The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1899-01-26
AT WASHINGTON.


court martial to try Com. Gen Eagan
as follows: Maj Gen. Wesley Merritt,
u. ). A. Maj. Gen. James +. Wade, U.
S. Volunteers; Maj Gen. Samuel b. NJ i.
Young, U. s. Volunteers; Brig. Gen.
Royal T. Frank, u. S. Volunteers; Brig.
Gen. Alex G. Now. Pennington, U. s.
Volunteers; Brig. Gen. George NJ. Ran
dell, U. =. Volunteers; Brig. Gen. Jacob
Kline, U. s. Volunteers; Brig. Gen.
Richard Comba, U. S. Volunteers; Col.
Peter C. Haynes, Corps of Engineers;
Col George F. Gillspie, Corps of Engi
neers; Col. Charles r. Suter, Corps of
Engineers; Col. Francis L. Guenther,
Fourth Artillery. Lieut.. Col. George
B. Davis, Judge Advocate of the Court.
The President has sent to the Senate
a new extradition treaty between this
country and Brazil. 1t was referred to
the committee on foreign relations, and
was referred to a sub committee. The
treaty is formal document providing
for the exchange of persons charged
with offences on the usual lines.
The nomination of Joseph H. Choate
as ambass ador to England was confirm
ed in the Senate.
Friday, in the House the post office
appropriation bill was finally passed and
just before recess in the afternoon,
Speaker Reed put an end to the specu-
lation regarding the craftsmanship of
the ways and means committee by ap-
pointing Mr.. Payne, Rep, N. Y, to the
vacancy caused by the death of Mr..
Dingley. This carried with it the floor
leadership of "a the majority. At the
same time he flied the vacancies in the
minority representation on ways and
means and rules caused by the retire
ment of Mr.. Mcmillan, by appointing Mr..
Richardson of Tennessee, to both places
MIR. Crumpacker of Indiana, was ap-
pointed on the census.
President Pro Tenn Frye, who has
been i'll for several days, presided over
the Senate at the opening of its session,
Friday. The Philippine question was
discussed, also the Nicaragua canal
measure.
The Cuban Evacuation Commission
was dissolved Friday and is members
submitted to the President, the secre-
tary of state and the secretary of war a
report on their labors. The report
makes no reference to the future govern
ment of the island and embodies no
political recommendations, consisting
practically of a record of it's proceedings
with the voluminous correspondence
passing mainly between it, the Spanish
Commission and the Administration at
Washington. At twelve the commits
soners were received by the President,
who, after receiving their formal report,
said: "Gentlemen, | must thank you
for the great service you have rendered
your country. | am more than pleased
with this work.
BY unanimous consent agreement
reconsideration of the passage of the
Nicaragua canal bill was allowed in
order that yea and nay vote might be
taken and the bill was passed, 48 to g..
At the cabinet meeting Saturday the
president signed new tariff for Porto
Rico which will go into operation on
Feb. l next. The regulations and gen.
eral makeup of this tariff will be along
the lines of that recently put into opera
in Cuba, except that as whole the rate
of duty will. be about Is per cent ad
valorem or 10 per cent less than the
Cuban tariff. The President had placed
before him by Secretary Gage form of
executive order fixing the ratio between
the native Porto Rican silver and the
money of the United States. The ratio
of the peso will be 90 cents to the dol
lar American money.
The friends of the Paris treaty are to
force the issue and no compromise on
the measure. They say the terms of
the treaty provide that Congress shall
determine what disposition shall be
made of the Philippines after its adop-
ton and there is no need of a declara-
ton to that purpose.
In the Senate, Monday, Frye of Maine
presented the credentials of Hon. Eugene
Hale, re elected senator from Maine for
the term beginning March 4, 1899.
They were filed. A special deficiency
bill carrying $4,000 was passed.
In the House, Monday, the bill to ex-
tend the commerce navigation and mer-
chant seamen laws over the Hawaiian
islands was passed by vote of 93 to IS.
The President is understood to have
decided to appoint another member of
the Anglo American commission to fill
the vacancy caused by the death of Mr..
Dingley and to have so informed Sena-
tors and Representatives who have call
ed upon him within the last few days in
behalf of Representative Tawney of
Minnesota, a member of the ways and
means committee.
Two notable speeches were delivered
in the Senate, Tuesday, one by Mr.
Lodge of Massachusetts and the other
by Mr.. Clay of Georgia. While the two
senators differed Numerically as to the
policy of expansion upon which they
Il no in, 60 nf a MI cd
ate ratification of the pending peace
treaty. They contended that, once the
treaty was ratified, Congress would have
specting the territory acquired during
the war with Spain and not before.
The army reorganization bill was de-
bated in the House, Tuesday. Practi-
cally three propositions are before the
House: The House bill, providing for a
standing army of 100000 men; the
minority substitute increasing the stand
ing army to 10000 men and lodging wi h
the President discretionary power to
call out 0,000 volunteers for emergency
service; and a proposition to continue
temporarily the regular army at it's
present war strength-62 900 men.
The President on Tuesday, nominated
Charles A. Paine as postmaster at East
port.
In the Senate, Wednesday, an arrange
ment was reached 10 vote in the peace
treaty, February 9Th
The Senate bill providing for the
erection Of a building in Washington, for
the department Of justice ut cost OF
81 900, 600 was passed in the Senate.