Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-02-21
JUDICIAL BILL IS PASSED
Nothing But signature Of President Now
Lacking 70 Make il Law.
EXTENDING THE HOMESTEAD RIGHT;
Congressman Kennedy starts a Lively
Discussion over Compensation Of
Railroads for Carrying
the Mails.
AdditiouaI Home.te.d rr,r,...

WASHINGTON. Feb. 2o.-(speciai TeIe-
gram THE judicial division bin has passed
the senate and now goes to the president
for signature.
Additional Homestead Entries
The senate committee on public lands at
Its meeting today ordered a favorable re-
port on Candles bill to permit second
homestead entries in certain cases. The
bill as reported provides that any person
who since the 9Th day Of June. 1900 has
made entry under the homestead laws and
committed the same under the provisions Of
section 29H OF the revised statutes Of the
United States and amendments thereto
shall be entitled to the benefits Of the
homestead laws as though such former
entry had not been made. except that COM
mutation under the provisions OF section
zSU shall not be allowed of an entry made
under this act.
Kennedy starts somethinE.
Representative Kennedy while the post
office appropriation bill was before the COM
mittee Of the whole today, precipItated a
warm discussion on the question as TO
whether the railroads had been given a
hearing ON the reductions made in their
compensation for carrying the malls. He
had read IN the house the resolutions
adopted by the Omaha Commercial club
protesting against a radical reduction in
the compensation allowed the railroads on
the ground that the result would be to Inn
pair the service; also ON kilograms from
the Omaha banks to the same effect. Mr..
Finley OF South Carolina took exception
TO the statement contained In these COM
munications that the railroad companies
had no opportunity to be heard, and asked
Mr.. Kennedy II he was not aware of the
fact that such a statement was untrue.
Mr.. Kennedy replied that the chairman Of
the committee. Mr.. Overstreet, had In
formed him that two days, January 81 and
February l. had been offered to the rail-
ways to present their side, but that they
had only two days notice and they claimed
ithey could not get their evidence to WASH
Fjngton in that time.
Before the discussion ended Mr.. Hedge Of
Iowa and Mr.. Finley. both members of the
postoffice and post roads committee, got
into an alteration as to what took place
in the COMMITTEES on the subject and finally
they were both called to order by the chair
because II was improper for members to
disclose committee proceedings.
Mr.. Kennedy stated to the house that he
was in favor Ct any reasonable and def
mite reduction in the compensation allowed
the railways for carrying the mails and
was opposed to any unreasonable Of indef-
mite reduction. He said he favored per
MISC the reduction relating TO postal cars
but was opposed TO the provision requiring
the railroad companies 20 carry free empty
t1naii bags. and TO the change in method Of
Gonputing the weights until some member
t'of the committee or of the house could
tgfve some definite information as to the
seffect OF such provisions. He said ne was
unwilling TO enter the domain Of specula-
zion In dealing with the postal service and
i3nsisted that the paramount question before
Ffhe house and before the country was not
what was best for the railroads but What
was best for the public and that an i'm
tpaired railway mail service would be dear
mt any price.
Minor Matters mt Capital.
Senator Gamble has secured the passage
of bill authorizing the Winnipeg. Yank-
ton & Gulf railroad TO construct a bridge
lover the Missouri river at Yankton. g. D.
Senator Gamble today was advised that
complete rural free delivery will be estab-
lished in Coddington. Deuel. and Grant
counties April 1e; also that a change from
the tri-weekly rural route OF washington
TO daily service has been ordered to be-
come effective April 1.
Congressman Kennedy today introduced
a bill granting an extension OF time until
March "a. 1910 to enable the Omaha North
ern Railway company to construct rail-
way across the Omaha and winnebago
Indian reservations.
Senator Willard is in receipt Of petition
signed by a number OF citizens of Grand
island. also letters from the same town.
favoring the enactment OF a reasonable
grazing law which would prevent over
stocking Of the ranges and at the same
time preserve the rights OF the home
steader The senator has referred the
communications TO the senate committee
90 public lands.
The Department OF the Interior has ap-
proved deeds of the Bearsley Construction
company OF Lincoln. Neb.. for certain lands
In the Indian Territory. where the COM
pany Is designing to construct a water
power plant for the service of Chiekasha.
pension OF so was today allowed David
y. Weimers OF Mason City. Eeb.
Senator Burkett today made application
60 the Postofhce department. upon the re-
quest OF the postmaster at Conegeview.
for more eommodious quarters for the
pOstoftice at that place. The department