The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-04-18

ent efforts the senate has sent to the
| house for concurrence many measures
| prepared by him as a result of his
observations. Discussing the work
| of congress and particularly the SEN
ate, in this particular field, Senator
| Nelson said:
| The subcommittee of the committee on
| territories which visited Alaska last sum-
mer was impressed with the necessity for
legislation to relieve conditions there.
Senate Passes Bills.
| The senate has passed a number Of bills
| introduced by myself. Among them are
bills for the creation Of additional
lighthouse district, which will embrace all
| Alaskan waters, and for the construction
of lighthouse tender for this new dis
trict. If this bill should become law,
| it will result in the establishment of a line
of these aids to navigation at many points
on the coast which are now unmarked
and will afford protection to the large
| number of vessels sailing regularly in
| those waters.
A bill for the establishment of a life
saving station at Nome one of the most
dangerous places on the coast, and an
| other for a free bridge across the Snake
| river at that place, have been favorably
acted upon by our body. The senate has
| also passed a bill amending the coal land
laws, so as to permit entrymen to file ap
bill permitting the incorporation Of towns
of three hundred inhabitants, and other
wise amending the laws relating to mu-
nicipal corporations, has gone to the house
| for approval
Asks Appropriation.
Early in the session I introduced bill
providing for the expenditure of moneys
derived from licenses outside incorporated
cities for the construction of roads, the
maintenance of schools and the care of
the insane in the territory, and that has
passed the senate. The senate also in
serted in the military appropriation bill
an item of $250,000 for the construction of
a military wagon road from Valdez to
Eagle City, one that is most needed, and
I hope it will be agreed to by the house
My bill for the division Of the third
judicial district has also passed the SEN
ate, and will give the people in the west
ern part of the territory facilities for get
ting their cases before the courts.
Both houses have passed a bill extend
ing the time for the construction of a rail-
road from Solomon river to Council City.
Favorable reports have been made in the
senate on bills for the election of a dele
gate from Alaska; for the appointment of
road overseers and to divide the territory
into road districts for the administration
) of the proposed law for the general con-
, structon Of roads, and for the amendment
ing to assessment work and location OF
), claims.
, Nelson Kept Busy.
2 7 have not followed these bills closely
2 since they have gone into the house OF
representatives and therefore cannot make
, any predictions as to the chances for theil
being agreed to there. 1t has kept me
Z pretty busy steering them thru the senate
l shall press those which have not beer
acted upon by our body, and hope to get
them all over to the house before ad.
. journment.
Of the bills that have passed the
senate, only four have been favorabl5
considered by house committees. The
bill for an elective delegate, intro.
l duced by Representative Cushman OF
a Washington has been debated al
n length and will pass the house, but
n it's friends are not sanguine that II
o will get thru the senate. Senator For.
0 aker of Ohio wants to amend the
+ Alaska bill to provide a delegate from
: Porto Rico, and other senators anc
the president, it is said, want a dele.
t gate to be appointed by the president
: The bill to create the new judicia
d district has been reported by the jul
e dietary committee and an effort was
= made to have it considered by unani.
o nous consent, but Representative La.
cey of Iowa objected to it and it was
: laid aside. Lacey is strong In his Op.
position on the ground that a new
O judge is not needed, and the proba.
e bilities of that bill becoming a law al
this session are rather remote.
o Two Bills May Pass.
: The Snake river bridge bill and the
O bill for the modification of the Goa
e land law, which have been favorably
d reported, may pass. The other bill:
will be put aside until next session il
v all probability, as the members art
s now discussing and urging Legislation
$ of more vital local interest to them
: selves, and which has a more imme
diate and individual bearing on thu
J., coming campaign. Should any Of then
o. be passed it will be because of direc
: pressure by President Roosevelt. Sew
eral weeks ago he indicated to Speake
Cannon that he would like to hav
some time set aside for the considera
ton of Alaskan bills by the house
y but up to date no move has been mad
;. in that direction.
! One of the most important of thes
:. bills is that introduced by Mr.. Hum
J. phrey of Washington, providing fo
J. the adjustment Of salmon hatch
cries at various places in the south
eastern part of the territory. Thi
bill has been favorably reported b
ISL the house committee of which MI
se Humphrey is member, but it is likel
q to remain on the calendar until Snex
S. session.
AS whole, the outlook for niue
needed Alaskan legislation by bot
houses is not bright
y. w. w. Jermane.
- :.