, 1900-02-01
WASHINGTON NEWS.
What Congress is Doing.-Notcs From tho
white House and the Departments.

&f'Sf HHNA "a 81 ~ N1h'
bureau in this city, was fatally injured
Monday night by being thrown from
his bicycle. His skull was fractured
and he died the next day.
keptucky Republicans are trying to
induces President Mckinley to interfere
in behNf of Governor Taylor of that
state. The President refuses on the
ground that the courts are the proper
means for settling the controversy.
The present policy of the admins
tration and of the leaders in Congress
is TO have the Philippines permanently
retain their own tariff against the I'm
tied States and all other countries.
giving all other nations the same trade
advantages that are enjoyed by the
United States in accordance with the
'opcn-door" principle.
The Hepburn-Morgan Nicaraguan ca
nal bill will be passed during the pres
Cnt session of Congress. Speaker Hen
derson is in favor of the bill and of
prompt action. Senator Frye, presi-
lent pro tempore of the Senate. wants
action by the Senate and expresses the
belief that the bill will be passed at an
early date. The measure will receive
the approval of the President. These
statements are fully warranted by Il
IVA of the two horses.
Nv mn ''llllilAAA'' ilhH ''r go
hearing on the bill to establish IL form
of government in Puerto Rico and has
released Governor General Davis, who
has been here To assist with his advice
and Information. Senator Foraker Is
preparing the report II revising his
original bill to conform with the views
of the committee. Speaking generally,
it Is proposed to place Puerto Rico on
the some footing as the territories of
NI-. Tactical s4sL.r ,u~ttl Etn. rnla n
all respects.
Secretary Gage was before the House
committee on coinage. weights and
measures the other day and spoke in
favor of the adoption of the metric
system. Mr.. Gage also referred TO the
nccd of fractional silver currency. He
pointed out that at present the demand
for fractional coin was so urgent that
the issue ran considerably beyond. the
S"5O,OOO,0OO authorized by law, and he
recommended that this legal r%cstTic-
tion be repealed. leaving the treasury
to determine the proportion of frac-
tiOnal coin necessary.
The Republican caucus of the Senate
has decided definitely upon the rc-or-
Ennization of the elective officers of
that body and nominated Hon. Charles
Bennett of New York for secretary. to
succeed Hon. William Il. Cox. and
Hon. Dan NJ. Itansdcll of Indiana for
sergcant-at-arms, to succeed Colonel
II. j. Bright. No selection was made
for chaplain. which will ave the eff
feet of continuing the blind chaplain,
William IL. Mi,nurn, in that office. The
allotment of the minor offices was
placed in the hands of the caucus com
mittec.
The record in the open door matter
is almost complete. All til" nations in
vOlvcd except Italy and Japan have
submitted in writing the guaranty re
qucstcd by Secretary Hay that the mer-
chants and manufacturers of the Unit
ed States shall have equal rights and
privileges in the Chinese markets. 1t
ally and Japan, the only nations To be
heard from, have also responded, al
though the communications have not
been received, This completes one ii
the most notable and important
achievements in the diplomatic history
of the United States.
Senator Clark of Montana is the most
accomplished linguist in Congress, al
though he never had the benefit of Il
college training. He obtained all his
education in the common schools at
Mount Pleasant. Iowa. up to the time
lie was twcnty-onc wears old. lie aC-
quircd his knowledge of foreign
utN Hlllti lt ltt.lillt lltll, ana Inc
study of FrNnch. German. Spanish and
Italian has been II diversion from the
mental and physical labor of looking
after his vast estates. He speaks. reads
and writes all the languages named,
and is familiar with heir literature.
Representative White of North Car
DINA. the only colorcd representative
in the House has reported Il bill for
the protection of all citizens of the
United States against mob Violence"
etc. Ii provides thai all persons shall
he protected from being murdered. tor
turcd or burned to death by mohs
known as 'lynchiug bees" whether
spontaneous or prcmcditated, and all
participating. aiding or abetting in
such affairs are made guilty of trea-
son against the United States govern
mcnt and subject to prosecution in the
United States courts.
The report of the House committee
on agriculture IN the bill to r~corganize
and improve the United States weather
bureau, states that this measure is de
signed to inauguratc an ideal merit
system. ITO briefly summarize the
salient features Of the proposed law.
it may he said that II apportiOns APP
pointmrnts mon senators. represen-
tativeS and delegates without regard
to their political faith, and it provides
that candidates shall be nominated
under such conditions as will render it
difficult. If not impossible. to effect
the permanent appointment or the pro-
motion of an unfit person
The reports of the committee on priv
ilcgcs and elections In the case of NJ.
S. Quay, who claims n seat in the Unit
ed States Senate IN the strength of an
uUuuiutmpnt from the governor of