Gilpin observer., 1900-02-15
WASHINGTON NEWS.
What Congress 10 Doing.-Notes From the
White House. and the Departments.

| $oc,ooO, mas DeeH placeu III u Dnnk uert
subject to Mrs. Lawton's order.
The House committee on public lands
has heard Colonel Buffalo" Jones in
favor of n bill for n buffalo reservation
in New Mexico. He stated that the
American buffalo was almost extinct,
the entire number the world over being
800 or 400.
Bishop Satterlee of the Episcopal do
cese of Washington is visiting Philadel-
| phia, New York and other eastern cities
| for the purpose of raising funds for the
erection Of II national cathedral in this
city of dimensions and a style of archi-
lecture corresponding to the wealth and
dignity of this nation.
Judge Barnard of the United States
| Court of the District of Columbia has
rendered decision which has caused
sensation in Congress and is likely
to be the subject of earnest discussion.
He holds that Congress has no power
to fix the rates to be charged by II cor
poration holding public franchise and
using the public thoroughfares. The
case in point is that of the telephone
rates, which Congress cut from S12o to
$50.
1t is reported that the Democrats in
Congress have decided to cast Il solid
vote against duties on Puerto Rican
products. They will accept the Presi-
dents recommendations, while the Re
publicans will reject them, with three
or four exceptions in the House, and a
dozen or more in the Senate. If seven
or eight of the Republicans in the
House vote for free trade with Puerto
Rico it can be carried. but in the Sen
ate it will require ut least fifteen Re
publican votes to overturn the commit
tee.
Although no one would begrudgc
Mrs .Lawton IL penny of the money that
has been contributed by the admirers
of her husband. there are other wild
ows equally deserving and even more
destitute of the worlds blessings. Bills
granting pensions TO the widows of
these officers have been introduced in
both houses of Congress and will no
doubt be passed. but they will not
carry more than $50 or $40 n month,
and that. as everybody knows, will not
go far toward the support and cduca-
tion of children.
The President has nominated the fol-
lowing as commissioners of the United
States to the International Exposition
at Paris: Thomas f. Walsh of Colo
RADIO. Bertha Iionore Palmer of Hi
nois, Brutus j. Clay of Kentucky.
Charles \. Collier of Georgia, Michael
II. DeYOung of California, William l..
Elkins of Pennsylvania. o. ii. Fethers
of Wisconsin. Peter Jansen of Ne
braska. Calvin Manning of Iowa.
Franklin Murphy of New Jersey.
Henry a. Parr of Maryland, Henry NJ.
Putney of New Hampshire. Alvin Ii.
Sanders of Illinois, Louis Stern of
New York, William G. Thompson of
Michigan, William NJ. Thornton of Vir-
ginia. Arthur Il. Valois of New York.
An order has been issued by Second
Assistant Postmaster General Shallen-
berger providing that no bid be sub
mitted under an advertisement hereaf
ter issued for carrying the mails on Il
star route or on screen wagon route
shall be considered unless the bidder
resides or agrees to reside OH or con-
tiguous to the route on which the SER
vice is to be performed, and give his
personal supervision to the perform
ance of the service. The issuance of
this order was made necessary by the
many failures of speculative contrac
tors to perform the service required by
their contract. During the five months
ended January 31st. 1900. the number
of failures that required the employ
ment of temporary service amounted to
sol.
Mrs. Lillian VI. Stevens. president of
the National Woman's Christian Tenn
perance Union: Miss Anna A. Gordon,
vice president-at-large, and Mrs Mar
garet Dye Ellis. superintendent of the
department of legislation for the so
ciety, We're granted an interview by
President Mckinley Monday after
noon. Mrs. Stevens. on behalf of BOO
900 members of the Woman's Christian
Temperance Union. expressed what
she declared was the general dissatis-
faction of the people ut the decision of
Attorney General Griggs regarding the
sale of liquor in the army canteen. She
appealed to the President as command
er-in-chief of the army to right this
great wrong" assuring the executive
of the committees hope and belief that
If he were obliged to accept as final
the adverse decision of the attorney
general he would give his support and
approval to such further Legislative eff
fort as might lead 10 the result de
sired, she said by good people every
where, and whose wishes We're regard
ed by Congress in the passage of the
anti-cantcen bill
The House committee on Interstate
commerce is trying to decide whether
the government shall build n
cable line to connect our new
possessions in the Pacific. or
whether we shall pay n subsidy
of SIOO, 900 n year to IL private corpora
| tion which offers to do so on those
terms and send free of cost all mes
| sagcs relating to government business.
Surveys have already been made. and
tlp naval uiIthpritipS recommend tIut
n cable be laid from San Francisco to
Honolulu. 200 nautical miles: to Mid
way, 1,1GO nautical miles. and TO Lu-
zon, 1872 nautical miles, with II land
line from Lingayan bny 10 Manila.
This makes n total distance of G.192
nautical miles. A nautical mile is g..
OsI.1 feet. while the ordinary geo