Grand Rapids Herald-Review Newspaper, April 3, 1897, Page 7

WORK OF CONGRESS. Condensed Proceedings of the Na tional Law Mill. ‘Vashington, March 27. — The tariff ill’ was thrown open tor amendment under the five-minute rule in the house, but seven weary hours of work only Served to dispose of 9 of the 162 pages of the bill. All the amendments of- fered by the Democrats were rejected. Three slight committee amendments were adopted and also one to increase the duty on white lead from 21-2 to 3 -ceats per pound, the rate of the act of 1890. The present duty is 11-2 cents. It was adopted by a strict party vote. ‘The discussion covered a wide range of political topics, and at times both interesting and exciting. By far the most important feature of the day was the attempt of Mr. Dockery of Mis- souri, Mr. Cooper of Texas and others, backed by the entire opposition, to se- ‘cure a vote on an amendment, offered in a multitude of forms, which pro- vided that in case any article made dutiable by the bill was controlled by a trust or combination, the duty upon such article should be suspended. Mr. Dingley made the point of order tha the amendment was not germain to the dutiable list and would not be in order until the free litt was reached. Yor almost three hours this point of order was fought over. The Democrats con- tended that if the amendment was ruled out it would never be voted on as the free list in all human probabil- ity would not be reached before the final vote was taken. The chair sus- tained the point of order. An appeal s taken but the chair sustained a strict party vote—158 to 104, “Another brief ion of the civil service occurred during the open ses- sion of the senate. Mr. Gallinger of service commission to ntiate his recent statement that <crtain applicants for office were re- quired to hop on one foot for twelve feet. He said his statement had been challenge 2d by several penny-a-liners, e member of the civil service mm, The senator read the provision and several other questions as to the weight and height of the typesetters, which he character- ized as absurd. Referring to the size and weight requirements, Mr, Gal- linger said: “Phil Sheridan could not have served the government if the civil ice commission had got after him.” The matter was referred to the civil service committee. A resolu- tion w: adopted asking the president for information as to the death of two American sailors at Santiago de Cuba, also resolutions asking the attorney general for information of any propo- sition to sell the Union Pacific railroad. Atl o'clock the senate went into executive session and at 4 adjourned until Mouday. y the civil Washington, March 29—The progress of the house on the tariff bill was even slower than ever. Only tive more pages of the 162 of the bill were disposed of, making fourteen pages in all in the two of the five days allowed for consideration under the five-minute rule. At this rate only thirty-one pages of the bill will be disposed of before the bill comes to a final vote. ‘Only five amendments were adopted, all of minor importance and each an amendment of the ways and means committee. All the questions in- volved in the tariff, with -occasional incursions into the realm of the finan- cial theories, furnished fruitful topics for the members. Fully two hours was spent in the discussion of whether the foreigner or the consumer paid the tax. This question bids fair to con- sume much more time before the de- bate closes. If more progress is not made night sessions will be held. Representative Walker introduced two bills relating to banking and cur- rency, entitled, respectively, “‘'o modify the national banking laws so as to provide the people with a safe, ample, elastic and cheap currency,” and “to call in and cancel the.paper money now injuring the prosperity of the country.” Washington, March 30.—This was by far the most busy day the house has witnessed since the tariff debate be- gan. The proceedings throughout were of a lively order and several times bordered on the sensational. The Democrats blocked proceedings in the first instance by demanding the pres- ence of a quorum before allowing any legislative work. Mr. Richardson of- fered dilatory motions but finally withdrew them, s ying: “Let the oth- er side work out its own puzzle.” There is no puzzle,” remarked the speaker, “except the indolence of mem- We have side as the majority Mr. Richardson. - At this point Mr. Dingley moved the approval of the journal, and after an Tour and twelve minutes’ delay it was so ordered b; to 1. On resumption of consideration of the tariff bill Mr. Dingley