Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1900-03-21
THE NATIONAL LEGISLATURE.
The Pacific Cable; Election Cases; New
National Park Etc.

Washington, March 81. - The senate
committee en naval affairs agreed to re
port the bill for Pacific cable which
Senator Hale was authorized to draft AT
the last session Of the committee, and
the report was later presented to the
senate. The bill provides for Il present
cable only to Honolulu, but declares a
purpose to extend it in the future, the
first section reading as follows: THAT to
the end of establishing hereafter tele
graph communication between the United
States and the Philippine Islands and
Japan under the waters of the Pacific
ocean there shall be constructed under
the supervision of the secretary of the
navy submarine telegraphic cable or ca
bles and connecting land lines from the
city of San Francisco to the city of
Honolulu, II. l., over such route as may
be deemed by the secretary of the navy
to be the most practicable"
Three million dollars is appropriated
for the work, and further surveys are au'
thorized to determine the most practica-
BILE route. The secretary is empowered
to cause plans to be prepared immediate
ly upon the passage of the act and to
employ naval vessels, if necessary, in the
construction. The control of the cable
when completed is to be transferred to
the postmaster general.
A new provision in the bill requires
that "the cables, wires and other instru'
ments, materials and appurtenances nee
essary in the work of laying the cable
shall be Of American manufacture. pro
vided that it can be procured at cost
not exceeding IL per cent above what il
could be procured for in foreign mar.
kets."
After the senate convened Mr.. Nc
Comas (Md.), representing majority OF
the committee on privileges and elec-
tions, presented report and resolution
declaring Mr.. Scott (W. Va.) to be Ell
titled to his seat in the senate. The res
olution was placed on the calendar. Mr.
McComas stated that Mr.. Pettus (Ala.)
would present minority report.
The House.
When the house met. Mr.. Hull Ga.)
chairman of the committee on military
affairs, reported back from that commit
tee the following resolution introduced
by Mr.. Sulzer IN. ":
"Resolved, That the secretary of wal
is hereby directed to inform the house OF
representatives as early as possible what
Notifications Great Britain is greetings
constructing and completing along the
northern frontier of the United States.
especially at Puget sound and othe,
places Oh the Pacific ocean contiguous to
the state of Washington and the district
of Alaska"
The committee recommended that it lie
upon the table. The resolution had been
referred to the war department, Mr.. Hull
said. and came back with the following
Endorsement:
"The information the department pos
sesses on this and like cases has always
been held to be confidential and for good
and sufficient reasons has not been made
public.
ut is remarked, however, that Great
Britain, so far as the department is in
formed, is In no instance erecting forti
6cations trespassing on our rights. me
Endorsement Is signed III. q. Corbln, Ad'
jutant General"
Mr.. Sulzer delivered a scathing denun.
citation Of the administration alleged
pro-English course, charging that it did
nothing without the consent of Downing
street; that the recent action OF Secre'
tary Hay was taken upon the request OF
Lord Salisbury and defeated concert OF
the European powers to intervene in
South Africa and charging generally that
the English were erecting Notifications
along the Canadian border that menaced
the peace and welfare of this country.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Sulzer's re
marks on a rising vote motion to lay
the resolution on the table was carried