The Lamar register., 1903-01-21

appropriation Dill apprOprlatlnS SlOO,-
900 for the investigation of the mining
interests of the country by the Geolog-
ical Survey, has been introduced by
Senator Perkins.
The Senate committee on finance
heard an argument by Director of the
Mint Roberts in support of the House
bill authorizing the coinage of silver in
the treasury into subsidiary coins and
repeating the law for the coinage of
silver dollars. Mr.. Roberts said there
vas q great demand for more small
coin. The bill was not acted on be-
ause of the objection made by some
Of the members of the committee to
the provision prohibiting the further
coinage of silver dollars. The object
ors held that it would be unwise and
inconsistent to reduce the volume OF
the currency at a time when there is a
very strenuous demand for money.
The committee on legislation of the
Grand Army of the Republic has been
in session at the Ebbitt House. 1t
considered mainly pending legislation
for the aid of veterans in seeking ap-
pointment to the public service. A
subcommittee was appointed consist
ing of Chairman Joseph w. Kay, New
York. and George II. Patrick, Alaba-
ma. and they visited the President andl
postmaster general Friday in the inN>
terest of legislation to .prefer those
who served the Union in the army or
navy in the Civil War in appoint
ments, retentions or promotions in
the public service over ether persons.
The committee returned home salts
fled with the results of its efforts.
Senator Warren has presented to
the secretary of the interior several
protests of citizens of Big Horn coun-
ty against closing trails across the
Yellowstone Park forest reserve.
Sheepmen have been accustomed to
cross that range with fiocks from the
valley of the Shoshone to Gray Bull,
and 1t is alleged that forest officers
have closed the trails and stopped the
practice of driving sheep across. Sen
ator Warren also presented protest
against the exclusion of sheep from
this reserve and asked that the re-
serve be inspected by competent
person, with a view to securing more
equitable distribution of range privi-
leges.
Tho final test of the Deforest wire
less telegraph system, which the board
of wireless experts have been conduct
ing for some days between the Navy
Yard at Washington and the Navy
Academy at Annapolis were brought to
a conclusion on the 14th inst. In the
presence of the board two cipher mes
sages were sent from Annapolis and an
equal number from Washington. The
speed of transmission exceeded thirty
five words per minute. -Four foreign
systems have been tested from the
same range by the Navy Department.
The Navy Department will purchase a
working outfit of the Deforest system
as the result of the tests, and when the
Prairie returns from the maneuvers.
sea tests will be continued from this
boat at Annapolis.
The bill reported from the ways and
means committee to provide for re-
bate on the duties on foreign coal for a
period of one year was passed in short
order by the House by practically .
unanimous vote, 25S to s, those voting
against being Messrs. Cushman and
Jones (Wash), Gaines (W.Va), Mon
aell (Wyo). and Patterson (Pa), all
Republicans. The bill was considered
under the operation of rule which cut
off opportunity to amend. The only op-
position to the measure came from
some of the members representing coal
states, who expressed the fear that the
admission of Chinesemined coal from
Canada would injure the coal industry
of their states. Both Mr.. Dalzell (Pa),
and Mr.. Payne (N.Y), the Republican
leaders. expressed the opinion on the
floor that the bill would not relieve the
existing distress. They said it would
satisfy, however. the public demand for
action, and show the disposition of
Congress to do what it could. The
Democrats. although they all supported
the bill, took the view that 1t did not
go far enough, saying that coal should
go on the free list and when the bill
came back from the Senate with pro-
vision which virtually placed anthra-
cite coal on the free list, they ap-
plauded vigorously. Mr.. Dalzell, in
the course of his remarks. said. that
there was practically no anthracite coal
in the world except that in the United
States and little in China. The
amendment was adopted without divis-
ion. The bill, on reaching the Senate.
was Immediately passed, and received
the signature of President Roosevelt.
In discussing the Vest resolution
regarding the duty on coal, Senator
Tillman declared that the railroads are
absolutely in the saddle on the coal
question. They mine and market coal
and fix the price, he charged, without
regard to solitary Independent oper-
ator. He said it was an infamy the
way the press of the country was pros
tituted and lending itself to befuddle
the minds of the people and deceive
them into the idea that the railroads
are willing and anxious to relieve the
distress occcasioned by the coal famine
but that somebody, somewhere. called
an independent operator, is responsible
for the present condition of affairs.
The President deserves no credit,
said, he. except for his attempt to eff
feet settlement of the question. but
the actual fact is" he added" that J.
Pierpont Morgan gave orders to his CO.