Omaha daily bee., 1903-02-03
HOUSE CLEARS OFF BILLS
Passes Many Minor Measures to Relieve
Army and Navy Men.
REJECTS LAND EXCHANGE PROPOSAL
Refuses to Allow Holders of Arid
Railway Acres TO rad for
other Portions OF Pub
lie Domain.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 2.-The house today
passed about forty bills under suspension
OF the rules TIE most important of them
was a bill to authorize the resumption OF
the negotiations with Great Britain for the
preservation Of the Alaska fur seals and
to give the secretary OF the treasury su-
thority, AZ the modus vivendi is not COM
pleted prior to the pelagic sealing season
this year, to exterminate the seal herd on
Prybilof Islands, except 10000 females and
1000 males.
The senate bill appropriating s1,5OO,0OO
for a new Department OF Agricultural build
ing was passed. Among other bills were a
number to restore to their former rank
in the army or navy, and then retire, Off
GERS who resigned years ago. One bill
advanced Brigadier General H. c. Merriam,
retired, to the grade Of major general on
the retired list. ?
When the house convened today Mr.. Can
non SIll) reported the sundry civil ap-
pfoprlation bill and gave notice that he
would call It up at the earliest opportun-
ity.
Land Bill Rejected.
This was suspension day and the speaker
recognized Mr.. Bates pal, who moved the
passage. under suspension of the rules, Of a
bill to provide for the better separation
and utilization of public and private lands
within the limits Of railroad land grants
in the arid region"
Mr. Bates explained that the bill was
recommended by the Interior depart
ment, and permitted the secretary of the
interior to exchange arid and semi-arid
II permitted the secretary OF the interior,
he said, to exchange arid and semi-arid
lands within the limits of railroad and
wagon grants for public lands Of equal
value in order to assemble public and pri-
vate lands in more compact bodies so as
20 permit them to be adyantageously used.
Mr.. Jones (wash.) protested vigorously
against the consideration OF such an i'm
portant measure under suspension of the
rules. He declared that the amount of
land involved was from 80, 900, 900 to 20. 000,-
600 acres. Nc man could tell exactly how
much land was involved. The proposition,
he said. was to pass with twenty minutes
debate a bill affecting one-ffth of the pub
lie domain Of the United States.
People who had purchased lands from the
railroads now desired the government at
It's expense to segregate them from the
railroad lands in order that they could be
used to advantage. II they received the
privilege Of exchange they would select the
best land available. r
Messrs. Kleborg (Tex.) and shsfroth
(Colo.) also opposed the measure.
The bill was defeated on a viva voce
vote.
The senate bill to authorize the 'construc-
ton, of q new building for the Department
Of Agriculture at a cost of 81. SOC. 900 passed.
Military Men Favored
The following bills were also passed; To
appoint and retire Lieutenant Robert Plat.
U. g. NJ, as commander in the navy; to APP
point and retire Captain John Russell Bart
lett, u. s. NJ, as a regular admiral; to re-
store to the rolls and relieve Captain
/ Thomas Carpenter. u. s, A.; to advance
lieutenant Commander W. @. Randall, u.
8. m, lretifed, to the rank Of commander
on the retired list; to restore Captain X.
J. Hampton; ". s. A., to active list; to re-
store John Walton Ross to, the active list
OF the army as a medical director; for the
relief Of Henry Rogers; to mark the ,po-
sltions of the regular troops on the battle
field of Gettysburg; TO tender the thanks
OF congress to Rear Admiral Louis Kempf,
U. S. NJ, for the wisdom displayed in re-
fusing to Join the allied forces In the bonn
bArdment Of the forts at Taku, China; to
promote and retire General H. c. Merriam
as a major general; to authorize the con-
struction Of a bridge across Begue Chitto,
louisiana; to authorize the secretary Of
the interior to issue a patent to certain
land to the Rocheford Cemetery associa-
tion, ROCKFORD. S. D.; to permit the tow
Of Montrose, Colo, to enter 100 acres Of
land for reservoir purposes.
At b.10 the house adjourned