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Show MINES APPROPRIATION IS PROBABLY LOST WASHINGTON. March 8. Western members of congress express concern con-cern over tbe defeat of the $200,000 item for metalliferous experiment work which was lost with the failure of the sundry civil bill in the closing hours of congress. The item was retained in the last bill only by the utmost efforts of western members and by a very narrow margin in the house. A canvass of new members who must pass on the matter in the coming scssiou is claimed to show a lack of sufficient votes to be relied upon to insure tho appropriation. appropria-tion. The complete change in all senate committees by which the important chairmanship will go to senators from states not particularly interested in metalliferous , mining makes it impossible impos-sible to bring the same influence to bear in support of the appropriation as was possible under former conditions condi-tions in that body and th situation cause serious apprehension among the friends of metal mining. It is pointed ont that the controlling element In both house and senate will demand a reduction of the' aggregate expenses and will be slow to make large appropriations appro-priations for new project |