La Junta tribune., 1899-01-21


speech In support of his resolution de-
claring that the United States should
never attempt TO govern the people of
any country without their consent. In
many respects the speech WAS one of
the most notable utterances in the
Senate thus far this session. Rugged
In language. pointed and effective in
Illustration. Mr.. Mason commanded
the attention OF the Senate and CALLER
les from the first sentence of his
speech to the apostrophe TO liberty
which formed his peroration. Several
times spontaneous applause swept
over the galleries. but under the
stringent rules of the Senate it was
quelled quickly.
The President has sent these nom-
nations to the Senate: State, Joseph
II. Choate of New York to be ambas-
sador extraordinary and plenipoten-
tiary to Great Britain. Treasury.
Charles II. Brickenstcin of Colorado,
to be surveyor Of customs at Denver.
Colorado. Postmaster, Colorado, Jo-
seph II. Miller. Trinidad. Joseph
Hodges Choate was born in 1882 In
Massachusetts, and is the son of DIR.
George Choate. He was graduated in
1854 from Harvard law school and
was admitted In 1855 TO the bar. He
formed partnership with William ii.
Barnes, but i'll 1859 became member
of the firm of Evarts, Southmaid n
Choate. For the last ten years Mr..
Choate has been generally acknowl-
edged 10 be the leading lawyer of the
New York bar.
The outlook for the Nicaragua canal
is not favorable. The days are pass
ing very rapidly. Tuesday afternoon,
January 18th. has been set for vote
in the senate. and Mr.. Morgan IL press
ing his bill with great vigor. He does
not object to amendments. He has re-
pcatedly expressed his willingness to
accept any modification that may be
desired. provided final action can be
| taken: but that Is exactly what the op-
Ionents of the bill are trying TO pre-
vent. and they are dillydallylng along.
seizing every possible excuse for de-
lay. with the hope of postponing ac-
tion. which is the only way they can
defeat the measure. 1t is declared that
il vote could be taken in either house
almost any bill that provides for the
construction of n canal would pass.
but the difficulty Is 10 secure action,
and with no means of stopping debate
on the Senate side and the opposition
of the speaker on the House side the
prospect of legislntion seems hopeless.
The war investigation commission on
Friday took prompt action on the SEN
sational testimony submitted to II yes
terday by Commissary General Eagan
and sent the statement Incorporating
his testimony back to him, with the
privilege of resubmitting it II he
chooses TO revise It's language. Further
than this, the commission determined
1t could not and should not proceed.
The commission regrets that General
Eagan proceeded as far as he did, and
1t is explained to-day that the vitu-
perative nature OF the testimony wns
n complete surpriseStO the commission,
and that but for the rapidity with
which General Eagan read his long
statement and the absorbing vehe-
mence OF its delivery he would nave
been checked at the time. One mem
ber of the commission said to-day ne
was about to move that the witness
be called TO order, but decided not TO.
believing from the heated way in
which Eagan spoke that such peremp-
tory action might precipitate some con-
troversy.
In its annual report to Congress, the
Interstate Commerce Commission
saws: Until further and important
legislation is enacted, the best enorts
at regulation must be feeble ana dis-
appointing In our last annual report
we not only set forth in general terms
the necessity for amending the law,
but formulated and proposed SPECIFIC
amendments which appear to us posi-
lively essential. With the renewal OF
these recommendations, the duty OF
the commission in this regard remains
discharged. Meanwhile the situation
has become intolerable. both from the
standpoint of the public and the car
riers. Tariffs are disregarded, discrim-
nations constantly occur, the price Al
which transportation can be obtained
is fluctuating and uncertain. railroad
managers are distrustful Of each other
and shippers all the while in doubt as
to the rates secured by their cOmpeti-
tors. The volume of traffic is SO un-
usual as to frequently exceed the ca
pacity of equipment, yet the contest
for tonnage seems never relaxed. Enor-
nous sums are spent In purchasing
business and secret rates accorded far
below the standard OF puDnsneo
charges. The general public gets little
benefit from these reductions, for con-
cessions are mainly confined to the
heavier shippers.
Assistant Postmaster General Merritt
has decided upon the designs for
series Of new postage stamps for the
island Of Cuba, and they will be sup
piled as promptly as possible by the
Bureau OF Engraving and Printing in
this city. The 1-cent stamp will bear a
representation OF the statue Of Colum-
bus which stands in the patio, or court
yard, Of the captain generals palace
at Havana. The 2-cent stamp will bear
a map OF Cuba; the 3-cent stamp re-
production of the statue Of la Gu
bana," female figure In marble. en-
blcmatical Of the island, which stands
in one Of the parks of Havana. The
scent stamp will be decorated with n
picture Of one OF the new steamers of
the New York and Cuban Mail Com