American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1912-05-30
NEWS FROM OUR
NATIONAL CAPITAL
Conference Committee Has Re-
ported Final Agreement on
B0rak Homestead Bill.

Wnat Is declared TO be a nal agree
ment. The main features OF the ori.
ginal bill are retained.
AS the bill is agreed upon, the home.
stead period is reduced from five to
three years and entrymen are per.
mitted leave Of absence of not to ex-
coed five consecutive months each
year. they being required to notify
the local land office when they leave
the land and of the date of their re-
turn.
A cultivation clause is incorporated
which requires the entryman to cul-
tivate not less than one-sixteenth Of
the area OF his entry the second year
and one-efghth the third year. The
bill will apply to all entries, including
enlarged homestead entries and all
pending entries.
Entrymen who have not yet receiv-
ed a patent will have the privilege of
completing their proof under the three
year bill or continuing under the old
law as they may prefer.
House Reaffirms Canal Toll Bill.
By a of lat to 126, the house
reafirmed its decision that no toll
should be charged American vessels
engaged in coastwise trade for pass
age through the Panama canal. The
provision was bitterly fought and the
result was received with cheers. The
canal government bin was passed, 266
to 81. The house membership was
divided into two groups, one holding
that American owned ships should
have free use Of the canal and the
other that all ships should pay equal
tolls.
Officers of Titanic censured.
A sweeping arraignment of the con-
duct of officers Of the Titanic, espe-
cially Captain Smith, is contained in
the report of the senate commerce
committee on the loss of the vessel.
The officers are held responsible for
the disaster because of failure to heed
the warnings Of other vessels. ].
Bruce Ismay, who was a passenger,
is also criticized. Lax inspection is
charged to the British board of trade.
and the report calls attention to the
lack of discipline on the vessel.
Many Veterans Apply for Pensions
Applications for pensions under the
new dollar a day" pension law are
being received at the pension office
here at about the rate Of 25, 900 a day.
The total number received to date is
'123,234. The total number of appli-
cations expected to be received from
old soldiers who desire to avail them
selves Of the benefits of the new law
is from 425, 900 to 100000.
luxuries Imported Enormous.
Luxurfes imported into the United
States during the fiscal year which
ends with next month. will exceed
5000, 000, 900 in value. Under the term
"luxuries" are included such articles
diamonds, art works, laces and en-
champagne and other
wines, tobaccos and manufactures
thereof, ostrich feathers, artificial
flowers. toys, perfumeries and cosmet-
les, jewelry, manufactures of gold and
silver. and numerous others of this
general character.
National Capital Brsvitiss.
The house is holding to its program
Tor adjournment about June Is, al
though no understanding has been
cached with the senate leaders, who
ire not optimistic.
A committee of the house has been
appointed to consider the propriety OF
to President Taft that he
his friendly aid as a mediator
'etween Italy and Turkey.
As a result Of reports of danger to
lives and property in Cuba,
he navy department has dispatched
transport Prairie with $50 marines
0 Guantanamo to join the gunboats
'aducah and Nashville.
There will evidently be no wool
at this session of congress.
he senate finance committee has re-
orted adversely the Underwood bill:
"a abandoned the plan to draft q
bin. and has refused to re-
ort b Smoot substitute. 4
Secretary Wilson Of the department
{ agriculture has ordered Doctors Z
oohttle, Mitchell and Dunlap, Of the !
ure food board. to conduct a test of Z
breweries throughout the country {
determine whether the institutions 9
complying with the pure food laws. Q
The house judiciary committee was Q
scupied the past week with the hear.
g OF the charges against Judge
rchbald Of the commerce court. Evil
nee was introduced tending to show !
at Judge Archibald was a tool of the o
ilrOads and suSreDtihlA ~ hha~~ a