Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1892-02-23
WASHINGTON LETrNR.


balloon by extracting the information
from Sir Julian Pauncefort, the Brit
ish Minister, who has been acting as
a sort OF steerer for the Canadian
Commissioners ever since their arri-
val, that they had no authority to me-
go;iate a treaty, aud only came here
to learn how much this government
would be willing to grant, if the
British government should send prop
erly authorized Commissioners. Sec
rotary Blaine told them that it was
but waste Of time to continue the
conferences, under such conditions.
The British Minister. has been ex-
changing cablegrams with his home
government, but it has not transplred
whether it was IN regard to this Cana
dian business or the Behring Sea
Commission which is in session here.
1t Is believed that there is connec-
ton between the two things, and that
the British government in spite Of its
many failures in the past has been
again trying to pull the wool over
Uncle Sans eyes.
1t is stated here that the movement
In the House to rush the consideration
of the Bland free coinage bill, which
was fasorably reported and placed
pm the calendar last week, is being
engineered by the anti Mills Demo
Gratis in the hope that Mills opposi-
ton to its present consideration may
prevent his being elected to thu Sen.
ate by the Texas Legislature. 1t is
not certain what the House will do,
but the chances rather favor the pas
sage Of the bill, as the petition asking
the Committee on Rules to make a
continuous order for its consideration
has already received the signatures Of
. hundred and twenty Democrats and
the nine Peoples Party men.
The nomination Of Representative
Mckenna, OF California, to be Judge
OF the Circuit Court, is well spoken Of
by everybody.
A more striking exemplifcation Of
the absnrdity OF the cheese parlng
policy of the Democrats in the House
is the military academy annual appro-
priation bill, the first one to get
through that body. BY striking out
such necessary items as those provid-
ing for improving the defective
plumbing Of the barracks OF the en-
listed men, new gas plant in place
OF the old worn out ono now in use,
and new buildings, and by reducing
other items, such as taking 800 of
the annual salary Of the gardner, the
bill was reduced in its total to abou,
$4,000 less than the one passed las,
year. Mr.. OTIS, Farmers Alliance
member from Kansas, tried to outdc
the most parslmonious Democrat
whose proposition to strike out the
item Of $50 to purchase soap for the
cadets was voted down, by proposing
that the item for the purchase Of sad
die blankets for the cadets be struck
out and that every year at the CLOSE
of Congress the old carpets on the
floor Of the House and Senate be Ia
ken up and shipped to West Point t
be cut up for saddle blankets.
The Democrats OF the House spent
the greater portion of their time il
wrangling with each other. The ma
jority of the House Committee on I'm
migration aud that on Foreign Affair.
are in the midst of lively row, the
question being which committee i.
properly entitled to jurisdiction Of
matters relating to the Chinese ques
ton. The first named committee i:
ahead, as it has reported aud placed
on the calendar bill prohibiting Chi
nese immigration. Beginning thi.
week the Senate and House commit.
toes on immigration will hold series
OF joint sessions for the purpose Of
hearing all parties who wish to talk
on tho subject of immigration.
The House after being scolded by
Mr.. Holman and having adopted a
resolution offered by him limiting the
cost to $4,000, adopted Represents
tive Hoar's resolution directing the
committee on Manufactures to inves
tigate the Sweating" system of tene
ment house labor.
Senator Hills authority over tn,
Tammany members of the House wa
plainly shown on Saturday when h,
ordered them by telegraph to repor
TO him in New York city at once
Saturday afternoon had been previ
ously set aside by resolution Of tn,