, 1900-01-25
WASHINGTON NEWS.
h Congress is DoinE.-Sotes From the
white House and the Departments.

which are based chiefly upon the
ground that he has been and still is in
terested in legislation o pending in
the Senate.
Representative Sbafroth said to-day
that there appeared some misunder-
standing as to the provisions of the
arid land bill which ne has Introduced,
of the passage of which he is so conf
dent. 1t does not provide for the ces-
sion of all the arid lands but n loan of
100000 acres To each state.
The secretary o: war has returned to
the military committee of the House.
with II favorable Endorsement, n bill
recently Introduced by Mr.. Moody of
Massachusetts, providing that the Off
GERS of the army who have served in
two wars with credit may be retired
with the rank next higher than that
which they now hold.
The House on Thursday passed the
SENATE bill TO extend the powers of the
director of the census, after striking
out the committee amendment to
authorize the director to contract for
extra printing with private contractors.
The whole fight was upon ihnt amend
ment. The influence of the public
printer n the labor organizations of
the country Were employed against 1t,
and after "A lively debate of several
hours it IA overwhelmingly defeated.
The publication of the reports of the
twelfth census, therefore, Will be made
by the public printer as in the past.
The special committee of the House of
Representatives to Investigate the case
of Brigham ii. Roberts of Utah today
reached Il final conclusion. On the po-
lygamous status of Mr.. Roberts, the
committee WIS unanimous, and agreed
tt.r. a. 49,. ~ s-.-
On the question of procedure to be
adopted the committee was divided.
The majority, consisting of all the
members except LittletieId of Maine
II DeArmond of Missouri, favored
exclusion mt the outset. Messrs. Lit
tletield and DeArmond will make II
minority report favorable to the seat
ing of Mr.. Roberts on his prima facie
rights and then expelling him.
1t has been decided by the Postofficc
Department to permit the star route
system in IL measure to supplement the
system of rural free delivery. Second
Assistant Postmaster General Shallen-
berger has found that it is feasible to
permit carriers on sta routes to de
post mail in proper receptaclcs placed
along their line of travel. This plan
will be started in South Carolina be
ginning July LIST, and will be extended
to other parts of the country as rapidly
rs possible. This innovation makes
necessary II change in the postal regu-
lation which forbidS nall contractors
and their drivers access to the mail
matter or to any mail locks or keys.
Attorney w. Il. Harrison, who is
here representing the Denver Chamber
of Commerce. was heard before the In
~terStntc Commerce Commission Fri.
day. He appeared in the case of Kin
del against the railroads for violation
of the long and short hau clause in
Denver freight charges. Mr.. Harrison
made an excellent presentation of the
arguments for the recognition of Den
ver's claim to fair treatment in tran
pOrtati0n. He was attenttvely listened
to by the commissioners MIR. Harri-
son says that he is confident that the
commissioners will give Denver the re
lief sought.
There is no disposition on the part of
the Navy Department to make any
change in the program for new nava
construction Oh account of the intro
duction of the German bill looking 10
the addition of forty-eight armored
ships to the German navy. Attention
is called to the fact that there are now
already authorized twenty-one ships
for the navy in addition to the fleet
atioat. This number is as large as 1t
is believed Congress VIII authorize Mt
this time, II us the German increase
is to be divided among eighteen years,
while our is continuous to each Oh
gress, 1t is felt that the United States
navy is in no danger of losing the posi-
ton it nov commands.
The ways and means subcommittee
recently named 10 inquire rs to the le-
.-,I - .IL- TF..t 3D. 90.
applicable to newly acquired islands or
dependencies in II session are discuss-
ing the general subject. The members
feel that the question is n pivotal one, on
which Will depend the adoption of tar
if systems for the islands The only
decision directly bearing on the point
is by Chief Justice Marshall. holding
that the term United States means
he entire territory over which this
government exercises control. The
members of the committee, including
Mr.. Newlands who started the inquiry,
are inclined to view the foregoing opin-
ion as II dictum incidental to the case
IL not establishing IL fixed principle
of law.
The treasury officials say tina favor
itism has not bcen shown in making lie
postts of public money with national
banks. for such deposits have never
been refused when bonds accompanied
ii as security, They further say that
no complaint or criticism of the pres
cnr system of dopuSiting public funds
has ever been received from Il bank
or n banker or my other financial or
commercial association of II sort. be
cause they are familiar with the meth
DDS of the Treasury Department and
approve them, The only complaints
and criticisms have appeared in the
newspapers or have been made 10y pol
iticians for political effect, There are
now $50 banks designated as dopOsi-
tories of public moneys. and on Satur-
day last the amount intrusted to them
was Sg6,IlT, 900. OF these nineteen are
in Illinois. thirteen in Indiana, eight in
Michigan, eight in Wisconsin, twelve
in Iowa. seven in Kansas, six in Ne
braska and twcnty-tlrcc in Ohio.
The Grand Opera House, the largest
auditorium in Washington, was packed
To the doors sunday night with III On
thusinstic audience that expressed its