, 1900-02-22
WASHINGTON NEWS.
what Congress Is Doing.-Notes From the
white House and the Departments.

sAht III 1 Jul luI lht
possible effect 1t may have upon the
november election. Although the Re
p~ublicans profess absolute confidence
In the reelection of President McKin-
ley, and he Democrats that such a re-
SUIT is entirely probably, nevertheless
no legislation is framed and no vote is
taken without ~forecasting the conse-
quences upon he presidential cam
paign.
There Is slight possibility of the ex-
puislon of Senator Clark of Montana.
In the first place, the evidence offered
by his prosecutors mas not impressed
the committee, and secondly, no man
was ever expelled from the Senate of
the United States. 1t takes a two
thirds vote, and even In the case of
Caldwell of Kansas, some twenty-five
years ago, when the evidence was very
clear, it was found difficult to get a
majority.
1t is reported that the Democrats in
Congress have decided to cast n 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 1t will require at least fifteen Re
publican votes to overturn the commit
tee.
The President has nominated the fol-
lowing as commissioners of the United
States to the International Exposition
at Paris: Thomas Il. Walsh of Colo
RADIO, Bertha Honore Palmer of ILL
nois, Brutus j. Clay of Kentucky,
Charles A. Collier of Georgia, Michael
H.. 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.
Realizing that it will be a long time
before any bill to organize a perma-
nent form of government in Puerto
Rico can become II law, the delegates
from the Chamber of Commerce at San
Juan have asked the committee in
charge of the Puerto Rican bill in
Congress to hurry through a joint res
Olution fixing the commercial and in
dustrial status of the inhabitants of
that island and the amount of duty,
If any, that is to be imposed upon i'm
ports from and exports to the United
States. Business is now entirely para
lyzed and no change for the better can
be expected until this question is set
tied. There is no immediate haste so
far as organization of the government
is concerned. The present military
government is entirely satisfactory,
but the commercial and industrial par
alysis will continue until h embargo
upon trade with the United States is
removed.
Governor Richards of Wyoming
reached here this evening to attend the
meeting of governors called for Febru-
airy 21st by President Mckinley, to ar
range for the Centennial celebration
of the establishment of the United
States Congress. Other western gov
ernors who will attend are Governor
Thomas of Colorado, who will arrive
tomorrow; wells of Utah, Paynter of
Nebraska, Murphy of Arizona, Otero
Of New Mexico, Steunenberg of Idaho
and Smith of Montana. While here the
western states governors will hold n
meeting to discuss the needs of the
western country and arrange plans by
which desired legislation beneficial to
the West may De secured. The pro-
posed plan of having the Rocky Noun
tain states unite in sending a distinc-
tive western exhibit to the Paris Expo
sition will also be considered and steps
aiken to carry the proposition into eff
feet.
The Senate substitute for the House
currency bill was passed by the Senate
Thursday by the decisive majority of
46 to 20. Prior to the final passage of
the bill amendments We're considered
d III ten-minute rule. Only two
of these amendments were adopted.
viz: One offered by the finance com
mittee, keeping the door open to inter
national ~bimetallism. and one by Mr..
Nelson OF Minnesota. providing for
national II with $25, 200 capital in
towns OF not more than 1000 inhabi
tants. The vote taken on the various
amendments offered were practically
along party lines. Mr.. Chandler Gre
publican, New Hampshire) voted for
the bimetallic amendment, but against
the bill. Mr.. Caffery Democrat, Louis
lanai and Mr.. Lindsay Democrat,
kentucky voted against the commit
tee amendment, but for the bill. Mr..
Kyle South Dakota) was the only SEN
ator who did not vote, and was not
paired. The free silver substitute of
fered by Mr.. Jones, the leader of the
Democratic side. was defeated by a
majority of 10, the vote being AZ to %.
The Senate committee on woman
suffrage gave a hearing Tuesday to
delegations form the mi suffrage
convention and the anti-suffragists.
The s~uffragists Were introduced by
Miss Susan b. Anthony. Mrs. Rachael
Foster A. Avery read a paper prepared
by a IN who had twice been elect
ed mayor of a Kansas town. This de
scribed in detail what had been accom-
plished in the way of municipal re
form in Kansas, and indicated that
there had been a publication of munic-
ipal affairs since suffrage to women
had been granted. Mrs. Mary G. Brad
ford of Denver read a paper upon the
effects of popular suffrage / N Colorado.
She noted the Improvement of condi-
lions at the polls. There had been Il
higher standard of candidates for pub
lie office. The women voters had i'm
proved themselves. There We're 10000
.,-.. .Va.,.. .ANA, L., raIA,I- Shan.