announced that the ways and meats committee had several amend- ments to offer. The first increased the rate on gelatine, glue prepared fish bladders valued at not above 10 cents per pound, from 2 to 21-2 cents. ‘The second placed a duty of $1 per ton on bauxide not refined. Mr. Shaforth (Silver Rep., Colo.) in- veighed against obstructicn, declaring that the failure of the tariff bill in the louse or senate would be the most dis- astrous blow that could be struck to silver. The tariff bill should be passed and the issue clearly drawn between gold and silver, A somewhat sensational scene oc- curred at this juncture which necessi- tated the summoning of Speaker Reed from his room. Mr. Johnson (Rep., Ind.) entered an exceedingly vigorous protest against the irrelevant discus- sions with which the time of the as many present on this has,” observed louse was being taken up, and, after Mr. Sherman of New York, who was in the chair, had ruled him out of order, he continued to protest. ‘Then the chair ordered him to take his seat. ‘Twenty times the irate Indianan was admonished to take his seat, but the latter continued his defiance. The greatest confusion prevailed. The speaker was hurriedly summoned. Mr. Johnson continued to stand defiantly in his place. Suddenly the doors burst open and the large form of the speaker came into view. His face was flushed. As he appeared on the scene Mr. John- son quickly dropped down into his seat. The speaker looked toward Mr. John- son, Who arose and in calm tones said he desired to get on with the bill so that he would have an Sop oreetts A offer some amendments toward th close. He did not want the bill eeht to the senate a crude measure, “for,” said he, “it has been so characterized by the press and the public.” He had protested with feeling and vehemence but, he said, he thought the occasion ealled for warmth and vigor. His course may not have been parliamen- tary, but precious time should not be wasted in the consideration of a measure fraught with such im- portant consequences to the Ameri- can people. Some of the Republicans applauded Mr. Johnson. The speaker replied in a conciliatory spirit. No matter what the provoca- tion for such a protest, he said, the gentleman from Indiana could not but agree that it was the first duty of a member to obey the directions of the presiding officer. The house then went back into committee and proceed- ed with the debate. Before turning to the arbitration treaty the senate gave an hour to rou- tine business in open session. Resolu- tions were agreed to, by Pettigrew of South Dakota, asking the secretary of the interior for information relative to President Cleveland’s sweeping order establishing forest reserves, and by Mv. Gallinger of New Hampshire, ealling on the civil service commis- sion for the reason why certain classes of workmen. were subjected to com- petitive examination contrary to the law exempting laborers from the class- ified service. The first phase of the tariff in the senate made its appearance in a sen- ate resolution by Mr. Allen of Ne- braska declaring that tariff taxes on articles of daily consumption should not be laid so as to enrich one class at the expense of the masses. Mr. Hoar, from the judiciary committee, reported favorably the bill to prevent kineto- Scope, exhibitions of prize fights in the Di of Columbia and the terri- tories aad to prohibit the shipping of material for the exhibition. Mr. Mor- gan of Alabama submitted a minority report on the bill for a commission to settle the Central Pacific railroad in- debtedness to the government. The bill was passed for the settlement of an account between Arkansas and the United States. It involves a payment by the state of-a balance of $160,000. The rest of the day up to 3:11 p. m. was spent in executive session. Washingtor, March 31.—Party feel- ing ran high during the last day of the tariff debate ‘in the house. Political speeches were wedged in at every op- portunity, and there was constant ma- noeuvering for political advantage. The Democrats pressed the question of a duty on hides for the benefit of the farmers with such vigor that Mr. Hep- burn, an Towa Republican, was drawn into the debate and made a strong plea for dutiable hides. He demanded that the house be given an opportunity to vote on this question, and declared that every Western Republican was in favor of it. Mr. Cannon of Llinois also gave a qualified indorsement to this demand. The Republican leaders defended their bill with vigor. The ways and means committee held the floor with their amendments from 10 in the morning to 4 o’clock in the