The state herald., 1898-12-16
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
What Congress Is Doing-Notes From tho
Departments.

The President has nominated Lieut.
enant Hobson to be naval CON
structor.
General Calixto Garcia, the Cuban
patriot, died of pneumonia In this city
on the 11th.
There were 546,S52 visitors to the
congressional library in Washington
during the last fiscal year.
Rumors from Berlin that the United
States will relinquish all claims to Sa-
moa are denied by this government.
Senator Vest says he will put n stop
To the present plan of railroading pri-
yate pension bills through the Senate.
Mr.. Simon, the new senator from
Oregon. is the smallest man in Con
gress-smalcr than General Wheeler
and Senator Wilson, who weighs only
96 pounds.
The House has passed the urgency
deficiency appropriation, which carries
S69, ,S95, ,Sg2 The largest of these was
an item of S3,O00,OO0 for an cmergen-
cy fund for the War Department.
A report submitted to Congress by
the commissioner of fish and fisheries
shows an expenditure of S1SI,S0O for
the propagation of food fisheries dur
mig the fiscal year ended June 80 last.
The secretary of the navy has add
ed to the ornaments of his office the
| figurehead of the cruiser Cristobal
| Colon. which was destroyed in the bat
| tie of Santiago 1t is Il beautiful
| bronze bust of Columbus, made after
| the portrait in the Marine museum at
! Madrid.
Bishop Hurst of the Methodist
Church. returns TO Washington after n
tour of the Pennsylvania cities, with
the assurances of contributions of ST.
100000 from the rich Mcthodis:s of
that state for the American University
in this city. He was assisted by Chap
lain McCabc.
A most gratifying Improvement in
the health of the troops stationed in
Cuba ana Porto Rico is exhibited by
the reports to the War Department
from the commanding officers. The
long daily lists of sicl; and deceased
soldiers have shrunken ana are some
times entirely missing.
Ii Hung Chang has applied to the
chief of engineers in Washington for
information concerning the measures
that have been taken by our govern
ment to confine the Mississippi to its
banks. and has been furnished with
4 quantity of charts. plans and other
documents descriptive of the levee sys-
TEN and the operations Of the Missis-
sippi river commission.
Interviews with several members of
the House naval committee disclose
the fact that the bill TO he reported
from that committee will closely fol
low the recommendations of Secretary
Long. This will give fifteen new war
vessels and will carry with 1t the naval
personnel recommendations. which will
give to the navy 10000 men and $500
apprentices.
\ canvass of the Republican scna'
tors disclOScs only two votes on that
side against the ratification Of the Par.
Il treaty, those of Mcssrs. Hale and
Morrill, Senator Hoar dcplores cN-
panslon and annexation and all that
sort of thing. hut viii not say that he
intends to vote against the treaty. Mr.
Spooncr and Mr.. Mason are counted
among the doubtful.
The advIccs received bs the Wal
Department from Manila represent
Aguinaldo as being In a very obstrep
crous mood. lie Is said To be growing
more insubordinate daily, but Secre'
tary Algcr believes that after the
peace treaty Is signed and our people
] settle down to the busincss Of organ.
| izing government he Will be susccpt
iblc TO kindly Influences.
There will he u Hebrew In the House
OF Representatives, as well ns In the
Senate of the next Congress. Mr.. 81
mon, the new senator from Oregon.
was sworn In on Monday. Mr.. Julius
Kahn of San Francisco was elected tu
the seat now occupied by Representa-.
| tive Mcguire, making gain of ll,oUu
votes for the Republican party. Mr.
| Kahn Is a lawyer Of conspicuous ahil
( ity and promises to he an influential
man In the House.
The War Department has ordered
/ the following regiments to Manila: The
| Twentieth. nj Fort Lcavenworth. Kan.
| the Third. NJ Fort Smelling. Mimi: the
/ Twelfth. NJ jefferson barracks, Nilsson
ri aud Fort Riley. Kan: the Seven.
tccnth. NJ Columbus barracks. Ohio:
the Fourth NJ Fort Sheridan. aud the
Twenty second, nt Fort Crook. Ncb.
They win 90 forward To Manila as soon
ns transportation can be provided. II
may be that the two regiments still
held In reserve, the Twcniyfuurth and
the Twcnty,ffth Infantry, will Join th"
others before they sail.
Representative Mcclellan Of New
York has Introduced iu the House y
I'LL for the reorganization uf the
army. II was drawn after consulta.
iiun with many army officers, aud !,
supposed Ia represent the ideas Of the
younger element ~ tie army. II makes
some very radical changes In the stan
aud has some novel features. II con
soidaics the adIutant generals depart
ment In the general stan, alsorhs the
ordnance department into the artillery
corps, and nbollshes the signal corps
transferring the duties Of that corps tn
the engineer corps aud the officers to
the infantry,
The commissioner general OF immi
grafton nt Washington states that amy
allen immigrants who may become a
public charge within one y.nr from the
date of landing In the United States
viii be returned 10 the country To
which they belong NJ the expense oi
the immigrant fund Of the United
Sintcs government This fund II liable
Ia pay any public or charitable lnIii.
tuition fixed charges agreed upon IN,
the care Of nny alien Immigrant whr
, l,ns fallen into distress within III" ycni
from the time NJ landing nnd become .
public barge from accident or bodily
niiment or disease or physical inability
10 earn living. which Is likely Ia be- ~
n permanent character.
, Drlcgnic,clcci rcfrn of New Mexico
. mud rX.Dclcgnir tntron nrr here work
inH tu secure the passage NJ IN ndmls