Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-03-03
WORK IN COMMITTEE
Bills Relating to Orphans Court and
Filing Wills.
LOCAL SENTIMENT Is DESIRED
Arguments for the Proposed De-
partment Of Commerce.
RELIEFOFTHEY YUKON MINERS

The subcommittee on judiciary of the
House District committee today considered
| House bill S345, relating to the Orphans
Court, and s. 1910, relating to the filing Of
Wills 1t was decided before acting upon
the measures to call the attention of the
| local judiciary to them
A copy of letter was sent by Judge
Jenkins, chairman of the subcommittee, to
| the chief Justice of the Court of Appeals,
| and OF the District Supreme Court, as fol-
lows:
1.-The subcommittee on the judiciary of
| the District of Columbia have had under
consideration Fl. r. S345 ana g, 1910, and
| have heard a committee from the Bsr As
sociation of the District of Columbia in
| reference to them. II. II. S345 has received
very warm Endorsement from the gentle
| men referred to, while nothing in particu-
| lar has been said in regard to s. 1910.
The committee thought it advisable to
| submit copies of the bills to the court over
which you have the honor to preside. and
would respectfully ask that the same re-
ceive consideration, and that the commit
tee may be permitted to hear from you in
regard to them. Anything that you say
Will be treated as official, and will go into
any report that may be made concerning
these bills
Proposed Department of Commerce.
The Senate committee commerce to-
day listened to arguments on behalf of
the national business league and the ma
Eonal board of trade in the interest of
the establishment Of a new department CT
the government to be called the depart
ment of commerce and industries, to be
presided over by a cabinet officer
The league was represented in the hear
ing by its president, Ferdinand W. Peck
and Its general counsel, John w. Ella, both
OF chicago and the board of trade by ex-
Assistant Secretary of the Treasury Chas
+. Hamlin, Alden Spear and Colonel E, H.
Haskell of Boston, and F. B. Thurber of
New York. Messrs. Thurber, Haskell
Spear and Hamlin all made speeches in
support of the movement, and Mr.. Ella read
statement of the work done by the busi-
ness league in this interest, submitting
letters, resolutions, etc, in support of the
movement from 9S different organizations
| of business in 26 different states. and petit
tiCns and letters from 443 prominent manu-
facturers and business men in 80 states,
asking for the establishment of the de-
partment.
The arguments were generally made along
the lines that the United States is the only
country Of Importance which has not
department corresponding to the one pro-
posed, and that the national industries and
commerce could never have the supervision
their Importance demands without having
separate supervision.
Mr.. Ella said, in reply to a question, that
1t would not be satisfactory to place this
work in charge of a bureau officer Of the
Agricultural Department, for the reason
that the department was already doing all
that could we'll be expected OF 1t.
Relief Expedition Given Up.
The Senate committee on military affairs
today decided to recommend the passage
Of a joint resolution authorizing the aban-
donment Of the government expedition for
the relief of the miners in the Klondike
region. which was authorized last De-
cember. The resolution provides for the
sale Of both the reindeer and the supplies
purchased for the expedition. There was
a suggestion that the reindeer brought
here from Norway could be utilized by the
Interior Department, but the committee
took the view that the animals should be
sold in preference to holding them for any
department Of the government.
Against Demns' Nomination.
The Senate committee on commerce to-
day decided, by unanimous vote. to re-
port adversely the nomination of Henry
Demas to be naval officer at New Orleons.
There were many charges against De-
mas rejecting upon his general character,
but the one which seemed to influence the
committee most was a charge that while
state senator he had been in the eni-
ploy Of the Louisiana lottery, in which ca
pacity he was alleged to have received
$3.50 per month.
Employer Liability.
Representative Gillette Of Massachusetts
appeared before the House committee on
labor today to explain lis employers liabil-
ity bill. He said he thought the measure
should be COL sidered by the judiciary COM
mittee on account of the legal technicalities
involved, and indicated he had reached the
conclusion the bill had too broad a scope,
regulating, 1t does, the liabilities of en-
plcyers. except farmers, in all the states
and territories. He conceded it might prove
too sweeping in its jurisdiction and sug-
gested it might be particularly applicable
to the District of Columbia
Point Lookout.
The Senate committee on military affairs
today passed favorably upon an amend
ment to the sundry civil appropriation bill
providing an appropriation Of $4,000 for
the purchase of Point Lookout with the