afternoon. About thirty-five were of- fered and adopted. Among them was one admitting free of duty “books, sci- entific apparatus, charts, maps, ete.,” for s ntific and educational purposes. After that five more pages of the bill weer read, making twenty pages in all of the 162 pages ‘of the bill. ‘To-mor- row the bill will be open for amend- ment until 1 o’clock, an attempt to ex- tend the debate having failed, after which an hour on a side will be al lowed to close. The voting will begin at 8 o'clock. Among the amendments adopted were the following: Paper not spe- cially provided for, 20 per cent ad va- lorem; hats, bonnets, etc., unbleached, 15 per cent; bleached, 20 per cent; making the duty on brushes uniform at 40 per cent; qualifying the duty on crude tartar dutiable at 1 cent per pound, so as to provide that such tar- tar must not contain more than 50 per cent of bitartrate of potash; striking out paragraph 382, ‘fixing duties on Oriental, Berlin and similar rugs. Mr. Dingley explained that the effect of this amendment was to restore the duties of the act of 1890 on carpets. ‘To change the phraseology of the em- broidered glove schedule to meet a recent decision of the board of general appraisers. Another amendment pro- vided that no gloves larger than size 6 shouid be classed as children's gloves. In the Senate. nator Allen, a Populist of Nebras- ka, made a long speech in the senate on the unconstitutionality of tariff taxes beyond those requisite for reve- nue. Mr. Allen severely criticised the trusts and combinations which, he de- clared, reaped the main advantage of tariff taxes. The senator's remarks were in the nature of a legal argument showing the constitutional limitations on the taxing power of congress, The house amendments to the senate joint resolution appropriating $250,000 for the saving of life and property along the Mississippi river aws agreed to and the resolution now goes to the president. The Cuban question was brought forward again by Mr. Morgan of Ala- bama, who presented a resolution re- questing the president to inform the serate wiether letters had ben re- ceived by th present and former chief executive from Gen. Maximo Gomez, commander of the revolutionary forces in Cuba.~ The resolution recites at length the letters said to have been forwarded to President McKinley and lis predecessor from Cuba. ‘The resolution concludes with a re- quest that the president shall also in- form the senate whether teh Spanish authorities in Cuba have refnsed to allow cipher dispatches to be trans- mitted between the United States con- sul at Sagua La Grande and the Unit- ed States consul general at Havana. At 2p. m. the senate went into exec- utive session, and at 4:25 adjourned. Confirmed by the Senate. Washington, March 31.—The senate in executive session confirmed the fol- lowing nominations: James D. Elliott, South Dakota, to be attorney for the district of South Dakota; Mdgar Thompson Scott of Pennsylvania, sec- ond secretary of the embassy of the United States at Paris; James M. Mil- Ikan, marshal for the Western district of North Carolina; James Kelly, re- ceiver of public moneys at Mangum, Okla.; Commodore Joseph N. Miller, rear admiral in the navy; Past Assist- ant Surgeon H. B. Fitts, a surgeon in the navy. THE LEGISLATURE The Grind of the Minnesota Law Mill. St. Pau!, March 25, — The house passed yesterday what promised to be the only banking legislation of particu- lar importance to be considered at this session, and it was not without considerable, difficulty that this bill was passe‘. It was a substitute for a bill offered by Mr. McDonald and is designed to throw a greater degree pf frotection about the depositors and stockholders of state banks. The bill was passed by a vote of 83 to 3. A large number of bills were report- ed from the various committees. The following bills were passed: Authorizing the secretary of state to enter into a contract with Frank P. Dufresne for the publication of the supreme court reports; fixing the time of holding general terms of the dis- trict court in Mille Lacs county; pro- viding for the enforcement of liability against the stockholders of mining cor- porations: regulating plumbing in cities of more than 5,000 inhabitants; allowing foreign insurance companies to become Minnesota corporations; al- lowing the incorporation of companies to insure threshing machine outtits; re- ducing the legal rate of interest from 7 to G per cent; relative to judicial or foreclosure sales; amending the law relative to the separation of townships from villages; to repeal chapter 302 of the General Laws of 1895 