The Springfield herald., 1900-02-02
WASHINGTON NEWS.
What Congress Is Doing.-Notcs From the
white House and the Departments.

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.
Kentucky Republicans are trying to
induce President Mckinley to Interfere
in behalf of Governor Taylor OF that
state. The President refuses on the
ground that lbe courts are the proper
means Tor scttl az soc controversy.
The present policy of the admins
tration and of the leaders in Congress
is to have the Philippines permanently
Eretain their own tariff against the I'm
Sited States and all other countries,
giving all other nations the same trade
advantages that are enjoyed by the
United States in accordance with the
'.open-door" principle.
The Senate committee on military at
fairs has reported favorably on Sen
ator Warren's bill directing that mon
ument be built to mark the site OF the
Fort Phil Kcarney massacre, which
occurred December 81, 1866, near
where the city of Buffalo, Wyoming,
is now located. The public lands COM
mittee reported favorably Mr.. war.
ren's bill donating 10000 acres OF land
to the Wyoming soldiers and Sailors
Home at Cheyenne.
nal bill will be passed during the pres
ent session of Congress. Speaker Hen
derson is in favor of the bill and OF
prompt action Senator Frye, presi-
dent pro tempore of the Senate, wants
action by the Senate, and expresses the
belief that the bill will be passed ut an
early date. The measure will receive
the approval of the President. These
statements are fully warranted by
canvass of the two houses.
The Senate committee has closed the
hearing on the bill to establish 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 and revising his
original bill to conform with the views
of the committee. Speaking generally
1t Is proposed to place Puerto Rico on
the some footing as the territories OF
the United States, with free trade IN
all respects.
Secretary Gage was before the House
! committee on coinage, weights ana
measures the other day and spoke In
favor of the adoption of the metric
system. Mr.. Gage also referred to the
need of fractional silver currency. he
pointed out that at present the demand
the issue ran considerably beyond the
$5O,OOO,OOO authorized by law, and he
recommended that this legal restric-
ton be repealed.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 re-or-
ganiZation of the elective officers Of
that body and nominated Hon. Charles
Bennett of New York for secretary, to
succeed Hon. William X. Cox, and
Hon. Dan NJ. Ransdell of Indiana for
sergeant-at-arms, to succeed Colonel
r. ]. Bright. No selection was made
for chaplain, which will have the ef-
feet of continuing the blind chaplain,
William III. Milburn, in that office. The
allotment of the minor offices was
placed in the hands of the caucus COM
mittee.
The record in the "open door" matter
is almost complete. All the nations in
volved except Italy and Japan have
submitted in writing the guaranty re-
Quested by Secretary Hay that the mer-
chants and manufacturers of the Unit
ed States shall have equal rights and
privileges in the Chinese markets. It
ally and Japan, the only nations to be
heard from, have also responded, al
been received. This completes one of
the most notable and important
achievements in the diplomatic history
/, of the United States.
Senator Clark of Montana Is the most
accomplished lingust in Congress, al
though he never had the benefit of n
college training. He obtained all his
education in the common schools at
Mount Pleasant, Iowa. up to the time
he was twenty-one years old. He ac-
quired his knowledge of foreign
tongues since he became rich, and the
study of French. German, Spanish and
Italian has been a 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 their literature.
Representative White of North Car
olina, the only colored representative
in the House has reported a bill for
1.-The protection of all citizens of the
United States against mob Violence"
etc. 1t provides that all persons shall
be protected from being murdered, tor
tured or burned to death by mobs
known as "lynching bees whether
spontaneous or premeditated, and all
participating. aiding or abetting in
such affairs are made guilty of trea-
son against the United States govern
ment and subject to prosecution in the
United States courts.
The report of the House committee
on agriculture on the bill to reorganize
and Improve the United States weather
bureau, states that this measure is de-
signed to inaugurate an ideal merit
system. "To briefly summarize the
salient features of the proposed law,
it may be said that 1t apportions ap-
pointments among senators, represen-
tatives and delegates without regard
to their political faith. and 1t provides
that candidates Sbnl1 ha Dotninatal