Woodruff County news., 1906-07-05
NATIONAL CONGRESS ENDS TASKS
 BY PASSING IMPORTANT MEASURES

already great burden the consideration of cases raising the issue as to wheth- CT certain articles of food or drugs contain harmful ingredients, are mis- branded or because of their labels vio- late the pure food law.
 Canal Type Is Fixed. | With the adjournment of congress | it is possible to make a survey of the entire field of important legislation enacted during the session. The three most prominent measures already have been referred to, and their gen eral provisions are well known to the country. Next in point of interest perhaps comes the Panama canal act. | The house first declared in favor of I the lock canal, by providing that no portion of the money appropriated in the sundry civil bill should be ex- I pended on a sea level project. A ma 1 jority of the senate committee report ed in favor of a sea level canal, but after a vigorous debate the presidents recommendation in faver of lock type was approved by a vote of 36 to 31.
 A joint resolution was passed by congress requiring the purchase of supplies and materials for the canal in the American market unless the presi- dent shall determine that the bids of domestic producers are eXtortionate or unreasonable.
 Congress appropriated 42,500,0 900 for continuing work on the canal, | S16,500,000 being deficiency appropria tions and s26,O00,OOO being for work during the fiscal year 1907. In addi tion to these appropriations steps are being taken to issue the canal bonds authorized by the Spooncr act, which may be issued from time to time" to the extent of $130,000000 During the present session congress provided that these bonds should have the rights and privileges of other two per cent. bonds of the United States and the tax of one-fourth of one per cent imposed upon bonds deposited to se 1 cure national bank circulation was inn posed upon the canal bonds when used for such security. It was also pro vided that the deficiency appropriation l should be returned to the treasury from the proceeds of the sale of the canal bonds.
 Statehood Issue Settled.
 The admission of Oklahoma and In- dian territory as single state was accomplished by the act approved June 16. The act also admits Arizona and New Mexico into the union as a single state, provided that a majority in each of the territories shall vote l for joint statehood, land not other wise" This bill was the subject of bitter contention, as it had been in | former sessions. It passed the house in the form of bill admitting the four territories as two states. The senate amended the bill by eliminat ! ing all provisions relating to Arizona and New Mexico In conference the conditional admission of these ter ritories as state was agreed upon. and, after vigorous debate in both houses the conference report was agreed to.
 After several years of effort on the part of the state department congress at this session passed an act reorgan izing the consular service. The con- suls general and consuls are grouped by classes, and provision is made for an inspection service consisting of five consuls general at large, with sal ary of $5,000 each. No officer in the 1 consular service receiving more than $1.00O is permitted to engage in busi- ness or practice law. All fees are to | be turned into the treasury. Origin ally the bill prvided that the higher offices should be filled by promotion only, but this provision was elimin- ated and the promotion system has been established by the state depart ment without further enactment. Boon in Alcohol Bill. A most important piece of legisla- tion is the removal of the tax upon denatured alcohol It was strongly opposed by manufacturers of kerosene and gasoline. In the debate it was alleged that, with the tax removed, alcohol could be manufactured and sold cheaper than either kerosene or gasoline and that it would enter into universal use for Illuminating, motive power and otherwise
 A national quarantine law, provid- ing for uniformity of administration and giving the federal government power to establish quarantines in port cities and supersede the local and state authorities, has been passed.
 An employers liability bill, to meet the demands of the trainmen of the United States, has been placed upon the statute books after years of effort
 Greater Aid for Militia. Among the acts affecting the mili- tary establishment were those in creasing the efficiency of the ordnance department of the army and increas- ing the appropriation for the militia from $1,OO0O 900 to $2,OOO,OOO annu.lly.
 Congress took new tack in the