Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-02-12
DELAY IN THE SENATE
Hints Of an Extra Session Are
Being Circulated.
STATEHOOD BILL RESPONSIBLE.

STATEHOOD BILL RESPONSIBLE.
Names Suggested For the Proposed
New stntes-GeneraI smith May Ne
Promoted The s~enate's Hoodoo
Observation-Disclosures of Animals.
Washington. Feb. 7.-[Speclal. 1.-The
delay of business in the senate, the
fact that less than four weeks remain
to pass the pending appropriation
bills n some other legislation, has
created talk about an extra session.
1t is the same talk that Is always
heard at this period Of the session, and
I am inclined to think that it is caused
just now by those who want to scare
the long distance takers in the senate
into giving all available time to the
appropriation bills and to save their
speeches for the next session. 1t is
also likely that the men who are op-
posing the bill for the new states want
to impress those who are responsible
for keeping it before the senate that
they are likely to force an extra ses-
sion. Nothing really alarms senators
so much as a threatened extra session
of congress. They will make any rea-
sonable sacrifice to prevent one. This
year the sacrifice will be the statehood
bill.
What's In a Name?
Senator Bacon wants the territory Of
oklahoma, if it is consolidated with
the Indian Territory, named jefferson.
Speaking of this fact, Senator Lodge
remarked:
Il am not sure whether | agree with
that proposition or not, but it seems to
me ii is a very reasonable proposition
and Il that we ought to consider. l
am perfectly certain that we ought to
change the name of the territory of
New Mexico if we are going to admit
it. | think to admit as one of the states
Of the Union a territory which bears
the lame of the adjoining country by
prefiXing the adjective New shows
the greatest vacuity of mind of which
it is possible to conceive. 1t IS no more
New Mexico III point Of age and settle
ment than any part of the republic of
Mexico, and think we had better give
the states that we admit American
names. Why should we want to have
n state in the Union whose inhabitants
should he spoken of as 'McXicans' and
New MeXicans| | think there Is a
good deal of argument to be made on
the question of the name Of the terri
tory"
Taking Care Of Jake Smith.
While the provision for raising the
grade of n number of retired officers
was incorporated in the army appro-
priation bill for the benefit Of q large
number of officers, n especially who
was Interested in the measure was
Senator Foraker. who wanted the pro-
vision so that it would give General
Jacob Smith the rank of major general
on the retired list. Jake Smith was
more talked about than any other man
in the army at n time and has been
somewhat under a cloud ever since his
return from the Philippines. The senti-
ment. however, has changed, and now
there seems Il very general desire to
give linn some fitting recognition. Hun
drcds Of letters and petitions signed
by many Grand Army veterans have
been received asking that Smith be
promoted. If the bill goes through,
General Egan, who was retired while
undergoing Il court martial sentence,
will no doubt be promoted to be ma jOr
general on the retired LIST.
Wireless Thirty Years Ago.
When Senator Hoar introduced a
resolution rendering the thanks of con-
gress to Marconi for the invention OF
wireless telegraphy, he brought out the
fact that thirty years & the subject
of wireless telegrapby was discussed
in ongrcs II that a certain DR..
Mahlon LOOMS was the inventor. A
bill was passed Incorporating n COM
pany which was to perfect the LOOMS
system. 4 man who vas associated
with LOOMS wrote Senator Elkins,
calling attention to the old invention
and saying that the inventor was at
the time n resident of West Virginia.
The senators in 1873 did not seem to
~ ~ mum ihhBitcStN ! thN SASuh
things that LOOMS claimed for cleo
tricity, many of which have since
been accomplished. The correspond
cnt of Senator Elkins did not think
that the foreigner should be thanked
for what vas an American invention.
Not an Unlucky Seat.
For many years it has been said that
one particular seat in the senate was
an unlucky place, for no senator ever
occupied it more than w years. In
the last twelve years it has been held
by Dawes of Massa chusetts, Dolph Of
Oregon, Dubois of Idaho, Gear OF
Iowa and Spooncr of Wisconsin. The
last incumbent has held it longer than
the others and with his reelection for
six years has broken the hoodoo, il
there was one. for the popular Wiscon-
sin senator will probably remain where
he is as long as he cares to stay in pub
lie life.
Protection of Wild Animals.
Senator Burton of Kansas has re-
ported from his committee, forest res
ervatiOns and the protection of game,
two bills designed to prevent the de-
struction of wild animals, birds and
fish Oh reservations under the control