The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1907-02-15
ARMY MONEY BILL
PASSED BY SENATE
AMENDMENT FOR REDUCED
RATES FOR SUPPLIES AND
MEN DEFEATED.
Monument to Heroes-House Fails in
Attempt to Fix Four-Cent Street
Car Rate for City of Washing
ton.

CdT nate TOT lily OF "dShiH9"
ton.
Washington, Feb. 1.-THE senate
Monday passed the army appropria-
ton bill carrying $81, 100000. The
amendment which permitted the gov
eminent to accept reduced rates on
army supplies, and permitted officers
and enlisted men to accept reduced
transportation, was defeated by a
point of order interposed by Senator
McCumber, after the day had been
spent in it's discussion.
An amendment offered by Senator
Dick increasing by 20 per cent. the
pay of officers and enlisted men, was
defeated by point of order made by
Senator Hale.
Amendments were accepted to build
monuments to revolutionary officers
as follows: To Gen. John Stark, an
equestrian statue at Manchester, N.
H., $4,000; statue to Gen. Nathaniel
Green at Guilford courthouse, N. c..
$4,000; statue to Gen. James
Schrivner at Midway, Ca, $4,000.
Senator Carter secured the adoption
of an amendment to the bill placing
William H. Crook on the retired list
vate through the civil war, and ever
since has been employed as clerk at
the White House.
Four Cent Rate in Washington.
The house, acting as the common
council for the District of Columbia,
devoted the day to district legislation.
One bill, permitting the Baltimore &
Washington Transit company of Mary
land to enter the District of Columbia,
gave the friends of lower street car
fares an opportunity to pass an
amendment fixing the fiat fare at four
cents and compelling the company to
sell eight tickets for quarter. In
committee of the whole this amend
ment was adopted 80 to 55. When the
bill came before the house on final
passage this amendment was defeated
by a few votes. The friends of re.
duction in street car fares, realizing
that their forces had been decimated,
made the point of mo quorum" and
Speaker Cannon, realizing the futility
of a call of the house, declared the
body adjourned.
Mr.. James, of Kentucky, precipi.
tated the debate and was supported by
Messrs. Madden of Illinois, Sims at
Tennessee, Shackleford of Missouri,
and Clark of Missouri, who said that
if "Tom" Johnson, of Cleveland, never
did anything else than make a fiat
three-cent rate for the street cars of
that city, "he ought to have a monu.
ment as high as Washington's."
Ask Money for Canal Work.
Washington, Feb. 9.-Secretary Taft
appeared before the house committee
on appropriations Friday to explain
the appropriation of $25, 100000 which
the isthmian canal commission has
asked to have included in the civil
sundry appropriation bill, now under
consideration. The secretary of war
was accompanied by Chairman T. P.
Shonts, of the isthmian canal commits
sion; d. w. Ross, the canal purchasing
agent; j. B. Bishop, secretary to the
commission, and R. R. Rogers, general
counsel to the commission.
Much of the general discussion be-
fore the committee concerned the pro-
posed canal contract and Secretary
Taft expressed the opinion that the
public generally prefers the contract
system, as it believes the government
can do work cheaper in that manner
However, the appropriation for the
canal will not be affected through the
failure to grant a contract, as the pro-
vision has been made in the bill that
the money Is to be available for canal
work regardless of whether the gov
eminent does the work itself or lets
it out to contractor.
The proposed appropriation is de-
sired chiefly for the completion of the
equipment on the isthmus, and as the
government proposes furnishing the
equipment to any contractor, it was
explained by the canal officials that
the allowances for this purpose should
be liberal.
Many Pension Bills Passed.
A new high record in the way of the
passage of private pension bills was
made by the house Friday when 725
bills were passed in an hour and a
half.
The naval appropriation bill carry
ing $95, 426,0O0 was taken up and I'M
der the order of general debate,
speeches were made by Mr.. Lamar of
Florida on the railroad rate BILL" Mr..
Higgins of Connecticut favoring the
creation of the White Mountain and
Appalachian forest reserves and Mr..
Mondell of Wyoming on the ''limita-
lions of federal authority" and the
withdrawal of coal lands from entry.