relating to roads; to re-enact the road law exist- ing prior to 1895; to amend the town insurance laws; appropriating $2,500 for a monument at the battlefield of Wood lake; to provide for county in- spectors of mines. The following bills were introduced: ‘To prevent the same person from holding the office of justice of the peace and clerk of court at the same time; limiting the time within whicb certain actions may be brought; re- lating to salaries of county treasurers; providing for a biennial report of the board of managers of the state reform- atory; relating to salaries of county auditors; relating o the sale of alum bakiug powder; relating to narrew gauge railroads; relating to banks of discount and deposit. The Senate. Senator Ringdahl cured a_ reconsideration of the new military code bill which had been passed by the senate. The bill was placed on general orders for further consideration. The bill to take away from Olmsted county the special appropriativun of $2,- 000 for the Rochester Southern Min- nesota fair was defeated. The following bills were passed: To provide for incorporation and regulation of flexible premium or as- scssment life and casualty insurance associations; relating to the foreclos- ure of mortgages by advertisement; to moved and se- amend an act to regulate elections; ,| relating to county agricultural and joint stock societies and appropriations therefor; to empower boards of park commissioners in cities having no more than 50,000 ond not less than 15,000 inhabitants to issue bonds; an act to authorize the making of agreements on behalf of executors, etc., with thoir sureties for the deposit of funds and sesets for which such sureties may be held responsible; to amend tiie laws in relation to savings banks. ‘The following bills were introduced: To reorganize and regulate the ua- tienal guard medical corps; to fix the hours for opening and closing polls at township elections; to amend the laws relating to the adoption of children; to amend the law authorizing cities and villages to change their names; to legalize bonds issued under chapter 204, Laws of 1893; to amend the laws relating to village depositories; to pro- tect the record evidence of title in cer- tain lands. St. Paul, March 26.—Senator ‘I'he- den’s anti-department store Dill was quite thoroughly discussed in the sen- ate yesterday in committee of the whole. In moving the advancement of the Dill to the calendar, Senator ‘Theden, author of the measure, was brief. He said that the man who is al- lowed to sell two lines of goods en- joys a much greater privilege than the man who sells one, and that the value of the privilege increases with the number of classes cairied. ‘Ihere- fore,” said Senator Theden, “I believe that it is no more than fair that the person wh» enjoys the greatest priv- ilege should pay the most taxes.” The bill was referred to a special committee -for amendment. The following bills were passed: To locate and acqu a site for the fourth state hospital f¢r insane, and to revoke the actior: : ihe commission appointed under the :aws of 1895, in its lecation for a site.of said hospital and to appropriate money therefor; to relieve school district treasurers and their bondsmen frem liability in case a bank fails in which funds are de- posited; to fix a time for holding terms of the district court in Mille Lacs county. ‘he bill to provide for the organiza- tion of unorganized <ounties was killed. The following bills were introduced: ‘To amend article 4 of the state con- stitution by striking out section 36; re- lating to elections; to provide for quar- antining persons having contagious diseases; to provide for the govern- ment of cities of more than 50,000 in- habitants; te amend the laws relating to the jurisdiction of trust companies; to create a naval militia. The House. Mr. West’s “blauket ballot’ bill was taken up in the house, Mr. Meyers pre- siding over the committee of the whole, The Dill was’ finally recommended to pass. The bill provides for the com- mon form of blanket ballot. The tickets of the various parties appear on the ballot in parallel columps,, headed by the name of the party and by a device; to be fixed “upon by the party. There is a cirele at the head of each column, and by placing a cross within this circle the voter votes that ticket straight. If he makes such a mark and then desires to vote for one or more candidates on another ticket he may mark the cross-mark op- posite the name of such candidates, and his ticket is counted otherwise a3 a straight ticket. : ‘The following bills were passed: To regulate horse-shoeing in cities