The silver star., 1900-05-18
CONGRESSIONAL GRIST-
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.


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Senate rejected the ssclsszsseo 70 eres-s-
without refer~Dce 10 lie r-ics ~ v wn,cn
de rore1nmen, ccu5c S-czre A-E<c
plate fer its wz-shifs. AZ srzo< pssfe
I fsc.ory. IT, Tzs-- rr-on the d.r~S prV
position was - 10 ~
TIE Supreme Court resumed its hear'
ing Tuesday IN the Kentucky governor
ship case Hon w o. Bradley. for
ner governor. being the only speaker
He appeared for Governor Taylor. tax
ing up the first claim Of the opposition
that Taylor had never possessed any
tile to the Office He Concluded that
TayioTs title was as good as that Of
auy ether man who had ever held the
ossce He argued that Taylor's title
was complete: that he was not only de
ture governor, but de facto governor
as well. and that every step that he
lad taken es governor was legal Mr..
Bradley attacked the finding Of the
Legislature in the case as irregular and
closed The court took recess until
May 14th-
The Senate COMMITTEES. on Indian dep
relations has reported farorably Sen
aoor WaTen's bill TO strike out the
sn.ty clause Of the act providing for
the settlement of Indian depreciation
claims II will b. recalled that the
original act required the claimant to
show that the Indians who destroyed
his properly were At amity with the
United States. This requirement bar
red hundreds Of legitimate claims ar.s-
t. -. a. \ a to- rT..w
Arizona. Wyoming. New Mexico. Utah.
Idaho and Washington. as well As In
-oue Of the states further east II
was found to work great hardship and
injustice to legitimate claimants, and
Consequently Senator Warren iniroduc-
ed a bill 20 corercr the law. II Is i'm
possible TO predict the outcome of the
bill az this session. but it is almost GER
tain TO pass the Senate. though II may
be stalled in the House.
The leaders OF the Liberal party. who
have been engaged since last June In
an attempt to overthrow the govern
nent OF Colombia. which is conserva-
tive In policy. have sent emissaries to
Washington to ask the recognition Of
their belligerency by the United States.
As a consideration they agree. when
they come into full power. to cancel the
concessions for canal granted to Ma
poIeon Wyse. under which the Panama
company Is now operating, at the date
Of It's termination in July. 1902, and
make n new one with the United States
government which will give us control
Of the isthmus. The de facto govern
ment at Bogota- in the person Of DR..
Saclamente. constitutional president Of
Colombia. has recently extended the
Wyse concession for six years. until
1908. and Is said TO have received s.
O0O.0OO francs therefor from the Pana-
ma company. AT the same time that
company is released from the payment
OF certain fines and penalties and from
certain annoying obligations that have
been imposed upon IL from time TO time
by the government but neither these
releases nor the extension Of the ca
nal concessions are valid without the
ratification Of the Colombian Congress.
Senator Mcmillan OF Michigan has
| introduced a bill for a new kind Of
money TO be called post check notes. -
fixed 30 that they may he made paya-
bic TO the order Of any person TO whom
they may be sent through the mails. On
the back Of every note blank lines are
To be left to write the name. Iostofiice
and state of the payee and the sigma
ture OF the payer. as on ordinary bank
checks. Thus when John Doe owes
Richard Roe $50. instead of making out
a check he can take nm ordinary bill,
| fill the blank lines with the words,
pay TO the order Of Richard Roe, Chi
cago, Illinois. John Doe" and stick on
a two-cent stamp, which Is intended to
pay the government for the trouble and
expense OF doing the business. Thus
this note Is worthless If 1t falls into the
hands OF any other person than Mr..
Roe, who, however. is compelled to 90
to the postofiice and have himself iden-
titled before he can get II cashed. The
postmaster forwards the notes to the
treasury for redemption and new ones
are issued to similar amount and in
similar denominations. The notes Of
the Bank Of England. which are print
ed on white paper with good deal Of
blank space. are frequently used in
n similar manner by common consent,
although there Is no law authorizing
such n practice. Mr.. McMillan's bill
receives considerable favor from the
postofilce authorities. ms they believe 1t
will bc great advantage TO the postal
service. but the treasury people do not
regard 1t with favor.
In the discussion In the Senate Of the
question OF providing armor plate for
battleships now being built notable
| speech was delivered by Mr.. Lodge Of
Massachusetts upon the necessity Of
building up the United States navy
without delay. The speech was deliv-
cred with the vIgOr and earnestnesss
characteristic OF Mr.. Lodges discussion
OF public questions. and attracted much
attention. In opposing M amendment
to delay buying nrmor plate until the
United States could erect It's own plant
he snid: II hope nnd believe that we
slnll have no war. but n great feet Is
the grentest assurance Of peace. How
ever, we would bc foolish. indeed, II
we should close our eyes 10 the possi-
bllitles OF the situation. We could new.
or allow the Danish islands to pass In.
to any hands but ours. The Eiiropcan
nation which should undertake to take
possesslon Of those islands, right on
the road to the cnnal, and make them
| great nnvn1 stations, would nv TINT