Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1914-10-29

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/ public domain provides for leasing
coal lands in that territory 1t es-
/ tablisheS the leasing system of public
lands, and. while the bill passed re-
lated only 70 Alaska and to coal lands.
the debates showed conclusively that
it is the intention to extend the leas-
| ing system to other public lands in the
United States
The Alaska leasing law is in line
with demands Of conservatiOnistS. and
it is expected to be followed by SINH
| lar legislation for other public lands.
In fact, the house passed number Of
conservation bills which were not TAX
en- up in the senate.
Miscellaneous Measures.
A law was passed to promote medi-
alton, Cancellation and arbitration be-
tween railroads and their employees.
1t establishes a commission to investi-
/ gate labor troubles and to act as inter
mediaries in the settlement of disputes
and disagreements between employers
and employed
Two bills were passed relating to
| opium. One levieS a prohibitive tax
of $500 a pound on all opium manu-
featured for smoking purposes. The
| other relates to the importationS of
opium and is a much more stringent
law than heretofore existed
An act was passed providing for the
election for senators under the new
constitutional amendment
Congress has been quite liberal in
making appropriations for people in
distress. 1t appropriated $2,75OO0O for
the relief of Americans abroad who
were stranded and without means of
returning home as a result of the Eu-
ropean war, 100000 for the relief and
transportation of American citizens in
Mexico, S200,ODO for the relief of the
fire sufferers of Salem. Mass; $4,000
for the storm sufferers in Alaska and
| 100000 for the eradication of hog
cholera
The total appropriations for the year
were $115,9OS.777.
Emergency Revenue Act.
The Sixty third congress began with
revenue legislation. The first session
was called to revise the tariff, and the
second ended with the enactment of a
law to raise $10O000,O00 additional
revenue by an emergency measure. 1t
was entitled Il war revenue act on &C
count of the European war causing a
falling off of importations The Re
| publicans, however, asserted that the
loss of revenue caused by the war was
comparatively small and that the tariff
law would have created Il deficit A
large part of the money to be raised
by the emergency act will come from
increased taxes on whisky, beer, wines
and tobacco. In addition many of the
taxes imposed by the Spanish war rev
enue act of 1898 have been imposed,
including most of the stamp taxes.
The last revenue act, like the first,
| provoked a great deal of partisan de-
bate, the Republicans taking occasion
to crticise the former tariff bill for
! failing to produce sufficient revenue
and also condemning the extravaganza
of the party in power. The Democrats
defended their tariff bill, asserting that
unlocked for and extraordinary condi-
lions in Europe caused the falling off
in revenues and that previous Repub-
lican legislation made large appropria-
tions by the present congress neces-
sary.
Bills Which Go Over.
There are quite a number of impor-
tant bills pending which have been
passed by the house, but have not been
considered by the senate. In addition
to the conservation bills and the rail
road bill heretofore mentioned there is
the immigration bill, containing the lit
erary test. This is considered an i'm
portant measure and passed the house
last winter. 1t has been on the senate
calendar for many months, but has
never been taken up. 1t Is one of the
important bills which may be passed
during the short session
The Philippine bill. giving the Filipi
nos Il larger share in their government
and promising more in the future,
which recently passed the house Is not
likely to pass the senate next session,
as it will be debated at length and
meet with more determined opposition
than in the house.
The La Toilette seamans bill is one
measure which passed the senate and
has been hung up in the house for
long time. 1t has been materially
amended in committee and i'll going
over to the short session is likely to
fail.
The rural credits bill has been prom
ised consideration during the short SEES
sion but as it has not been reported
from any committee nor received CON
sideration in either house it is not
likely to be passed next winter.
The house passed Il bill regulating
railway mail pay, but it has not been
reported from the senate committee.