The silver lance., 1899-01-13


natural gas is not dutiable.
Representative Dingley, who has
been very sick, was reported better on
the 3rd.
So many of the members of Congress
are sick that the attendance Is very
small at the sessions.
President and Mrs. Mckinley gave
brilliantly successful New Years re-
ception on the 2nd.
Senor Agoncillo, who is in Washing
ton as the representative of the Phillp-
pine government, has asked to be rec
Ognized by the United States as such
and to be accorded the same rights as
the other diplomats. His request Is
now in the hands Of Secretary Hay.
The grippe, and the ailments attend
ant anon it, that are now included In
its train of ills, have prostrated an un-
usual number of residents OF Wasnlng-
ton. An observant pharmacist esti-
mates that ten per cent. of the districts
nonulation is suffering in one way or
another from the new generic grippe.
Three members of the Senate commit
tee on appropriations are so i'll that
they will not be able to leave their
homes for several days.
The revenues of the government dur
ing the half-year ending December
31st. were larger than for any six con-
secutiye months since 1867, aggregat-
ing S245. .961 800, against S201.1GO,514
for the corresponding period last year.
The receipts from customs amounted to
S96. .O45, ,S39, as compared with 62,S25,-
O21 last year. The receipts from Gus
toms for December amounted to $780,
764, ,325, which were the largest month
ly total since the Dingley tariff bill was
passed and the largest since 1892, when
under the Mckinley tariff act they
reached $16,36S,334
Orders have been sent General Mil
ler to avoid hostilities at Iloilo at all
hazards. but If he is compelled to fight
he is instructed to deal such a blow as
will be felt by all the insurgents in the
Philippines, in order that they may see
they are not dealing with Spain any
longer, but with power that is capa-
Bile of enforcing its policy. Aguinaldo
and his associates are so elated by their
success thus far that it is impossible to
reason with them, and they are rapidly
running their own cause by exactions
and blackmail imposed upon their fel-
Iow-countrymen, who are suffering
from these causes much more than at
any time during the Spanish rule.
The time of the House will be fully
occupied from this time forward until
the conclusion of the session. Appro-
priation bills, which are already in an
unusually advanced stage, are to be
kept to the fore, but there is a deal of
other important legislation which will
press for consideration at every oppor-
tunity. Perhaps the most important
single measure is the bill for the reor-
ganization of the army. 1t was the
general understanding before the recess
that this bill would be given considera-
ton Immediately after the holidays,
but the illness of Chairman Hull of the
military affairs committee. will delay
this measure until he is sufficiently re-
covered to attend the sessions of the
House. His illness will also delay the
military academy and army appropria-
tion bills
An Important suit, involving the va
lidity of county bonds in Arizona. was
decided in the Supreme Court of the
United States Tuesday. The case val
idates $2S9.964 worth of bonds, issued
by Pima county. in aid of the Arizona
narrow gauge railroad. 1t was based
upon petition for mandamus upon
the governor and other territorial Off
GERS to compel them to issue bonds in
lieu of those originally issued i'm 1888
The Supreme Court of the territory
denied this petition, but the opinion of
the federal Supreme Court, which was
handed down by Judge Brown, re-
verses this decision and remands the
case for further proceedings in compli-
ance with the original petition The
opinion of the court is based upon the
authority of the act of Congress of
June 6. 1896.
Senator Lodge has introduced by re
quest, bill to provide for subma-
rine cable between the United States
Hawaii, the Philippines. Japan, China
and Australia. The postmaster general
Is authorized to contract with the Pa
cific Gable Company of New York for
the payment of $125.O0O year for
twenty years for transmission of off
cial messages from San Francisco to
Honolulu. the line to be laid by Deem
Der 81, 1900. Before December 81, 1902
the company shall construct a line
from Honolulu to Manila with an ad-
ditional sum of S125.O to be paid by
the government. Within four years the
company shall lay connecting lines to
Japan, for which $125,0OO a year for
twenty years shall be paid. The rates
fixed between San Francisco and Hon
olulu are 35 cents a word and to the
further points 81 a word.
The War Department has finally de-
cided to continue in force, for time
at least, the system of collecting taxes
in Cuba practiced by the Spanish au-
thorities. The burden of collection,
amounting to per cent. of the tax, is
now assumed by the government. in
stead of being imposed upon the tax
payers, while the 10 per cent. increase
in taxation, which was levied as one
Of the last acts of the Spanish admin
istration, is remitted, as well as all
accrued penalties. The order designat-
ing the Spanish Bank of the Island of