Gilpin observer., 1900-02-01


"A SECOND question involved Is whether
these party rates are subject te reduc-s
tion when the service issrendered to
the government by theft OF the If
ty per cent. land grant railroads. The
ground upon which hold that the gov
ernment is entitled to the benefit of
party rates is that said rates are avail
able for the general public and there
fore for the government. As party
rates are charges, the general public
In cases like those now under consider
alton no more than fifty per cent. of
said rates can be charged"
The case of Brigham H. Roberts, the
Mormon representative-elect from
Utah, which has occupied SO much of
the attention of the House since the as
sembling of Congress, was decided
Thursday by the adoption Of n resOlu-
tion to exclude him, by vote of 26S
to so. The exact language of the reso-
luton was as follows: THAT under
the facts and circumstances of the
case, Brigham III. Roberts, representa-
tive-elect from the state of Utah,
ought not to have or hold n seat in the
House of Representatives and that the
seat to which lie is elected is hereby
declared vacant" The amendment to
expel Mr.. Roberts without seating him,
offered by Mr.. Lacey. was ruled cut on
n point of order and the House only
voted on the resolutions of the ma
jority and minority of the committee.
The latter-to seat and then eXpel Mr..
Roberts-was defeated. 81 to 244. The
majority resolutions to exclude Mr..
Roberts and declare the seat vacant.
We're adopted, 26S to 80. The affirma-
tive vote was divided as follows: Re
publicans. 164: Democrats, 30; POpu-
lists, IA. and the negative vote: Dem
ocrats. Al; Silver Republicans, .; Pop
uplists, |. There We're over score of
speakers to-day. and the closing
speeches on each side We're particu-
larly able. Mr.. Lanham of Texas
closed for the majority and Mr.. De Ar
mond of Missouri for the minority.
The Senate committee on Puerto Rico
has decided, so far as it can decide,
that the island whose affairs it has un-
der Its particular care shall be known
as Porto Rico and not Puerto Rico. as
fixed by Il recent executive order. The
question came up Saturday in the meet
ing of the committee in connection with
the Foraker bill providing for Il form of
government for the island, and the de-
cisiOn on the spelling of the name was
unanimous. The committee went over
the bill in detail. deciding upon many
changes in pllraseolOgy and some alter
atiOns in the general provisions of the
measure. Probably one of the most i'm
pOrtant changes was to strike out the
word constitution" wherever it ap-
penred in the original print of the BILL
which extended the provisions of the
constitution as well as of the laws to
yl,n te.In nal Ian, IL, l,.,
cause of the opinion generally express
ed by the members of the committee
that our constitution is not suited to
the Puerto Rico people. The opinion
was also quite general that the extern
sion of the constitution was not neces-
sary. Some of the senators expressed
the opinion that the natives of the
island were not yet prepared for jury
trials. Another important amendment
provides for the retirement of Puerto
Rican coins and substitutes for them
the coins of the United States.
The Republican members of the Sen
ate committee on Pacific Islands and
Puerto Rico have bolted the Presi-
dents recommendations in regard to
free trade and territorial government
in Puerto Rico. At their meeting on
Saturday they showed decided ten
dency to reject his advice and estab-
lish n colonial system. which nill have
to be applied to the Philippine islands
also. Its adoption is demanded because
the high protectionists fear lest the ad-
mission of Puerto Rican products free
of duty may be Il wedge to split the
present tariff. If Puerto Rico is to
have free trade Hawaii and the Philip
pine islands are entitled to the same
favor, and then we will he taking in
Cuba next and cannot refuse her what
we have given to the others. The oh
lection to the establishment of n terri
tOrial government in Puerto Rico is
found in the census returns. which
show that fully four-fiftlis of the in
halntnnts of the island are absolutely
illitcrate, and therefore unfit to eXcr-
else the rights and privileges guaran-
teed by the constitution to citizens of
the United S'atcs. The senators argue
that If we take in Puerto Rico as Il
territory W, must give the people free
and unlimited suffrage. trial by jury
and the right To enact their own laws.
responsibilities which cannot safely be
intrustcd to more than II small part of
the population. Therefore 1t is deemed
best to treat Puerto Rico as child and
keep her In the nursery until she has
been educated in the ways of civilza-
tiOn. \ colonial government will be
recommended. with n governor general.
to be appointed by the President. and
II legislative council. whose acts nre to
he subject to the approval of Congress.
When the Senate committee on privi-
leges and elections adjourned its hear
ing Tuesday of the charges made
against senator Clark of Montana In
connection with his election to the
United States Senate, II was under
stood TINT the defense would be pre-
pared to proceed with its witnesses
not later than Monday next. Mr..
Campbell said he would have only one
or two more witnesses. and without
stating how many men he would call.