Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-08-23
LEGISLATIVE BILL is ONE
Both Houses Agree to Funds for
Commerce Court Until March 4,
CHANGES IN POSTAL SERVICE
Conferees Report on Bill, But No
Action Is Taken-District
Loses Some.

The Senate did much yesterday to clear
its decks for final adjournment within a
lew days when it passed the legislative,
| executive and judicial appropriation bill,
| the sundry civil bill and the Indian ap-
preparation bill, the last two having been
agreed to by the conferees only short
! time before their passage. The conference
| reports on the post Office and army ap-
preparation bills were laid before the Sem
| ate. but no action was taken on these
measures.
As now agreed to by both houses of
Congress the legislative appropriation bill
appropriates for the continuance of the
Commerce Court until March 4 next.
A fight developed in the Senate on the
army bill over the proposed seven-year
! term of enlistment
Radical changes in the postal service
were provided for by the House and SEN
ate conferees on the post office bill The
/ Bourne parcel post system was adopted
for the present, including the Oregon sem
| ators ideas to zones, distances and
! rates. The Postmaster General, however,
was empowered. with the consent of the
| interstate commerce commission, to
| change the rates, zones and articles sub
| United TO the post at any time. a joint
| committee of six was authorized to study
the working of the system.
Good Roads Experiments
The Simmons good roads provision was
| adopted. This appropriates 100000 for
| experimental road construction, with a
/ joint committee to study the proposition.
| The Senate provision requiring news
! papers to publish semi-annualy Il list of
] stockholders was adopted, and another
provision added to require every daily
/ newspaper to print statement of its
average daily circulation.
| The House eisht-hour labor provision
/ was agreed to. together with the clause
Tor the payment OF overtime work in
| cash. The Senate amendment to allow
| employees TO join associations adopt
| ed. The provision authorizing the trans
| Ter OF employees from one service to
/ another was stricken out OF the bill.
| As agreed 10, the bill contains no refer
| ence to the ''b,ue tag system of trans
! porting second-class mail. except
clause prohibiting the extension of the
| system. and another authorizing joint
committee TO investigate the subject in
| conjunction with study of compensation
to railways for carrying the mail.
| The sundry civil bill, as agreed to by
| conferees and passed by the Senate.
makes no provision for the continuance
! of the Presidents tariff board 1t is
! not believed, however, that President
Taft will veto the measure on that ac-
| count
District Items Cut Out.
for the District of Columb ia in the
sundry civil bill were cut out in con-
ference. The amendment which pro-
| vided an appropriation of $4,000 to
begin the work of improving Meridian
| Hill Park was stricken from the bill
The House provision of 81, ZOO for the
Improvement and maintenance of the
retained. To improve Potomac Ptr:;
the conferees compromised on $3.50
The appropriation for Mortrose Pa.
was reduced from $4,000 10 $J,GC0
An appropriation of $4,000 for q
pneumatic-tube system was rejected.
| The conferees struck from the bill
the Senate amendment providing $55,209
for a cement wall and for shop and
storehouse buildings and $4,000 for
new outbuildngs at the Government
Hospital for the Insane. but agreed
to the Senate proposal of $4,000 for
tubercular cottages on the hospital
grounds.
Expenses for Employees.
| The conferees inserted in the meas
ure a provision that section of the
District of Columbia appropriation bill,
recently signed by the President. shall
not be operative during the present
| fiscal year
This temporarily removes the obstacle
| in the way of the payment of the eX-
| penSeS of employees of the federal and
| District governments who have at
tended meetings of societies and con-
ventions in the line of their work.
| The late Chief Geronimo's band of "7S
| Apache Indians, prisoners of war. at
| Fort Sill. Oklahoma, will be released
and turned over to the Secretary Of
| War, with an appropriation of s25O,OOO,
for such disposition as he may direct,
according to the conference report on
the Indian appropriation bill.
The principal changes in the bill were
made with respect to the kickapooI
Indian community in Mexico, reduc-
ing an appropriation of $4,000 to ST.
600 and safeguarding the Indians
against spoliation by INSCRIPTIONS
whites. y reduction also was made
from 20 to 10 per cent in the fees paid
collectors of Indian revenues. and this |
provision was confined specifically to
moneys collected on land rents and the
rent of tribal buildings. The Oklahoma
schools will get 100000 and the district |