Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1900-02-01
A NEW DEPARTMENT.
The Establishment Of a Department
Of Commerce Favored.
FRACTIONAL SILVER COIIS MADE.


Washington, Jan. g. The question
OF establishing Il department OF III
government 10 be- known as the de
Dartment of commerce, with cal'
| met officer at its head. was discussed
at considerable length by the senate
committee on commerce yesterday
The discussion was based upon very
complete report on the subject pre-
pared by Senator Nelson. The com
mttec adjourned without taking ac
ton. Senator Nelson's report SHOWED
the gradual growth Of the depart
mental business Of the government
Each of the eight departments except
the treasury and the interior, the re
port said, was devoted TO single in
terest, while both these departments
covered many varied departments. lie
concludes that there is a public de
mand throughout the industrial
world for the proposed department
and that in order TO make the de
partment comprehensive and effective
IL should be vested with control over
all branches Of the public service re-
latng to the industrial interests. II
is proposed to include in the depart
ment Il bureau of manufactures and to
transfer from the treasury depart
ment the life saving, lighthouse, ma
rne hospital and steamboat inspec-
ton services, the bureaus of nayi-
cation, immigration, statistics and
coast and geodetic surveys, TO trans
fer from the Interior department the
commission of railroads, the census
Office and the geological survey, and
from the state department the b-
reau Of foreign commerce. The de-
pariment of labor and the fish com
mission are also placed under this SUI
peryision.
Frartionni silver Coins Produced In 1899.
Washington, Jan. o6.--In response
to resolution of inquiry, the secre-
taly of the treasury yesterday sent Il
statement to the senate concerning
the fractional silver coins produced
in 1880, The statement places the
total at $l0.S1s.613. The secretary
says "Of this $l,s6O,6O2 was from
bullion which had accumulated at the
mints silver parted from gold.
There were no purchases of silver bull
lion except those under section $3.50,
which during the year aggregated
j73,1s6 standard ounces, costing $780,
oil, From January to September
s the price paid for these partings
was 80 cents per ounce. The seign-
forage arising from the coinage was
paid into the treasury New coins
manufactured during the year ON
Scignlorngc act amounted to 500, ls0.-
70l. OF this, however. So,ss0.O00 was
actually coined from bullion pur-
chased under the act of July ", 1890,
and though held for ultimate use as
such bullion. at present furnishes a
stock of subsidiary silver against
which he uncurrent coins constantly
coming into the treasury are en-
changed.
Ia. President Answers Resolutions
Washington, Jan. %. The presi-
dent yesterday sent Il response TO the
senate resolution requesting informa-
ton concerning u representative of
the South African republic. lie sim
ply transmitted a report of Secretary
Hay, who says that "in October last
James r. O'l|eirne, u distinguished
citizen of New York, visited the de-
partmcnt of state ntmating that he
was the accredited representative of
the South African republic, He was
courteousy received and informed
that it was not the practice of the de-
pariment of state to recognize citi-
zen of the United States as the repre-
sentative of foreign power. No gov
eminent and no representative of any
objected or protested
against he official recognition by the
of the United States of
Gen. VBeirne or of anyone else as
the representative of the South Afri-
can republic"
To Extend Pension Provisions
Washington, Jan ga favorable
report was yesterday made by the
senate committee ON pensions ON Sen
ator McBride's bill extending the pro-
visions of the act of 1892, giving pen
sions TO the survivors Of the Black
hawk war; to the survivors of the
early Indian wars of Oregon, Cali
fornia, Texas, Florida and other
states.
B0URKE COCHRAN'S PLAN.
n