The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1917-08-17
WHAT'S DOING IN CONGRESS

Washington, Aug. IA Especial cor.
respondence. although Senator Nsth-
an Golf of West Virginia is able to
attend but seldom the sessions of the
Senate on account of protracted illness,
he closely follows the proceedings of the
upper branch of Congress from his sick
room, and sees to it that he Is paired
on all important votes. He communi-
Gated his wishes to his friends in the
Senate regarding the prohibition con-
stitutional amendment, and when the
final vote was taken on that proposition
Senator Golf was paired in it's favor,
thereby assisting in the defeat of the
"wets" quite as much as though he had
been in actual attendance in the Senate
Chamber
A i'll proposing to extend the pen.
sion laws 80 as to make them applicable
to members of State militias who served
in the field during the Civil war under
the command Of officers of the Regular
or Volunteer Army has been presented
to the House by Representative Daniel
r. Anthony of Kansas. The organize.
tions that Mr. Anthony PARTICULAR,
wants to reach by his measure are the
regiments of Kansas militia who CO.
operated with the Federal soldiers in
resisting prices raid" into that state
in 1854 A student of our military his
tory during the Civil war knows that
there were many such regiments of
militia in the Northern States that rem
dered valuable and heroic service to
the Union cause, yet. because thew were
not technically mustered into the Fed.
eral service their surviving members
are not eligible to pensions. 1t is that
injustice which Congressman Anthony
seeks to cori ect.
The promptness with which the
Senate passed the resolution reported
by Senator Porter ]. McComber of
North Dakota regarding the drafting
of resident aliens should be taken as
warning by citizens of the allies who
have sought refuge in the United States
from military service at home. Mr..
McCumber's resolution requests the
President to enter into negotiation with
nations at war with Germany and to
secure, if possible. their permission to
draft their citizens in this country 10
the same manner in which our own
people are drafted 1t was passed with.
out word of objection from any Sen
tor, and doubtless will result in the
near future in compelling men who are
enjoying the benefits of our institutions
to assist in their protection.
If bayous and creeks are not naviga-
BILE in fact they can easily be made so
by legislation. Witness the amend.
ment to the river and harbor bill in
serted at the instance of a Democratic
Senator from Arkansas. 1t reads as
follows: THAT Bayou Meto, in the
state Of Arkansas, be, and the same is
hereby declared to be navigable
stream within the meaning of the Con.
and laws of the United States" |
It is stated that the legislation is nee.
'ssary to enable people living on the
bayou to issue bonds for the building |
Of locks and dams to control flood |
waters. 1t looks innocent enough, but |
wait until next year or the year after.
The people will have built a few dams,
perhaps, and their generous contribu-
lions will be held up to Congress in
glowing terms. Congress will then be
requested to assist the good work with
IN appropriation to equal, at least, the
sum spent by the people Thus WA sea