, 1900-02-15
WASHINGTON NEWS.
h Congress is Doing.-Notes From the
white House and the Department..

SUBJECT to Mrs. Lawton's order.
The Colorado State Board of Horti-
culture recently chose n successor to
Mrs. Martha A. Shute as secretary.
Ihere ls likely to be a contest over the
matter, as Mrs. Shute Is very popular.
The House committee on public lands
has heard Colonel Buffalo" Jones in
favor Of a bill for a buffalo reservation
In New Mexico. He stated nat the
american buffalo was almost extinct,
the entire number the world over being
300 or 400.
Bishop Satterlee of the Episcopal do
cese of Washington is visiting Pbiladel-
phia, New York and other eastern cities
Tor the purpose of raising funds for the
erection of a national cathedral In this
city of dimensions and a style of archi-
lecture corresponding to the wealth and
dignity of this nation.
Judge Barnard of the United States
Court of the District of Columbia has
rendered a decision which has caused
n sensation in Congress and is likely
to be the subject of earnest discussion.
He holds that Congress has no power
to fix the rates to be charged by a cor
poration holding n public franchise and
using the public thoroughfares. The
case in point is that of the telephone
rates, which Congress cut from SIPS to
$50.
The treaty with Great Britain rela-
tive to the building Of the Nicaraguan
canal was received by the Senate Mon
day n was read in executive ses-
sion. Senator Davis, chairman of the
committee on foreign relations, moved
to make the treaty public, as 1t was a
Snhinct in which oil p-nra nraotIu i'm.
terested, but after some discussion 1t
was decided to refer the matter to the
committee on foreign relations before
taking that step.
Special Plenipotentiary Kasson for
the United States and Baron Fava, the
Italian ambassador, for the govern
ment, at the State Department Thurs
day, signed n reciprocity arrangement
under h third section of the Dingley
act. This arrangement does not re-
quire the action of the Senate, but 1t
does need the ratification of the Italian
chambers. Until that has been obtained
1t is deemed well to withhold the text
Of the agreement from publication.
1t is reported that the Democrats in
Congress have decided to cast a 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 1t car be carried, but in the Sem
ate it will require at least fifteen Re
publican votes to overturn the commit
tee.
Although no one would begrudge
Mrs.Lawton a penny of the none that
has been contributed by the admirers
of her husband, there are other wild
ows equally deserving and wen more
destitute of the worlds blessings. Bills
granting pensions to the widows Of
these officers have been introduced in
both houses of Congress and will no
doubt be passed, but they will not
carry more than $50 or $40 a month,
and that, as everybody knows, will not
go far toward the support and educa-
ton of children.
Senator Caffery Of Louisiana, in a
discussion of the Philippines in the
Senate Monday, broke new ground in
developing his position as an anti-ex-
pansionist. In response to a question
as to what in the present circum-
stances he would do with the Filipinos,
he said with characteristic courage of
conviction: 'vTurn them loose as soon
as we can get rid of them. That would
be better for them and infinitely better
for u.s." Mr.. Caffery's argument was
mainly a discussion of the constitution
al question. He maintained that the
constitution extends absolutely owe
the Filipinos and that they were en-
titled to all the rights and privileges
Df pifiyanS nf tho ITnffnI Stafns Urnran-
teed by the constitution.
The nomination of Mrs. Potter Pal
mer of Chicago to be one of the COM
missioners of the United States to the
Paris Exposition has been decided up
on and will be sent to the Senate at
the same time the other commission
ers are named. The President has Sc
lected twelve commissioners under the
authority at present granted him, but
a proposition Is before Congress to per-
init him to add six other commission
ers to the list, and rs he prefers the
names of the full commission shall be
sent to the Senate in one list he has de-
cided, for the present at least, to de-
fer nominating any of the commits
sioners until Congress indicates its
final intentions with reference to the
size of the commission.
The Senate finance committee has re-
ported a new section to the financial
bill as follows: That the provisions
of this act are not intended to place
any obstacles In the way of the accom-
plishment of international bimetallism,
provided the same be received by con-
current action for the leading COM
mercial nations of the world and at a
ratio which shall insure perma7ence of
relative value between gold and sill
YER" When the committee met, Sena-
tor Aldrich, chairman, offered the
amendment declaring for international
agreement for the recognition of BIZ
metallism. The Republican members
manifested no surprise and the Demo-
Gratis received the amendment with a
sarcastic smile. There was but little
discussion. Senator Aldrich said In
reply to questions that the object of the
amendment was to meet the criticism
that the Republicans had abandoned
the position for international bimetal-
lism taken by 1t in he st. Louis con
vention. The vote on the amendment