The state herald., 1900-03-23
WASHINGTON NEWS.
What Congress Is Doing.-Notes From the
White House and tho departments.

The House committee on pubic iahus
has reported favorably the bill exteho,
Ing the provisions of the soldiers
homestead act to soldiers OF the span
ish war and Philippine insurrectioh'
President Mckinley has asked the
authority of Congress to place Geheral
Shafter on the retired list with the RANK
of major-general. General Smarter
was retired from the regular army as
brlgadier-general several months ago
but the President thinks his public ser
vices Justify this distinction.
Ex.Speaker Reed was in town Satur,
day and spent the greater part CT the
day In the room Of the ways anu
means committee chatting his former
colleagues abut the Republican muddle'
Mr.. Reed has always been an anti-ex.
pansionist and sees n great deal of
humor in the present condition.
The Senate committee on Interstate
| commerce has decided to ask the Sen
ate to recommit the bill extending the
| maximum time for the confinement or
live stock in transit from twenty-eight
| to forty hours. This decision was due
| largely to the representations that the
change would result In cruelty to AMI
mails undergoing shipment.
The last legislative step in the enact
ment Of the financial bill was taken by
the House of Representatives Tuesday.
when the conference report on the bill
was adopted by vote of yeas 166,
nays 100; present and not voting. 10.
The Senate had already adopted the
| conference report, SO that 1t only re-
| mains for the President to affix his sig
nature to the measure to make It a
law.
The remains of sixty-six soldiers who
died In Cuba were buried Mt Arlington
cemetery Wednesday with military
honors. The bodies of about 500 sol
diers who died in Cuba now rest In this
historic spot. The officers mt Fort
Myer had charge of the services, which
were very simple. A Protestant ana a
Catholic clergymen read the burial ser
vice. taps We're sounded and n volley
fired over the graves.
The national society, Sons of Ameri-
en-. will present medals to such mem
bers of the District of Columbia society
ms served in the war with Spain. This
action is taken in accordance with n
resolution adopted by the last Congress
thorizing committee to procure from
the government an old Spanish gun or
plate from one of the captured ships. to
strike medals from the same and dis
tribute them 10 members Of the society
who served in the last war.
Admiral and Mrs. Dewey left here
Saturday night for n trip south. They
expect to visit Savannah, Macon, St
Augustine. Jacksonville and Palm
Beach, The admiral and Mrs. Dewey
probably will not return to the city un-
til the latter part Of next month, at
which time. it is said, they will sail
for Europe, visiting the Exposition
some time during the summer. Mrs.
Dewey has been made chairman of the
battleship committee In aid of the chill
dren's eastern festival for the Cuban
orphan asylum.
The Republicans have fired ths FIRST
shot at the trusts in pursuance of IN
structions from the national commit
tee OF their party. Representative Ray
of New York has introduced from the
special subcommittee on trusts joint
resolution proposing an article - the
constitution to be voted upon by the
winter. II is TO be article 90. and en-
powers Congress 'to regulate and re-
press monopolics and combinations; to
create and dissolve corporations and 10
dispose Of their property"
Great Britain will have to accept the
amendment proposed by the commit
tee on foreign relations to the Hays
Pauncefote treaty. whether she wants
1t or not. If the British government
should refuse TO accept the amended
treaty Congress would promptly de-
clare the Clayton -Bulwer convention
revoked and proceed TO enact canal leg
islation upon that presumption. The
secretary of state and Lord Paunce-
fotc have had no official communica-
tion on this subject since the amended
treaty was reported. although they un-
dersiand each other perfectly.
The Investigation Of charges that GER
tain federal appointments are polyga.
mists came TO close Tuesday by an
agreement for a unanimous report from
the House committee on posttiices and
post roads, which holds that at the time
the appointments were made the Pres
ident was not aware that the appoint
ees We're charged with polygamy. As
to the facts OF the polygamous status
OF nppointees, the report states that the
common reputc OF the communities In
which they lived, was that the parties
were polygamists, but that there Is n
want OF definite and conclusive evil
dence on that point.
AT meeting OF the national execu.
tive committee engaged In raising
funds for home for Rear Admiral
Schley. last night, Secretary Evans re-
ported many favorable responses TO the
circulars soliciting contributions. He
also reported that absolute refusals TO
contribute to the fund had been re-
ceivcd from the naval contingent In
Washington, with one single exception,
that OF Rear Admiral lIichborn. and, In
some instances the refusnls were nc.
compnnled by adverse comments on the
committees project, A letter from Miss
Edna McClclland OF the New York OK.
ecutivc committee FOR the fund, report.
ed that thousands OF dollars We're be.
Ing raised.
The American section nj the Paris
Exposition Will be closed upon Sun.
days by order OF the President. A dele.
CATION representing the American Sab.
bath Union called upon tho prcsidcn,
several days ngo and asked him TO Is.
she orders 10 Commissioner General
Peek TO prohibit NIL labor by the work.
men and clerks connected with the
American Commission 10 the Paris Ex.
position on the sabbath day and 10
close the American pavilion aud cover
NIL the American exhibits on Sundnys
throughout the exposition. The Prcsl.
dent thanked III. delegation for brlny-