The Springfield herald., 1903-01-23
WASHINGTON NEWS AND
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS

appropriation Dill apprOprlatlnS SlOU,-
900 for the investigation of the mining
interests of the country by the Geoloe-
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
| was a 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 q
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.
subcommittee was appointed consist
ing of Chairman Joseph w. Kay, New
York, and George II. Patrick, Alaba-
ma, and they visited the President and
postmaster general Friday in the in
terest of legislation to prefer those
who served the Union in the army OF
navy in the Civil War in appoint
ments, retentions or promotions in
the public service over other persons.
The committee returned home salts
fed 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 tocks 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 view to securing more
equitable distribution of range privi-
leges.
The 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
| Acduelly Gl huNGpOliS were DlOuSul "
conclusion on the 18th 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
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
period of one year was passed in short
order by the House by practically
unanimous vote. 25S to 5. those voting
against being Messrs. Cushman and
Jones (Wash.), Gaines (W.Va), Mon
dell (Wyo.), and Patterson CPa), 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 Chinese-mined coal from
Canada would injure the coal industry
of their states Both Mr.. Dalzell (Pa),
and Mr. Payne tN.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 it did not
hat leI,< ,II
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 a 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 n settlement of the question, but
the actual fact is" he added" that ].