The silver star., 1899-01-12

Colonel Theodore Roosevelt is to be
breveted brigadier general.
The Supreme Court has decided that
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.
Scnor Agoncillo. who is in Washing
ton as the representative of the Philip
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 upon IT. that are now included in
its train of ills. have prostrated an un-
usual number of residents of Washing
ton. An observant pharmacist esti-
mates that ten per cent. of the districts
population 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 he 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-
secutive months since 1867. aggregat-
ing S245. 1861 $50, against S207.7GO,514
for the corresponding period last year.
The receipts from customs amounted to
S96 O45. $50, as compared with S62, $685.
OBJ last year The receipts from Gus
toms for December amounted to S16.-
.325. which We're 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 S16.36S,334.
orders have been sent General Mil
Ter to avoid hostilities at lloilo at all
hazards. but If he Is compelled to fight
he is instructed TO deal such 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 n power that is capa-
BILE of enforcing its policy. Aguinaldo
and his associates are so elated by their
success thus far that 1t is impossible to
reason with them. and they are rapidly
running their own cause by exactions
and blackmail imposed upon their fell
low-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 n deal of
other important legislation which will
press for consideration at every oppor-
tunity. Perhaps the most important
single measure is the hill for the reor-
ganiZation of the army 1t was the
general understanding before the recess
that this bill would be given considera-
tion 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 appropra-
tion bills.
An Important suit. involving the va
iidity of county bonds in Arizona, was
decided In the Supreme Court of the
United States Tuesday. The case val
idates S2S9.96I worth of bonds, issued
by Pima county. in aid of the Arizona
narrow gauge railroad. II was based
upon a petition for n mandamus upon
the governor and other territorial Off
GERS TO compel them TO issue bonds In
lieu OF those originally issued I'm 1889.
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 rcmanls the
case Tor further proceedings In cOmpli-
nnce with the original petition. The
OPINION or the court IL based upon the
authority of the act OF Congress OF
June O. 1896
Senator Lodge hns introduced. by re.
quest. u bill to proyide for n suima
rlnc cable between the United Stotes.
Hawaii. the Philippines. Jnpnn, China
and Australia. The postmaster general
" authorized 10 contract with the Pa
cine Gable Company of New York for
the payment OF S12j.OOO II year for
twenty yenrs for transmission of OIL
clnl messages from San francisco to
Honolulu. the line to he laid by Dcccm-
Der 81. 1900. Before December 81. 1902.
the compnny shall construct n line
from Honolulu 10 Manila with an nd
ditionai sum Of $l25.O0O to be paid by
the government. Within four yenrs the
company shnll lny connecting lines 10
Jnpnn. for which $125OOO n ycnr for
twenty years shall bc paid. The rntes
hxed between San Frnnclsco and Hon.
olulu are ~ cents n word and 10 the
further points 81 n word.
The War Department has finally dc.
cidcd 10 continue In force. for n time
ut least the system OF collecting taxes
III Cnbn prncflccd by the Spanish au.
thOritIcs. The burden OF collcction
amounting to o per cent. Of the tnx. Is
now assumed by the government. In.
stend OF being imposed upon the tnx.
payers. while the 10 per cent. incrense
10 mxntiof. which was levied M one
OF the Inst nets Of the Spanish ndmin-
issrniIon. II RENTED. ns well M nj,
mccr,ed penalties. The order dcsignnt.
Ing the Spanish Bnnk Of the Isinnd or