of more than 50,000 inhabitants; mak- ing the agreement of five-sixths of a jury in a civil actton a sufficient ver- dict; legalizing certain defective vil- lage plats, designed to cure defects in the plat of the village of Erskine; au- thorizing boroughs to establish fire limits; making cities organized out of villages liable for the debts of the vil- lages, to cover the case of the city of Red Lake Falls; providing for the loaning of the permanent school and university fund to counties, cities, vil- lages and school districts; to require the national flag to be displayed at polling places on registration and gen- eral election days. The following bills were introduced: Providing for licencing pawnbrokers; to provide for a gross earnings tax upon telephone companies; to provide for the protection of the health of women and children under the age of sixteen employed in factories or mer- cantile establishments; to encourage the development of that class of state swamp lands known as open or mus- keag swamp lands; to create a naval reserve; for the creation of corpora- tions to operate creameries; to amend the probate code; to provide for the posting of notices by health officers upon houses in which are persons suf- fering from smallpox or other infec- tious or pestilential diseases; to re- organize the medical corps of the na- tional guard; the “tri-city” general charter bill; to provide for the return of certain fees paid by candidates for [lacing names on official ballots. St. Paul, March 27.—Senator Whit- ney succeeded in having the senate adopt a motion to reconsider the vote whereby the house bill to organize the unorganized counties of Cass and Bel- trami was lost Thursday. Not feeling equal, however, to an attempt at pass- ing the bill yesterday he had the meas- ure laid on the table until such time as he will be able to mass enough votes to pass it. Senator Jones called up the house resolution memoralizing congress to take up the system of dykes proposed for Minnesota and urg- ing their rapid completion. ‘The sen- ate then concurred in the resolution by unanimous vote. The following bills were passed: 'Yo prevent the adulteration of and deception in the sale of flax seed or linseed oil; an act to regulate elections; to amend the penal code relating to the crime of larceny; providing for the psyment of surety bonds of the treas- urers of certain counties and cities. ‘The following bills were introduced: To amend the laws relating to the descent of lands; to provide for lien on grain for threshing; to create a depart- anent of labor and defining the duties of the commissioners of labor; to com- pel railroad companies operating more than one line of railroad to so operate their trains as to serve the best inter- ests of the traveling public; to define a legal-paper and to legalize publications heretofore made; to permit cattle, horses and mules to run at large in townships; to provide for the bonding of commission merchants; to provide for the construction of dams to facil- itate the running of logs in runs; to provide fcr the revision and annulation of the corporation laws of Minnesota; to amend the laws relating to the pow- ers of guardians; to provide for the display of the United States flag on public school buildings; to provide for the collection of delinquent taxes by Clearance sale; to authorize the gov- ernor to institute proceedings against county officers; relating to corpora- ticns, The House. The governor’s message was read vetoing the fourth asylum bill, and the further consideration of the matter was nade a special order for Tuesday. Mr. Jacobson had the West blanket ballot bill referred back to the com- mittee of the whole. He said that the bill was rather loosely drawn and needed amendment in certain particu- lars. The following bills were passed: “To amend the laws relating to usery and trusts; to fix the time for holding the general terms of the district court in the Sixth judicial district; providing that money expended by townships in draining. roads shall be expended un- der the supervision of a civil engineer, who shall establish grades, etc.; to al- low villages to issue bonds to pay ex- isting judgments; providing for liens for laborers employed upon mining properties; providing for liens for ma- terial men in ccnnection with mines; increasing to $1,000 the allowance for clerk hire in the office of the insurance commissioner; providing for liens on logs and other floatables; allowing the incorporation of companies to secure stray logs at the head of Lake Superi- or; increasing to $14,000 the appropria- tion in aid of courity