The Somerset reporter., 1900-02-22
AT Washington.

passage OF the bill, amendments were
considered under the 10 minute rule
Only two of these amendments were
adopted, viz: One offered by The finance
com mittee keeping the door open To in
ternational bimetallism and one oy Mel
son of Minnesota. providing for national
banks with S25, 600 capitals in towns of
not more than 1900 Inhabitants The
votes taken on the various amendments
offered were practically along party
lines
The bill as passed consists of 10 sec
tons. 1t provides that the dollar of rs
8 10 grains of gold nine -tenths fine shall
be the standard unit of value and that
all forms of United States money shall
be maintained at parity with 1t; and
the treasury notes and greenbacks shall
be redeemable in gold.
The secretary of the treasury is to set
apart a fund of S1500000O in gold for
the redemption of these notes and to
sell bonds of the United States bearing
interest at not exceeding per cent.
1t shall also be the duty of the secre
tary of the treasury as fast as standard
silver dollars are coined TO require an
equal amount of treasury notes aud to
issue silver certificates against the silver
30 coined Under certain provisions,
too, gold certificates shall be issued
against the gold in the treasury. No
United states notes or treasury notes
shall be issued in denominations of less
than $40 and no silver certificates in de-
nominations of more than $40
The secretary of the treasury is also
authorized to refund the bonded debt of
the United States in 80 year bonds bear
ing per cent interest, the principal
and interest of these bonds to be paid IN
gold. The 2 per cent. bonds shall be
issued at no less than par.
Any national bank, by depositing in
the United states treasury, bonds of the
country shall be permit d to issue cir
culatiDg notes to the face value Of the
bonds deposited, no bank being allowed
to issue circulating notes in excess of
the amount paid in capital stock of the
bank.
rbe 81 oud bill" relating to second
class mail matter was favorahly acted
on by the House committee ON post
roads and post offices, Friday AS final
ly agreed on a uniform rate of cent per
pound is fixed, the proposed clause
making the rate 2 cents in case of eX-
treme distance being omitted The
mailable matter of this class ia to in
clude all newspapers and periodical pub
lications issued at stated intervals and
as frequently as four times a year, but
provision is made against books and re-
prints purporting to be issued period.
cally. A new provision as to sample
copies is made allowing such copies up
to SO per cent of the bona fide subscrip-
ton list and not above 500 of any one is
sue. In other respects the original form
of the bill is preserved The committee
also directed IA favorable report on bill
revising and codifying the postal laws
1t is still denied, in behalf of the
President by those who stand closest TO
him in council, that he has changed his
own view of the question of free trade
in Porto Rico. But his recent compla-
cency toward the protective attitude of
ongress is explained as merely con
sistent with his theory that Congress is
sole arbiter of the destines of our new
colonies One argument which is said
to have had especial weight with HIM is
that for the present Porto Rico must
have IA revenue from some source; that
internal taxation would fall heavily on
the planter element, increase the cost of
local Consumers and paralyze the indus
tries of the island; but that scale of
duties 50 low as to impose no consider
able check upon commerce with the
United States, and the income from
which is to go back into the insular
treasury, would enlarge the market for
Porto Rican produce and furnish the
necessary revenue at the same time. 1t
is understood to be his hope that as
time goes on and the American interests
affected are able to just themselves to
the new conditions, Congress will find 1t
practicable to lower Porto Rican duties
by degrees till they disappear altogether.
The island having meanwhile got well
upon its feet and prepared itself for
other methods of taxation.
The attention of the Senate, this
week, is being given largely to the rela-
tions of the United States to the insilar
possessions The bill providing form
of government for the Hawaiian islands
has right of way and if it should be so
fortunate as to be finally acted upon be-
fore the close of the week the Puerto
Rican bill under the agreement made in
the Republican caucus will be immedi-
ately taken up. The probabilities are
that the Hawaiian bill will be debated
at considerable length and that many
amendments will be offered to it.
In the House the Puerto Rico tariff
bill is under consideration. 1t is under
stood that a move has been determined
or VIII oh may result in the passage of a
shipping subsidy bill. but with very
different features from the lianua bill.
Four Western Republicans, stevens of
Minnesota, Fordney of Michigan, Jones
OF Washington, and Minor of Wisconsin,
who hold the balance of power on the
committee, have decided on bill which
will limit the subsidy 10 fast boats of
fifteen or sixteen knots, built since 1885.
The secretary of war has sent to the
Senate and House military committee a
draft of bill that the department
claims greatly strengthens the military
system and remedies defects developed
during the Spanish american war. The
bill was introduced in the House, Mon
day, by Chairman Hull. A chief feature
of the legislation asked for provides for
one-third of the promotions to be made
by selection. This Is to enable the
President to reward specially gallant
and meritorious service.
The President sent to the Senate,
Monday, the following nominations for
pOstmasters in Maine: George A. Her
rick, Madison; Isaac Dyer, SkowhegaD /;
N. A. Burrell, Cumberland Mills.
A simple resolution of inquiry intro
duced In the Senate, Monday, by Hale,
Me-, precipitated "a constitutional debate
which was prolonged for more than an
hour and was participated in by some of
Ill L.. L.. . H.