Democratic Sentinel, Volume 13, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 March 1889 — THE NATIONAL SONLONS. [ARTICLE]

THE NATIONAL SONLONS.

WORK OF THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Our National Law-Maker* and What They Are Doing for the Good of the Country —Various Measures Proposed, Discussed and Acted On, Among the measures passed by the Senate on the 28th ult. was the House bill to pay #32,675 I to the heirs of John H. Newman, late of Mississippi, on account of captured cotton. The Senate, by a vote of 45 to 8, passed over the President’s veto the bill to reimburse Wm. R. Wheaton and Cbas. H. Chamberlain (formerly officers of the California land office) for clerk hire paid by them. Senator Hoar offered an amendment to the deficiency bill authorizing the President to offer a reward of #2>,OOJ for the conviction of the Arkansas ballot-box thieves. The Senate agreed to the House amendment to the Bill granting a pension of #10) a month to the widow of Gen. Kilpatrick. It reduces the rata to #75. The army appropriation bill was passed with amendments. Considerable time was wasted in filibustering in the House, after which the sundry civil biU was reported. The committee recommendations relative to the Senate amendments were agreed to, and Messrs. Randall, Forney and Ryan were apprinted conferrees. The House non-concurred in the Senate amendments to the bill to open to settlement a part of the Sioux Reservation in Dakota, and has ordered a conference. The Houso then agreed to the conference report on the pension appropriation bill and passed the deficiency bill. Amendments to the latter measure were adopted directing the Attorney General to report to the Fifty-first Congress the legal status of the 2 per cent, claims of Illinois and Indiana, and striking out the appropriation of #6,t00 for the benefit of Col. Lament. This action was taken at the request of Col. Lamont. The House then went into committee of the whole on the Indian appropriation bill, but made no progress on tho measure up to the hour of adjournment. Senator Stewart, Chairman of the Committee on Mines and Mining, on the 27th ult. made a report to the Senate on the resolution authorizing the committee to investigate the subject of the investment of foreign capital in mines in the Territories. The amount of capital in ested in mines in the Territories by aliens, as near as could bo ascertain: d, is #20,5)3,570 and the dividends paid thereon #4,737,809. The committee recommends that the alien land act be so modified as to permit fc reign capital to be used in the development of mines in the Territories. Mr. Platt, from the Committee on Territories, reported two bills for the formation and admission of tho States of Idaho and Wyoming. Tho conference reports on the agricultural appropriation bill amt the Sioux City (lowa)bridgobiil was agreed to. The Housepassed the last of the general appropriation bills—the Indian bill. The Senate amendment appropriating #1,1.12,C0) to pay the Seminole Indians for the lands in the Indian Territory ceded to the United States was agreed to. The lands acquired —2,0)7,000 a?res —are made open to settlement under the homestead Jaw. Other amendments were adopted directing the commissioners authorized to treat with the Cherokee Indians for a relinquishment of their title to the Cherokee outlet, to treat wiih the Prairie band of Pottawatomies and Kickapoo Indians of Kansas for a sale of a portion of tbe r reservation, and authorizing the President to establish two laud offices upon the lands open to settlement by this act. Representative Gates reported back tho naturalization bill with a new section. This section creates in the State Department at Washington a registration division lor the registration of all persons hereafter naturalized, and makes such registration essential to the validity of such naturalizations. Tne Port Worth (Tex.) public-building bill was passed, with an amendment limiting the co.-t to #75,00), also the bill for the relief of the widow of Col. Arno Voss. The Senato cleared up a lot of pending legislation on the 28th ult, by the passage of a long list of bills. Among them were bills authorizing the construction of bridges at Leavenworth, Ivan.; near Columbiana, 111.; ■ near Bt. Chales, Mo.; near Lyons, Iowa; and near Red Wing, Minn. Following these were a number of measures giving right of way through Indian reservations in the Northwest to various railroad companies. The Bemue confirmed Ibe nominations of T. Carlos Jewett, of Minnesota to bo a Commissioner of Alaska at Sitka; William S. Rosecrnns, to be Brigadier General, to be retired; W. F. Smith, to be Major of the Engineer i orps, to be retired; and the following Postmasters : Indiana —John B. Cheesbrough, Kentland ; Alvin J. (Kitt, Goodland. Michigan—Mary L. Thompson, Williamstou; Mary While, Eaßt Tawas. Missouri—Francis M. Setzer, Albany. The Senate passed the postoilico appropriation bill, with amendments, limiting tne amount to be paid for rent of i bird-class offices to #499 a year and for fuel and lights to #69. Conference reports on the army aud fortification appropriation bills were agreed to, and a conference waff ordered ou the naval appropriation bill. The Senate, after a longdebate, tabled Mr. Sherman’s motion to agree to the House amendment to the bill to amend tlie interstate commerce act relating to the transportation of petroleum in tank cars. On motion of Mr. Cullom the Senate insisted on its disagreement to the two House amendments, and a further conference was ordered. T)je House ordered a conference on the naval bill, after voting to non-concur in the Senate amendments, and agreed to the conference reports on tue army and fortification bills. Tbe House passed the bills for the protection of Alaska salmon fisheries and lor a public building at Kalamazoo, Mich, (appropriating #75,0)0), and also agreed to tbe conference reports on the Sioux City (Iowa) bridge bill and the bills for the .relief of Mexican war veterans, and to divide the Sioux reservation in Dakota. Tbe Committee on Public Buildings was authorized by tbe Senate on tho Ist inst. to continue its investigation of the Supervising Architect’s office. Tho Committee on Mines was authorised tp continue its investigation ou tirnbercutiing on public iauds, and the Committee on the Improvement of tbe Mississippi River was also directed to continue its inquiry. Tbe Senate agreed to the conference reports on the bills to divide the Sioux Reservation in Dakota and for the relief of the Mexican war veterans. All the ponsion bills on the Senate calendar-fifty-two—were passed. Among them was one giving u pension of #SO a month to the widow of Gen. Hunt. The Des Moines (iowa) river land bill was called up in the House and an unsuccessful effort was made to pass it over the President’s veto. A joint lesolution to promote commercial union with Canada was passed. The conference report ou the bill providing that public lands adapted to agricultural purposes' shall hereafter he disposed of only under the provisions of the homestead law was agreed to. The bill further provides that prfc-empLion settlers whose claims have been heretofore initiated and are still subsisting, may change their filings and entry to a homestead to be considered under that law. The right of localion of soldiers’certificates is left as under existing law. The House passed thirty-five pension bills at its evening session. The bill increasing the limit of cost for the Winona (Minn.) public building to #150.00) was passed by both houses. *■