy appropriation
bill and ordered it reported to the
house. AS agreed to, the bill carried
$3,627. 1924, as against $S74, ,3O6 for the
current year. The large increase is due
to a provision for the extensive altera-
ton and improvement OF the grounds
and buildings at West Point. The total
cost of these Improvements Is fixed at
$6,5OO,O of which $3,OOO.OOO is appro-
priated In the bill These extensive
improvements and enlargements OF
buildings are made necessary by the
increased number Of cadets now au-
thorized by law.
Senator Gibson has introduced a bill
authorizing the secretary of the in
terror to restore to public entry lands
embraced in whole or In part within
the segregations for reservoirs. The
bill provides that lands heretofore in
cluded within reservations for reser-
voir purposes, made in accordance
with the law approved October 2, 1888,
and subsequent acts, may, in the dis
cretion of the secretary, be thrown
open to entry and settlement under
the land laws as though such reserva-
tions had never been made, provided
that ii has been ascertained by the sec
retary that such lands are not needed
for reservoir purposes and cannot
probably be used in future for such
purposes.
Representative Bell in the house de-
livered forcible argument against the
pending reciprocity bill. He devoted
some time to showing where the al
legged benefits would really go, and
quoted figures showing the rise in the
price of the stock Of the sugar trust
since the ways and means committee
fore the house ut present. In January,
before the committee held its hearing,
sugar stock was selling at 1161a; on
March 18th trust sugar stock was SELL
ing for 126A, and in all the stock had
gained $5512OOO in value. "These
figures" said Mr.. Bell, "are already
showing where the benefits will go.
Every favorable act on this bill has de-
pressed beet sugar stock, has not low
cred the price on refined sugar, but has
invariably raised the price Of Amer
lean sugar stock"
The senate has confirmed the noml-
nation of Colonel Mott Hooton, Twen-
ty-eighth infantry, to be brigadier gen.
eral. Brigadier Generals Isaac D. De
Russy, Andrew S. Burt and Michael v.
Sheridan, recently appointed, were
placed on the retired list April 18th on
their own applications, after forty
years service. One of the vacancies
in the list of brigadier generals thus
created was filled by the promotion of
Colonel Mott Hooton, who was regu-
larly retired for age on the 18th in
stant. General Hooton entered the
army as volunteer sergeant in July,
1861. He recently has served in the
Philippines. 1t is expected that three
more colonels who served during the
civil war will also be promoted to the
grade of brigadier general in a few
days and similarly retired ON their own
applications.
The house committee on Indian af-
fairs has favorably reported the bill
which recently passed the senate for
the relief of Mrs. Arivetta d. Meeker
of Greeley, Colorado. The senate bill
appropriated $1,000 out of the annui-
ties Of the confederated bands of Utes
for the payment to Mrs. Meeker The
house bill amends it by striking out
this provision and substituting an an
nuity Of $500, to be paid from the
same source to Mrs. Meeker during
her lifetime. This payment is in recog-
milton of the services of Nathan Cook
Meeker. late husband of the benefi-
ciary, who was Indian agent at the
White River Indian agency, Colorado,
for the loss his family sustained by
reason of his assassination and the de-
struction of his property by the In
dians in 1897.
The members OF the house who have
been chiefly interested in the Chinese
exclusion bill, after formal confer
ences, decided to accept the Senate
substitute continuing in force the pres
ent laws and applying them to our in
sular possessions. Representative
Kahn Of California, who introduced
the drastic exclusion bill in the I.ouse,
and Representative Coombs Of Califor-
mia, who aided in perfecting It both
expressed the view that the Senate
measure should be accepted a. the
best measure obtainable within the
few days remaining before the Geary
law expires by Limitation. ''The Sem
ate substitute, as finally amended. re.