Democratic Sentinel, Volume 21, Number 3, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 January 1897 — SENATE AND HOUSE. [ARTICLE]

SENATE AND HOUSE.

i WORK OF OUR NATIONAL LAWMAKERS. A Week’s Proceedings in the Halls of Congress—lmportant Measures Discussed and Acted Upon—An Impartial Besume of the Business. The National Eolons. The Senate Thursday passed the freehoniestead bill. It is a measure of farreaching importance to the West. The | effect of the bill is to open to settlement ail public lands acquired from Indians, | free of any paymeut to the Government beyond the minor office fees, and to reI lease from payment those who have heretofore settled on these lands. The number of acres involved is 32.252,541, which ! would have yielded the Government, at the prices heretofore established. $35,343,006. The lands are mainly arid and those who have settled upon them are unable to make payment by reason of the scanty products of the soil. The Senate adjourned until Monday. The House spent almost the entire day debating the Grout bill, to subject oleomargarine and other imitation dairy products to the laws of the States into which they are transported. The bill was passed by a vote of 120 yeas to 96 nays. The advocates of the measure took the view that the States should be allowed to regulate the sale of a product sailing under false colors, and the opponents that the bill would establish a dangerous precedent, and invade the power of Congress to regulate interstate commerce. In a speech in support of the bill Mr. Henderson of lowa said with much emphasis: “The opposition to this bill comes from the capitalized institutions in Chicago and Kansas City. It comes from men like Armour and Swift, who ore destroying the great cattle interests of my State and other States by keeping down the price of beeves and keeping up the price of beefsteak.” The proceedings in the House Friday were very tame. It was private bill day, but the whole time was consumed iu passing House bills favorably acted upon in committee of the whole before the holiday recess. The widow of the late Maj. Gen. John Gibbon was the beneficiary of one of the bills passed, carrying SIOO per month, and the widow of Brevet Gen. W. A. Nichols of another, carrying $75 per month. The free homestead bill, which came back to the House with Senate amendments, was referred, under a ruling of the Chair, to the Committee on Public Lands. At the evening session fourteen private pension bills were reported with a favorable recommendation. Among them were bills granting a pension of SSO per month to the widow of Geft. Green Clay Smith and $75 per month to the widow of Gen. Henry A. Morrow. The last mentioned bill was advocated by Representative Mercer, who had the amount increased from SSO to the amount named. A bill has been reported to the House for a subsidy of SIOO,OOO a year to the Pacific Cable Company of New York, in which James Scrymser and J. Pierpont Morgan are interested. Secretary Francis’ nomination was confirmed by the Senate in executive session Monday. The Senate also voted to take up the Nicaragua canal bill. This gives the measure the parliamentary advantage of being the unfinished business of the Senate, so that it will be considered from day to day until final action is secured. The canal bill provides for an issue of $100,000,000 of Maritime Canal Company stock, of which the Secretary of the Treasury, in behalf of the United States, is to subscribe for $70,000,000 worth of shares. The company is to issue bonds up to SIOO,000.000, these to be guaranteed by the United States, The building and control of the canal are given to American engineers and a board of eleven directors, of whom five are to be appointed by the President. It is substantially the measure passed by the Senate in the last Congress. The House passed three bills of public importance and devoted the remainder of the day to eulogies of ex-Speaker Crisp and to District of Columbia business. One bill passed prohibited the sale of intoxicating liquors to the ludiuns, one amended the existing patent laws in conformity with the recommendations of the American Bar Association and another provided for the use by the Government of patents secured by naval officers at a compensation to be fixed by a board of three officers. In the Senate Tuesday Senator Turpie spoke against the Nicnrauga Canal bill. Senators Quay, Hale and Blackburn were appointed as conferrees on the army appropriation bill, and at 5:45 p. m. the Senate adjourned. There was a pathetic incident in the House in connection with the first bill called up. It proposed to grant a pension of sl2 a month to Margaret O’Donnell, a volunteer army nurse who devoted her services from 1862 to 1865 to tha, wounded of the Twenty-sec-ond Rogiirfbnt of New York light artillery. Her claim has been pending before Congress for several years. When the bill was brought up Mr. Thomas (Rep., Mich.) moved that it be laid on the table. “The relief carried by the bill for this poor woman,” said he, “comes too late. Our committee lias just received word that the beneficiary is dead.” Several bills to grant pensions were passed. At 4 o’clock the regular order on the calendar was abandoned at the request of many members, so that each could, if recognized, call up any bill in which he was interested.