Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-02-25

| ested in the prosecution OF the investigations.
| THE YELLOWSTONE PARK.
Mr.. Charles Gibson, president of the Yellow
| stone Park Association, was before the Senate
/ committee on territories today and made some
statements IN favor of the bill introduced in
| the Senate to incorporate the Yellowstone
Park Company. This bill proposes to give
to the association privileges to erect erect
telephone and telegraph lines in the park, in
return for which the government is to receive
| the sum of $50 year for each Of ten grants OF
| ten acres each for the term of twenty years
In answer to Senator Platt's question AS to
what interest he had in the park Mr.. Gibson
said he represented an association Incorporated
| under the laws of Minnesota in 1889, which
granted the right to the association to build and
| operate hotels in the park. His association, he
| said. held six leases granted by the Secretary
of the Interior representing six acres OF land.
| the leases to run for ten years. three OF which
had already expired. In further answer
to several categorical questions by Sen
ator Platt Mr.. Gibson said there were
four or five other leases of privileges
| in the park besides those held by his associa-
ton; that all the important papers were owned
| by his association and that he had had con-
| troversy with the Secretary Of the Interior In
| regard to certain matters pertaining to his
| leases.
Senator Platt asked Mr.. Gibson what was his
politics
Mr.. Gibson said he was democrat, but that
| many of his associates were republicans He
| thought that politics had entered into the ques-
| tion of granting privileges in the park. Secre-
| tary Noble in his letter to Senator Platt. chair
man of the committee, who asked his views on
| the bill, opposed it. and says In his Judgment
| it is opposed to the public good. is for private
interests only, and is in every way pernicious
Mr.. Gibson has replied to the letter.
At the suggestion of Senator Platt sub
committee was appointed to give Mr.. Gibson a
further hearing on the bill.
MISSISSIPPI RIVER IMPROVEMENTS.
The Senate committee on commerce today
| listened to statements from Gen. Comstock.
president of the Mississippi river commission,
and Capt. Web Samuel. representing the city
of st. Louis and state OF Missouri, in behalf OF
| the pending bills for the Improvement OF the
Mississippi river. Gen. ComstOck Endorsed the
| bill reported by the committee, making a total
appropriation of $4,000 900 for that purpose.
| and said that the main difficulty the commits
| sion had experienced in the past in the dis
charge of It's duties had arisen from the fact
that the appropriation for the improvement
had been intermittent.
During long periods of idleness the works
already constructed had been injured by
freshets and the working force had been scat
tered, SO that heavy loss and delays had re-
| suited.
Capt. Samuel briefly described the needs of
the communities he represented for better
water trausportion facilities.
AGAINST RETURNINa THE FLAGS.
In the House yesterday Representative Nc
Aleer of Pennsylvania presented for reference
protest by the Scott Legion OF Philadelphia
against the passage of the joint resolution to
| return to Mexico twenty-one flags captured In
battle by the United States troops. No valid
reason" says the protest, "has been advanced
to show why we should surrender those blood
earned trophies. and so far can discover
the attempt is without precedent in the history
of strife between foreign powers"
NAVAL ENGINEERS.
The House naval affairs committee has Or
dered favorable report on bill providing
that the reduction in the numbers of the en-
gineer corps Of the navy. provided for in the
act of August 5. 1882 shall be considered
having ceased June 80. 1891. Mr.. McAleer will
make the report The passage of this bill
would enable the corps to be increased and
would also make it possible for u number of
officers to be promoted. The construction of
| ships for the new navy has largely increa ed the
actual work and responsibility OF the engineer
corps, and many of the officers are overworhed.
Some of them have resigned to accept more
lucrative places in civil life, and these facts
have influenced the committee in its action
upon the bill.
THE TYPHUs-INFEcTED IMMIGRANrs.
Representative Stump Of Missouri offered in
the House yesterday concurrent resolution
directing the Senate and House committees on
immigration jointly to inquire into the recent
admission at the port of New York of a largo
number of European immigrants infected with
typhus fever; also to investigate the workings
of the various laws of the United States relative
to immigration from foreign countries, the
importation Of contract laborers to the United
States and the expenditures made in connection
Herewith. The investigation is to be con-
Quoted at such times and places as the COM
mittee may deem proper
THE UTAH INDUSTRIAL CHRISTIAN HOME.
A report from the Utah commission SUBJ
mitted to the House states that the expense of
maintaining the Industrial Christian Home in
Utah for the benefit of women who abandon
polygamy was 1901 Der month and that the
average admissions were only fourteen per
month. In this state of affairs the commission
submits to Congress the question as to whether
| or not il is worth while for the government to
| continue to extend aid to the institution.
AGAINST DESIGNATING THE FLAG.
The House Judiciary committee today Or
dered Mr.. Bynum to repOr. with a rec
ommendation that it pass the bill to prevent
Dissertation of the United States flag. The bill
provided that any person or persons who shall
use the national flag. either by printing.
| painting. afixing on said flag, or
| otherwise attaching to the same any
| advertisement for public display or private
| gain, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and on
| conviction thereof in the district court of the
United States. shall be fined in any sum not
exceeding so imprisonment not less than
thirty days, or both. at the discretion Of the
court.
| PUBLIC BUILDING POLICY.
| There long and earnest discussion to-
day in the House committee on public build
ings and grounds with reference to the policy
| to be pursued toward bills providing
for the erection of new public buildings
1t was evident that number of men,
| bers Of the committee were strongly opposed
| to the views expressed by Chairman Bankhead
and other members of the committee to
the effect that new public buildings
should he provided for. The opponents of
the policy advocated by the chairman insisted
that the committee should not refuse to
report favorably bills for public build
ings where it could be shown that the
interests OF the government. would he
advanced by the erection of public
buildings. They protested against q general
policy adverse to all proposed new public
building bills. There was very free discus
sion but no conclusion was reached, the CON-
mittee adjourning until Saturday without
taking vote.
What Secretary Noble Says.
81 have not bought French dictionary yet, "