The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1911-12-29

since congress convened.
His time will be given principal,
to study of the legal phases of the
water power question in connection
with proposed legislation this session
on inland waterway topics. Senator
Clapp whose committee on interstate
commerce has discontinued takine
testimony on the proposed antitrust
legislation, will spend most OF the
season in making speeches in terri
tory which the insurgents hope to OBJ
tain for their own.
Washington, D. c. = Efforts to au.
thorize the sale of the hull of the bat,
tleship Maine to private parties who
desire to exhibit it at various ports OF
the United States. and charge admis.
siGit fee to visitors, were defeated in
the house of representatives. The urg.
cnt deficiency bill. carrying an appro.
priation of $250,000 to complete the
work Of raising the Maine, after a
hard fight, passed the house without
change.
1t was admitted in the debate that
offers approaching $1O0O,OOO have
been received from exhibition inter-
ests for the rear portion of the hull,
which can be fitted with a bulkhead
and towed from Havana to the United
States This sum would more than
cover the $900,000 the cost of clear
ing the wreck out of Havana harbor.
Chairman Fitzgerald Of the appropri.
f1,@
ment would tow the rear part of the
hull into the ocean and sink it with
full honors.
Representative Sisson of Mississip.
pi attempted to procure an amend
ment authorizing the war department
to invite bids from private parties for
the rear portion of the hull. to be
used for exhibition purposes. He said
General BiXby, in charge of the work
at Havana, stated that several tenta-
! tive offers had been received from
| the United States, some of theY ap.
preaching s1.000,0oO. Mr.. Sisson
said he did not consider it as opposed
to the desires of the American people
to provide for public exhibition of
! the wreck of the Maine under private
auspices.
The bill as passed would permit the
secretary of the navy to give a por-
ton of the wreck to the city of Ha.
vana for public monument. re.
quest for it having been made by the
president Of Cuba. and would author.
| ize the secretary of war and the sec.
rotary of the navy to grant other pOr.
lions as souvenirs to cities and pa
/ triotic societies or survivors of the
vessel.
! A request for an additional $4,000
for the expenses of the house of rep.
resentatives and an attempt on the
part of the economy committee" of
the house to cut in two the mileage
of senators and representatives threw
the house into a debate on expenses
that is considered prophetic of tile
sessions that are to come.
| Exactly $S0,0O0,00O is, proposed to
be appropriated. by congress during
the next five years for good roads UNI
der bill introduced by Representa-
! tive Prouty of Iowa. who advocates
national and state cooperation in
road construction and maintenance.
i He proposed that congress appropri.
ate and apportion among the various
states s5.O0O,O00 in 1912. $4,000 900 in
1913. s15,0OO0O0 in 1914. $4,000. 900
in 1915 and $30,0OO,00O IN 1916. The
federal expenditures on each road is
limited to one-half the total cost.
Predicts No Building Bill.
-
the house predicted that the caucus of
the house Democrats would not author
ize public building bill at this ses-
sion, Notwithstanding the public build
ing committees recommendation for it..
Mr.. Underwood said the matter un.
doubtedly would be considered in eau
Gus. To give everyone a fair show, an
appropriation of from 100000 to
$30,000.000 he said, would be necessary
and the Democratic leaders do not
want such bill to clash with their
economy program.
Would Amend Pension Bill.
Washington-Forces are at work in
the senate to bring about radical
amendments in the Sherwood dollar
a day" pension bill which has passed
the house Senators of both parties
expressed disapproval of the dollar a
day idea. The senate pensions com
mittee is now compiling statistics to
show just what the yearly outlay
would be if the Sherwood bill were
adopted. First estimates placed 1t al
; sums ranging from $10,O0O,00O to SIS,
100000 year over the present heavy
expenditures.
The committee will report to the
senate bill carrying much less ex
| penditure of money. which it believes
/ in addition to being generally satisfac
tory to Civil war veterans would b.
. one which President Taft would b.
| willing to sign.
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