The Elk Mountain pilot., 1902-12-30

| the Venezuelan question Is a matter of
great satisfaction to the president and
his Cabinet. That all the powers have
intimated, too, that they would prefer
the president should arbitrate the
present dispute is taken as a notable
compliment to the president personal
ly and to his administration. 1t is
the hope of both the president and his
| advisers, however, that while there is
precedent for his acceptance of the
post of arbitrator, the powers will con-
sent to reference of the controversed
matter in the Venezuelan question TO
the tribunal at The Hague.
Representative Mondell of Wyoming
has introduced a bill increasing the
penalty imposed upon persons commit
ting crimes against Indians. Under the
present law one years Imprisonment is
the maximum penalty for stealing
property of Indians regardless of the
value of property taken. In many in
| stances large numbers of Indian cattle
and other property have been taken,
and upon conviction guilty parties
have been required to serve but one
years imprisonment. Under the Mon
dell bill the penalty imposed is one
years Imprisonment if property taken
is not worth over S25 if over that
amount. the punishment shall be i'm
prisonment of not less than one year
nor more than fourteen years.
President Roosevelt, before he
reached his decision to send the
Cuban reciprocity treaty to the Senate
and not to the House, consulted freely
the leaders of the House and the mem
bers of his Cabinet. After mature con-
sideration it was determined that it
was unnecessary to send the Cuban
treaty to the House, Notwithstanding
the fact that it affected revenues of
the government. Precedents were
looked up carefully. 1t was found
that previous reciprocity treaties had
been sent directly to the Senate for
ratification. The president. when the
Cuban treaty shall have been ratified
by the Senate will send a message to
both branches of Congress, with a
recommendation for such enabling
legislation as will make the treaty
operative. This will afford the House
full opportunity. 1t is expected, to
stamp with its individuality the nego-
tiations for reciprocity with Cuba.
Mr. Bartlett, a Georgia Democrat,
during consideration of the legislative
appropriation bill in the House, Of
fered an amendment to appropriate
S250,000 to enforce the Sherman anti
trust law and to direct the attorney
general to proceed to the prosecution
of all violators of the law. Although
such provision was plainly amenable
to point of order, not a member on
either side of the House raised objec-
ton. Both sides wheeled into line and
all agreed that some such action was
advisable. Some of the Republicans
raised objection to the looseness of the
language OF the amendment, and Mr..
Hepburn offered as a substitute for 1t
the language of the bill he introduced
the opening day of the session to ap-
propriate S500.000 for the enforcement
of the law. This was further strength
ened to make the appropriation imme-
diately available. and as amended the
substitute was agreed to without di-
vision. The legislative bill was passed
practically as it came from the COM
mittee. except the amendment.
The eight-hour labor bill. as amend
ed by the Senate committee on educa-
ton and labor. was reported to the
Senate from that committee. accom-
panied by a written statement of the
committees reasons for its action. 1t
Is stated that the bill is substantially
the same as the House bill and that 1t
is favored by a majority of the Senate
committee. Speaking of the general
policy of the measure, the committee
says: Your committee do not doubt
the right of Congress to extend the
eight-hour day. The majority approve
the policy of extending the eight-hour
day, believing its results will be bene-
fetal, that the products of labor will be
improved and that the happiness and
homes of workmen will be greater and
brighter. the intelligence of the people
increased and civilization advanced by
such legislation. A majority OF your
committee believe that this measure,
which has received from the committee
such serious and careful consideration.
is not radical. but conservative, and.
therefore, recommend its passage"
Representative Fowler, chairman of
the House committee on banking and
currency introduced a bill which was
drawn by him in accordance with the
views of the Republican members ex-
pressed at recent conferences, and
which will be urged instead of the cur
rency bill reported to the House at the
last session. The bill provides: THAT
any national bank may with the ap-
proval of the comptroller of the cur
rency, take out for issue and circula-
ton an amount of national bank notes
not exceeding twenty-five per cent. OF
| its paid-up and unimpaired capital,
without depositing United States bonds
with the United States Treasury in the
manner provided by existing laws"
The bank is required to deposit bonds
or gold coin equal to five per cent. OF
| the notes taken out. A tax of one
quarter of / cent is to be paid on the
first days of January and July of each
year in gold on the average amount of
such notes in circulation during the
preceding six months, which tax. to-
gether with the five per cent. deposit
ed, shall constitute a guarantee fund
The bill provides that these notes shall
be a lien on the banks issuing them.