The silver lance., 1898-12-23
NEWS FROM THE
NATIONAL CAPITAL.

mon the new senator from Oregon,
vas sworn in on Monday. Mr.. Julius
Kahn of San Francisco was elected to
the seat now occupied by Representa-
tive Mcguire, making a gain Of 1000
votes for the Republican party. Mr..
Kahn Is a lawyer of conspicuous abil-
ity and promises to be an influential
man in the House.
Governor Thomas was the re-
cipient of a handsome compliment
from the Senate last Tuesday. Under
the rules of the body, governors of
states are entitled to admission to the
floor, but the privilege does not extend
10 governors elect This afternoon Sen
ator Hoar, in a few gracious words
moved that the vice president be au
thorized to extend the privileges Of the
floor to Goyernor-elect Thomas during
his stay in the city, and the resolution
was carried.
The War Department has ordered
the following regiments to Manila: The
Twentieth, at Fort Leavenworth, Kan;
the Third, at Fort Smelling, Mimi; the
Twelfth, at Jefferson barracks, Missou
RI and Fort Riley, Kan: the Seven
teenth, at Columbus barracks, Ohio;
the Fourth, at Fort Sheridan, and the
Twenty-second, at Fort Crook, NeD.
They will go forward to Manila as soon
as transportation can be provided. II
may be that the two regiments still
held in reserve. the Twenty-fourth and
the Twenty-ffth infantry, will join the
others before they sail.
Representative Mcclellan of New
York has introduced in the House
bill for the reorganization Of the
t. Ir.nx n A.
tion with many army officers, and Is
supposed to represent the ideas of the
younger element of the army. 1t makes
some very radical changes in the staff
and has some novel features. 1t con
solidates the adjutant generals depart
ment in the general staff, absorbs the
ordnance department into the artillery
CORDS, and abolishes the signal corps,
transferring the duties of that corps to
the engineer corps and the officers to
the infantry.
Regarding the Nicaragua canal Dill, q
correspondent writes: 1.-THE President
does not insist upon the Morgan bill,
but Is extremely anxious to secure
some Legislation during the present ses-
sion which will allow work to be COM
menced Immediately before the con
tract Of the Maritime company expires.
The chief objection to the Morgan bill
is based upon the provision that allows
that company the sum of x5,OOO,OOO as
indemnity for the money 1t has already
expended. That amount Is believed by
many people to be excessive and there
is a natural objection to paying for
lot of dead horses.
Delegate-elect Perea of New Mexico,
and ex-Delegate Catron are here work
ing to secure the passage of an admis-
sion bill at this session. They Will be
Joined later on by Governor Otero, who
will labor to the same end. They are
making the argument among Republl-
can leaders that New Mexico, IL now
admitted, will surely send two Repub-
lican senators and thus reinforce the
party in the new Senate. Delegate
Ferguson Is cooperating with them
at their request. While he does not
believe there is any hope that-a Re
publican Congress will admit New
Mexico, he promises the solid Demo
cratic vote for such measure, as II
has been cast many times before.
What may be termed the federal OF
insular government of Cuba will bt
conducted under the immediate super
vision of experienced officials sent from
the United States. They will manage
| the customs houses, the internal reve
| nue. service, the treasury, the post
office, and will be placed in other po
sitions of trust and responsibility unit
the residents of the island have demon
strated their honesty and ability. Large
| numbers of men are leaving here daily
| for Cuba and Porto Rico to undertake
| this work, and they are all men ol
experience. After ew>weeks' tria
in Porto Rico the President has decided
that green hands cannot be trusted t
| organize a government down there, ant
| that it is great deal better to selec
| tried and competent employees from tn,
various branches of the government II
this country and fill their places her,
with new men.
| The annual report of General Du
mont, supervising inspector of steam
boats, shows that 65O,0OO,OOO passen
gers We're carried on the water b!
steamboats, and steamships sailing un
der the United States flag during thu
last fiscal year. Those carried on sail
ing vessels are not included. OF thi
number only eighty-four lost their live
| from all causes, which is an average
of about one in 7,73S.OOO. The numbe
of officers and sailors of steam vessen
lost during the year was 1870, wlicl
makes a total of 2S3. or exactly 1O'
more than the casualties in 1897. OF
| the great lakes thirty-nine We're lost, OIL
all the rivers eighty-seven and
| on the ocean 157. Comparin,
this with the reports of tn,
accident insurance companies
seems much safer to go to sea than t,
stay on land or even sit at home or il
your office. Last year the Travellers
Insurance Company paid indemnity tt
1,O23 persons for injuries received il
their residences or in their offices.
1t is not intended by the President t,
| disturb the nresnnt municinal nrpaniza