The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-02-28

GOVERNMENT OWNERSHIP or
THE CABLE AND TELEGRAPH.
BUTLER DRIVES THE ENTERING WEDGE
Amendment Authorizing u. S. to Constfuci
and Own Cable from San Francisco TO
Honolulu Adopted by Com
mii.ee ON Appropriations,
miitee on Appropriations.

Washington, d.. c., Feb. 21.-(Special.)
Senator pritchard is leaving no stone
unturned to secure the mastering
out of the First North Carolina regi-
ment, now in camp at Havana. The
Senator has presented to the War De
partment petitions he has received from
majority Of the privates, and also from
Il large number of the commissioned
officers praying that they be discharged.
Adiutant General Corhin has the matter
now under consideration. He will let
Senator Pritchard know in a day or two
the War Departments action in the mat
ter. If the army bill passes. and 1t
looks that way now. there VIII be no
trouble in securing the order to muster
out the First North Carolina. The adj
ministraton is always anxious to favor
Senator Pritchard.
Senator Butler will have the credit for
securing legislation looking toward Gov
eminent ownership of telegraph and
cable lines. Without an objection the
Committee on Appropriations on Satur-
day, adopted his amendment. which au-
thorizes the United States Government
10 construct and own the cable from San
Francisco to Honolulu The amendment
goes on the Sundry Civil Appropriation
Bill. As the President recently sent a
sEecial message to- Congress recon-
intending legislation on this subject, it
would seem that the bill will be autho-
lied before the adjournment of this Con-
gress. The cable will probably be eX-
tended to the Philippines.
George Porter is an applicant for the
Bernice postoffice The other day his
application was received in an envelope
which bore the following inscription:
Sussex. \. C.
postoffice Department, Office Of Fourth
Assistant Postmaster General, APP
pointment Division. Official Business.
Washington City,
District of Columbia.
Z. S. A.
General Bristow said it was plainly
evident that it would be utterly impossi-
bic for this application to go astray.
Chairman Burton. of the River and
Harhor Committee, intimated to-day
that the River and Harhor Bill would
finally fail because of the Nicaragua
Canal rider which was put on by the
Senate. If the bill should fail it can he
charged up to Speaker Reed. who IS OPP
posed TO the Nicaragua Canal.
Here is one ON Senator Butler: On
last Friday by unanimous consent. he
secured the passage Of a bill appropriat-
ing $4,000 for public building at
Elizabeth City Senator Allen at first
objected. but when assured by Senator
Butler that a similar bill had passed the
House last night. Senator Allen with
drew the objection. Senator Pritchard
inquired if ''this is a Senate bill. and
Senator Butler responded in the affirma-
tive. 1t turns out that the Elizabeth
City public building bill had been intro
duced by Senator Pritchard. and thus
Senator Butler unconsciously = had
passed by unanimous consent the bill
fathered ny his colleague The next
day. Saturday. Butler said:
Mr.. President, ! wish to make a
statement:
Yesterday morning | asked unani-
nous consent to pass bill providing
fer the construction of a public building
at Elizabeth City. \. c. In answer to
some question | stated that similar
bin had already passed the House.
was mistaken. III hau passed tile tofl-
mittee of the Whole in the House and
had been recommended to the House
but it has not vet been finally acted
lipon. ! wish to make that statement
inasmuch rs | thought yesterday morn
ing that the bill had passed the House
'rle Senate bill is identical with the bill
hat has passed the Committee of thu
Whole in the House. | was mistaken IL
surprising that it had passed the House
/ saw the statement in the newspapers
and / thought it had finally passed. il