agricultural so- cieties. The following bills were introduced: Providing that village councils may designate depositories for village noneys and exempting village treasur- ers from liability for such deposits; rel- ative to building and loan associations; to compel railroads operating more than one line or division to run their trains so as to accommodate the gen- eral public; relating to dams and booms used in driving logs; relating to the equitable adjustment of state land grants; relating to judges of probate acting in adjoining counties; to pro- vide for a lien upon logs cut upon land upon which taxes are delinquent; re- lating to endowed professorships at the university; to allow grain commission merchants to file bond with the secre- tary of state for the protection of owners of property consigned to them; to allow cities having a population less than 15,000 to issue bonds for water works, etc.; to regulate fares on sleep- ing, drawing and parlor cars; prescrib- ing the form of affidavit of legal pub- lications made in newspapers. St. Paul, March 29.—The house re- mained in session until 6 o'clock Sat- urday afternoon working in committee of the whole. Mr. Jacobson was in the chair and rushed business to such purpose that a large number of bills were acted upon. A_ considerable mount of the time was spent on the bill. proposed by Mr. Kelley, offering a “bounty for long line spinning fibers and spinning tows: produced and man- ufactured within the state. The bill was amended so as to cover a period of five years and the bounty was made a cent a pound. The following bills were passed: 'To create a board of state drainage commissioners and prescribe their duties; to fix the time for holding court in Jackson county; to fix the time for holding court in Cottonwood coun- ty; to allow persons contributing not less than $50,000 to the university to endow a professorship; to fix the time for holding court in Washington coun- ty; to prevent fraud in the sale of adulterated sacharine food products; to provide for the examination and li- censing of civil engineers by a state board; relating to food adulteration. The following bills were introduced: Authorizing county commissioners to cancel certain uncollectable personal property taxes; to protect the rights of the public in the use of roads, high- ways and thoroughfares; to provide for the performance by county au- ditors of certain duties heretofore per- formed by county coroners; to regu- late the burial of paupers and provid- ing for the same at public expense; relating to jurisdiction of justices of the peace; relating to incorporation of savings banks; relating to independent school districts; to compel railroad companies to provide signal lights and posts at all flag stations where a sec- tion foreman is kept; to prevent the desecration of the United States flag; to provide a bounty for the sugar beet industry. St. Paul, March 30. — The senators took advantage yesterday of their last cpportunity to introduce bills without the corsent of the governor, and in all eighty-two measures were pre- sented and referred: to the respective committees, The, senate went into committee of the whole at 4 o’clock in the afternoon to consider bills on general orders, with Senator Stebbins in the chair. 'The following bills were passed: To compensate county commission- ers for caring for paupers; to legalize Hastings city bonds. Among the important duced were the following: Relating te the incorporation of vil- lages; to provide for the destruction of weeds along highways; to amend the laws relating to the probate code; to amend the laws relating to the state prison; to amend the laws relating to public schools; to authorize and regu- late the business of commercial agencies; relating to the state land tax; to amend the laws relating to the operation of railroads; to amend the laws relating to the practice of phar- macy; to amend the laws relating to building and loan associations; relating to insolvent persons and concerns; re- lating to the expiration of redemp- tions; to provide for the manufacture of beet sugar; to protect the rights of persons in highways and other thor- oughfares; to appropriate $1,000 for a monument for William R. Marshall, ex-governor of Minnesota; relating to elections; to repeal chapter 186, Laws of 1889, relating to taxes; to regulate the commitment of insane persons; re- lating to the care of orphans; to reg- ulate the Minnesota institute for the deaf and blind; to provide for the ap- pointment of a game warden; to pro- vide for a commission to revise and annotate the tax laws; relating to