The sun., 1898-12-25
Senate Committee on Nicaragua
Canal Will Make a Bold
Investigation.
The PRESIDENTS SURPRISE
Of Hitchcock Was q
Personal Affair. confederate
Fraternity Ball to be Kept
Rolling as Mckinley
Desires.
From Our Regular Correspondent.

w ARLINGTON, Lee. Z0.-SenSatlOnal de
e velopments will follow the investigation
which the Senate Committee on the Mica
ragua Canal has been authorized t
make, during the Christmas recess Q
y Congress, into the methods that hav
been used to prevent action on the Mica
+ ragua Canal bill, if it is possible for tn,
, committee to get at the facts. The sew
eral lobbies interested in preventing tn,
construction Of the Canal knew that oper
opposition would help the canal bill, in
stead of hurting it, so they have beer
Systematically working to stave off actor
in any way possible; and if only small
portion of the rumors which have beer
foating around Washington since the as
sembling OF Congress can be verified by
the committee, number of lobbyists
are likely to find Washington an un-
pleasant place to stay for some time.
President Mckinley sprung genuine
surprise when he nominated Hon Ethan
Allen Hitchcock, of Missouri, to succeed
Mr.. Bliss as Secretary of the Interior.
Mr.. Hitchcock is now ambassador to
Russia, and cannot take charge of the
Department of the Interior until about
the 10th of February. Secretary Bliss
will remain in the Cabinet until his ar
rival. The nomination of Secretary
Hitchcock was confirmed by the Senate
before it adjourned. The appointment,
which is regarded as personal rather than
political, has been we'll received.
Generals Miles and Shafter were the
star witnesses before the War Investigate
ing Commission, and the former got in
some digs at the War Department, the
Commissary General, and General Shat
ter, whom he accused of having failed to
carry out specific orders in the Santiago
campaign.
The bill providing territorial form of
Government for Hawaii was favorably
reported to the Senate, with some amend
ments, before the recess, and the Hull
bill for the reorganization and increase
OF the regular army was favorably re-
ported to the House.
Representative Corliss, of Michigan,
thinks this Government should Law
cable from California to Hawaii; thence
to the Philippines and to Japan, and he,
this week, introduced bill providing
therefor. Mr.. Coriss is also working
to knock out the Pacific Cable Company,
which secured concession, last July.
from the Republic of Hawaii. giving It
exclusive cable privileges between Ha-
Wail and the United States, unless the
concession was disapproved by the Sec
retary OF State within six months. The,
concession has not yet been disapproved.
and Mr.. Corliss has written to the Secre-
tary OF State calling attention to the fact
that the concession will become binding
II not disapproved before January 2,
1879. This company wants the United
States to give it subsidy of SlOO, 900
year for twenty years to construct the
line, which Mr.. Corliss says would pay
for the whole outfit.
The speeches made in the Senate this
week BY Senators Platt of Connecticut,
and Teller of Colorado, slowing the
right OF this Government to acquire ter
ritory without intending that it shall be
admitted to the Union as State-a
right questioned by Senator Vest of Mis-
'ourl-were more in the nature of legal
arguments than what are usually heard
N Congress. There was no politics in
either, and the question of expansion
was not touched by Mr.. Platt and only
very lightly by Mr.. Teller. Had there
)een any serious doubts, these argu-
nents would have been sufficient to re-
move the most of them, but it has been
understood from the first that Mr.. Vest
vas only. after furnishing a peg upon
Vhlch to hang anti.expansion speeches.
The Confederate fraternity bali started
o rolling by President Mckinley is
apidly growing in size. Representative
lixey, of Virginia, introduced bill
pening all soldiers homes and similar
Institutions to Confederate soldiers and
ailors on the same terms that United
tates soldiers and sailors are now re-
eived, and now, Senator Marion Butler.
North Carolina, has about gone to the
NIT by giving notice of his inte ntion to
fter an amendment to the regular pen.
ion appropriation bill, granting pensions
Confederate soldiers and sailors under
ne same terms that they are granted to
nited States soldiers and sailors.
The House Committee on Commerce
as decided to take up the Nicaragua
anal question on the second Tuesday in
lnuary, and to formulate bill for the
instruction of the Canal, regardless of
hether the Senate acts before that time
: not.
Chairman Lacey, of the House Com
ittee on Public Lands, and Represen-
tives Lands, of Indiana, and Pearce,
Missouri, will spend the Congressional
cess making tour OF Cuba and Porto
leo.
Ex-Queen lii. sent protest to the
nate, just before adjournment, against
e claim that the ownership of the So
lied Hawaiian crown lands-about
100000 acres-passed to the United
ates upon the annexation of Hawaii.
'e claims that the Lard is her personal
opsrty. Members of the late Hawaiian
vernment says there isn't the slightest
for her claim.
The Cabinet has decided that $4,000
ditional volunteers shall be mustered
as fast as possible.
New Memorial Windows.
Workmen from Philadelphia yester-
y afternoon began to place four
,morial windows in the first Presbv-
ian Church. 1t was decided several
eks ago to secure the windows, which
zen completed, will be very beautiful
d will add to the interior appearance
the edifce.