The Springfield herald., 1899-01-20

lations on Wednesday authorized Sen
ator Davis to report the peace treaty
fayorably without amendment. The
committee was in session for only an
hour, and the greater part OF this
time was consumed in waiting for a
Quorum the senators meantime dis-
cussing informally the provisions OF
the treaty. There was no suggestion
of any amendment in committee. Sen
ator Davis was instructed to press the
treaty upon the attention of the Sen
ate with view to securing as early |
action as possible. The committee al
so authorized Senator Davis to report
favorably upon the proposition to re-
move the injunction OF secrecy.
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. Brickenstein of Colorado
to be surveyor of customs at Denver,
Colorado. Postmaster. Colorado, Jo- |
seph Il. Miller, Trinidad. Joseph |
| Hodges Choate was born in 1882 In
Massachusetts, and is the son of DR..
George Choate. He was graduated In
1854 from Harvard law school ana
was admitted in 1855 to the bar. lie
| formed II partnership with william IL.
Barnes, but in 1859 became II member
of the firm of Evarts, Southmaiu "
Choate. For the last ten years ME-.
| Choate has been generally acknoWl-
edged to be the leading lawyer OF the
| New York bar.
While Senator Caffery of Louisiana
| was making his great constitutions
arguments against expansion the oth-
er day there were exactly six senators
| a tl,n,, -nrn n1U
their correspondence and other ofhcial
duties. Among them was Mr.. Spooner
of Wisconsin. who, having finished
reading the New York papers and hay
| ing nothing else to do Thought ne
would be little polite and exhibit
some interest in the speech. w heh
this amiable idea occurred to him, Mr.
Caffery was reading with great em>
phass from small book he held In ms
hand. and to show his friendly dispo-
sition Mr. Spooner, who had not been
having the slightest attention, arose
and inquired with great interest May
I ask the title of the book from which
The senator from Louisiana is read
ingY' Senator Caffery looked UP with
nm air of amaZement and In most sar-
castle manner retorted: ''From the
Constitution of the United States.'
The outlook for the Nicaragua canal
| is not favorable. The days are pass
| ing very rapidly. Tuesday afternoon,
| January nth. has been set for Vote
in the senate and Mr.. Morgan Is press
ing his bill with great vigor. lie does
not object to amendments. He mas re-
peatedly expressed his wiilhshess 10
accept any modification that may be
desired, provided final action can be
taken: but that is exactly what the op-
| ponents of the bill are trying to pre-
vent, and they are dillydallying along,
selzing every possible excuse for de-
lay. with the hope of postponing nc-
ton, which is the only way they can
| defeat the measure. 1t Is declared that
If n vote could be taken in either house
almost any bill that provides for the
construction of a canal would pass.
| but the difficulty is to secure action,
and with no means of stopping debate
| OF the Senate side and the opposition
of the speaker on the House side the
prospect of Legislation seems hopeless.
The war investigation commission on
Friday took prompt action on the SEN
| sations! testimony submitted to 1t yes
| terday by CommiSsary General Easnh
| and sent the statement incorporating
his testimony back to him, with the
privilege of resubmitting it If he
chooses to revise its language. fnfther
| than this, the commission determined
it could not and should not proceed:
The commission regrets that General
Eagan proceeded as far as he did ana
| 1t is explained to-day that the vitu-
perative nature of the testimony was
n complete surprise to the commission,
and that but for the rapidity with
which General Eagan read MS long
statement and the absorbing vene-
mence of its delivery he would nave
been checked at the time. one mem
Der of the commission said to-day he
was about to move that the witness
be called to order. but decided not TO,
believing from the heated way III
which Eagan spoke that such peremp-
tory action might precipitate some CON
troversy.
The President and the secretary OF
state are exercising their brains Trying
TO contrive some method by wnicn this
government may show its appreciation
of the hospitality of France during the
recent peace negotiations. The Span
ish government has conferred upon
President Fnure the highest decoration
among its orders of nobility. III mas
decorated Ambassador Cambon and all
of the secretaries and attaches of the
French embassy at Washington III ac-
| acknowledgement of their services III
looking after spanish aialrs III ,hi'
country during the war and in assist
ing the negotiations for peace. But the
United States government has been
unable thus far to express Its graft
tude in any manner that satisfies the
Presidents Ideas of propriety. He has
no decorations to bestow, no orders
of nobility to confer, and no money at
his disposal to purchase souvenirs.
The only thing left for the Presi-
dent to do is to write II letter to the
President of France, thanking him IN
thp name of the government and the
neople for the convenences furnished
and the courtesies extended 10 our
commissioners.
In its annual report to Congress, the
| Interstate Commerce COMMISSION
saws: Until further and important
legislation is enacted, the best eiforts
mt regulation must be feeble and 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 specihc
amendments which appear TO us posi-