grass earnings tax on elevators; to provide for the establishment of bi- cycle paths. In the House. The troubles over the proposed trip of the First Minnesota to Gettysburg next July were settled so far as the house can settle them by the passage of the Wyman bill yesterday afternoon without material change from the form in which it came from the sen- ate, with the exception of the addition of the name of Col. William Colville to the commission. The Littleton bill, reducing the pen- alty for selling liquor without license from fine and imprisonment to fine or imprisonment, or both, in the discre- tion of the court, was defeated by a vote of 40 to 4: The hovse broke the record for the introduction of bills yesterday, eighty- four new bills being introduced. ‘The first reading occupied a large portion of the morning and afternoon sessions and then a special session had to be held in the evening for the sole pur- pose of finishing up the work in this direction. The follewing bills were passed: Giving a bounty of 1 cent per pound on all line spinning fiber produced and manufactured within the state during the next tive years; transferring to the general revenue fund the unexpended balance in the school text book fund; reducing from six years to one year the time within which actions to en- force liens muct be brought; providing that mortgages shall bear the same rate of interest after foreclosure as be- fore; to provide for liens upon grain for threshing; legalizing bonds issued by the city of Hastings to build a bridge over the Mississippi river; re- pealing chapter 209, Special Laws. of 1883, relating to the repairs of a cer- tain bridge over the Minnesota river between the counties of Chippewa and Lac qui Parle, The following are among the most important bills introduced: Yo provide for abolition of municipal courts in cities of less than 5,000; to amend the laws relating to elections; to appropriate money for the general expenses of the state government; to amend the laws relating to mortgage foreclosures; making hospitals for the care of destitute and abandoned moth- ers the guardians of the children left with them; to legalize sheriff certiti- eates of sale where acknowledgment ihereof has not been recorded; creat- ing a department of labor, defining its duties and appropriating money for its support; providing for the taxation of freight line and equipment companies; to authorize cities to borrow from the state for five years without interest for the purpose of giving employment to persons without means or employ- ment, and appropriating $85,000 for such loans; to provide for the public printing of the State of Minnesota. bills intro- St. Paul, March 31.—There will be no fourth hospital for the insane erected within the next two years at least. This much was determined by the vote of the house yesterday on the question of passing the bill fixing the site for this institution at Hastings over the veto of the governor. The bill failed by eight votes to secure the necessary two-thirds. The vote, after three hours’ debate, was 68 in favor of passing the Dill over the veto of the governor and 44 against. Two-thirds of the whole house is 76. There was cast an un- usually large vote, every member of the house being present except Messrs. Vail and Severance, and they were both excused. When the question was first fought to an issue on the evening of March 5, the bill passed by a yote of 67 to 39. The joint special committee which, for almost two months, has been in- vestigating the condition of the insolv- ent banks of the state made its report to the house. The following bills were revorted a from committees with recommendas tions as indicated: To forfeit the Duluth & Iron Range railroad grant. To pass, and made a special order for Friday, April 2, at 10 o’eleck. To provide for a commission of sena- tors and representatives to sit during the recess to investigate the title to state lands, adversely claimed, with power to institute suits, ete. To pass, and to be considered on Friday, with 8. F. 670. To fix the rate to be charged by rail- roads for carrying iron ore at 5 mills per ton per mile. Indefinitely post- poned, To give one railroad company the right of eminent domain to condemn the use of the tracks, terminal facili- ties, etc., of another road. Indefinitely postponed. To repeal the water frontage tax. To pass; placed on the calendar. Killed in the Senate. The senate yesterday killed the Tor- son house bill to make elective the state railroad and warehouse commis- sion by a vote of 31 to 14. The biil.was a special order for 2:30 o'clock. The senate went