The Lamar register., 1903-02-04
WASHINGTON NEWS AND
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS

The following DIS were passed IN
the Senate of January 2ith: Author
izing the detail of officers of the army
as chief and assistant chiefs of the
Philippine constabulary; providing for
the compulsory attendance of witnesses
before registers and receivers of the
land office; appropriatlng 100000 for
headstones for the graves of Confedcr-
ate soldiers who died in northern pris-
ons; providing for monuments to the
memory of Gems. Francis Nash and
William Lee Davidson of North Caro-
lima. both Revolutionary soldiers
A favorable report was made by the
Senate committee on forest preserva-
ton upon the Perkins bill authorizing
the President to designate areas in for
est reserves which should. in his opin-
ion be set aside for the protection and
breeding of wild animals The rCgula-
tions for such preserves are to be under
control of the secretary of the Interior
and persons violating the regulations
shall be guilty of misdemeanor and
subject to n fine not exceeding 81 900.
The game laws of the preserves are not
to interfere with local game laws.
The House struck out of the Indian
appropriation bill the salary of the
agent at the Southern Ute reservation.
Colorado. and provided that the school
and agency be placed in charge of
bonded superintendent. This change Is
recommended by the Indian office and
is in line with similar changes made
at other agencies. The department
hopes by the change to place in charge
some one with long experience in the
Indian service and be relieved of tho
necessity OF making further political
appointments at this point. All other
Colorado items remain in the bill as
reported.
1t is stated that following his
avowed purpose to punish those fed-
eral ofiicehodcrs who have in their
capacity of Republican party officials
been charged with bartering their in
fiuence, President Roosevelt will issue
orders at once for the dismissal of
four active negro politicians in
Georgia. The identity of the men con-
victed of this method of procedure by
n report of postolilce inspectors has
not yet been disclosed. but it is known
that two are members of the Richmond
county Republican committee. one is
Chatham county committeeman, and
one is an official of the Eleventh dis
trict Republican committee, residing
in Brunswick PostmasterS who are
alleged to have been held up by these
negro politicians are not to be dis
turbed. the President regarding them
as victims, rather than accessories.
The United States will have control
of the Panama canal practically in per-
petuity, as required by the Spooner
act, this result having been attained by
the adoption of plan for lease for
100 years. renewable at the pleasure OF
the United States, and Colombia hav-
ing nothing to say about the extension.
The matters of police and judicial con-
troll is setti5d by scheme OF Joint ac-
tion, although 1t especially is assured
that no citizen of the United States Will
be tried by any other than his own
courts. Control of the waters of the
ports of Colon and Panama is vested in
the United States just as far as may be
necessary for the complete operation of
the canal, and it is assured that our ex-
ira territorial jurisdiction will be un-
questioned as to waters and streams
pertaining to the canal. All port dues
on vessels passing through the canal
are to go to the United States by way
of Offset to the annual annuity pay
ments.
Mr. Foraker who was temporarily in
charge of the statehood bill during
short absence of Mr. Quay. took occa-
sion to defend the action of the latter.
He said that from statements that had
reached him, the action of Mr.. Quay in
introducing the statehood bill as pro-
posed amendments to the agricultural
and sundry civil bills was regarded as
an unheard of proceeding. 1t was not
unheard of at all, he said. 1t was sim
ply question whether n majority OF
the Senate could do thing it wanted
to- He referred to previous legisla-
ton on appropriation bills, and said
that an appropriation bill had con-
tanned the provision establishing CIV
IL government in the Philippines, and
that the army appropriation bill Just
reported provided for legislation Gre
ating n general staff. Continuing, Mr..
Foraker said the majority in the SEN
ate had it in their power always to
make such an amendment to bill.
when, in their judgment, it Is deemed
for the public good Mr.. Clay of Geor-
gia also took the same position, and
read from the record, showing that the
Philippine legislation. known as the
Spooner amendment. was voted upon
the army appropriation bill.
The United States Supreme Court on
January 2Gth rentered, through JUS
tice Harlan an opinion affecting the
Northern Pacific railroad land grant.
The case was that of Peter and Henry
Nelson who located upon unsurveyed
land within the Northern racine grant
in the then territory of Washington in
1881. This was after the railroad COM
pany had filed its general map, show
ing its proposed route, but before it
had filed it's map of definite location.
In the opinion handed down it was
held that the title of the settlers was
better than that of the railroad COM
pany, and that until the definite map
was filed Congress had control of the
lands within the grant. regardless OF
the general map. Justices Brown and