into commit- tee of the whole at that hour, with Senator Thorpe in the chair. After a long debate participated in by Sena- tors Miller, Stevens, Keller, Yale, Cul- kin, Morgan and others a motion to in- definitely postpone action on the bill was carried by a vote of 26 to 15. The committee arose and, pending the adoption of the repcrt of the com- mittee, a call of the senate was or- dered by request of Senator Miller. It showed 42 senators present, and on a rising vote the call was dispensed with. The motion to adopt the report of the committee of the whole, which car- ried with it the indefinite postpone- ment of the bill, was then carried by a vote of 31 to 14. The following bills were passed: To amend section 249 of the penal code, relating to the exclusion of per- sons under the age of 21 years from places injurious to the morals. To repeal chapter 376, Special Laws of 1587, relating to the compensation of judges of the district court of Ram- sey county. ‘To transfer the appropriation for a bridge in Chisago county from the bridge fund to the road and bridge fund. To fix the terms of holding court in Jackson county,in the new Seventeenth judicial district. To repeal an act for the construction of a bridge between Chippewa and Lac qui ’arle counties. THE MARKETS, Latest Quotations From Grain and Live Stock Centers. Chicago, April 1. — Wheat — red, 52a89c; No. 2 spring, 72a73 3 do, 72c; No. 2 hard, winter, 72a 75e; No. 3 do, 68a70c; No. 1 Northern, spring, 74c. Corn—No. 2, 24 1-4c. Oats —No. 2, 16 3-4a17¢; No. 3, 16a18e. Chicago, April 1. — Hogs — Light, $3.90a4.10; mixed, $3.95a4.15; heavy, $3.80a4.15; rough, $3.85a3.90. Cattle— Beeves, $375a5.20: cows and heifers, $1.90a4.25; Texas steers, $3.10a4.40; stockers and feeders, $3.40a4.30. Sheep Natives, &: Western, $3.50a 4.60; lambs, § Milwaukee, April iw — Flour steady. Wheat easier; No. 2 spring, 72 1-2e; No. 1 Northern, 77¢; May,72 3-Se. quiet: No. 3, 221-2c. Oats firm; >) white, 19a20c. Barley steady quiet; No, 2, 31a311-2c; sample, 30e. Rye firm; No. 1,° 34 1-4a! s Cc orn Provisions higher; pork, $8.4 $4.10. Minneapolis, April 1—Wheat—May opened at 701-2c; closed at 693-4ce; July opened at 71c; closed at 70 1-4¢; September opened at 66 7-Sc; closed at 66 1-4c. On track—No. 1 hard, 72 3-4c¢; No, 1 Nerthern, 70 3-4c; No. 2 North- ern, 69 1-4e, South St. Paul, April 1. — Hogs, $3.75a3.90. Cattle—Cows, $2.40: calves, $3.75; bulls, $3; feeders, $2 steers, $3.82 1-2. St. Paul, April 1—Wheat — No. 1 Norther: No, 2. North- ern, 70 71 1-2c. Corn—No. 3 yellow, 19a20e; No. 3, 18a19c. Oats — No. 3 white, 17a171-2c; No. 3, la 16 1-2c. Barley and rye—Sample bar- ley, 20a25c; No. 2 rye, 32a38c; No. 3 rye, 31v311-2¢. Seeds— 1 flax, 76 1-2aT7e; $4a4.50, timothy, 90a$1. clover, Shipwrecked Crew fexcued. Persacola, Fla., March 31.—The Brit- ish steamship J ta, which has just arrived from Port Elizabeth, had on board the master and a crew of eight men of the shipwrecked schooner Mar- garet, which sailed from Mobile on the lita inst. with lumber for Cienfuegos, and which was wrecked off Cape An- tonio, Cuba. The crew was rescued on the 27th inst. The Spanish forces took the schooner for a filibuster, and her luaster was interviewed by Spanish authorities, after he had gone on board the Janeta. American Sailor Imprisonea, Lima, Peru, March 30. — After im- prisonment for three months, without trial, for alleged disorderly conduct at Calloa, Ramsay, the American sailor, of the crew of the Cambrian Monarch, has been condemned to a year in jail. This is contrary to article 15 of the treaty with the United States, and Minister McKenzie has demanded the immediate release of Ramsay. An English sailor arrested at the same time was sentenced to six months’ im- prisonment. Retirement of Ruger. New York, March 30.—Maj. Gen. T. H. Kuger, commanding the depart- ment of the East of the United States army, with headquarters on Goyern- ors island, retires from the active list of the army on Friday next, when he reaches the age limit of sixty-four years. British Ships Missing. San Francisco, March 31. — Lloyds” agents have received word that the fine four-masted British ship Lord Dufferin and the British bark Bank- holme are missing. All hepe for the Lord Dufferin is abandoned. There is still some hope for the Bankholme, but very little. Steam Fitters Locked Out. New York. March 30. — A strike of the steamfitters in the city, in which between 30,000 and 60,000 men may be involved, was declared, when over 1,100 steamfitters refused to go to work in their shops. The strike is the result of a practical lock-out on the part of the bosses. a