The Holly chieftain., 1900-04-27
CONGRESSIONAL GRIST
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.

q
an eisht-hour day on armor and like
commodities and in the building OF
warships.
After a. discussion lasting more than
two hours the Senate agreed to the two
resolutions offered on Saturday by Mr.
Bacon, Georgia. calling upon the secre-
tary Of war for information rs to the
allowances made to army officers stu
toned In Cuba and Puerto Rico and
the sums expended in providing quar-
tiers, equtpages and other .conveniences
for them. The debate took n wide
range, many senators participating in
1t. Consideration of the Quay case was
resumed, and Mr.. Perkins of California
presented an argument favorable to
Mr. Quay's claim to a seat In the SEN
ate under the governors appointment
The conference report on the Hawaiian
civil government bill was disagreed to
and a new conference requested.
Messrs. Cullom, Morgan and Clark of
Wyoming being named as conferrees.
The secretary of the interior has sent
to Chairman Sherman of the House
committee on Indian affairs, strong
adverse report on a bill to allow min
eral locations and entries on Indian res
ervat!ons. Accompanying his letter
is n report of the commissioner of In
dian affairs, which says: "If this bill
Is allowed to become law 1t will open
the way to the giving up the agricul-
trral lands in the Indian reserves to
homesteaders. This naturally follows
the allowance of mineral locations. and
there is just as much reason for allow
ing homestead entries on agricultural
lands as there Is mineral entries for
mineral lands. l am unqualifiedly OPP
posed TO the passage of the bill.' Sec
retary Hitchcock endorses everything
that is said in the commissioners re-
port against the bill, and it is probably
upon the strength of these adverse
opinions that an adverse report will
be made to the House.
The Senate military committee has
materially amended the Root bill for
army reorganization and decided to
make Miles lieutenant general and Cor
bin major general. The committee in
its amendments was influenced by the
protests which have reached the com
mittee from army officers who repre-
sented that the bill as drafted at the
War Department contained pernicious
WHICH MOlid tltlllOTullLt Illb
army and introduce politics and infiu-
ence in the administration of military
affairs. The new bill provides that the
present officers shall continue to be
promoted according to seniority, but
that hereafter any vacancy except that
of chief of corps shall be filled by de-
tail from the line, and there shall be no
more permanent appointments in the
StnH Tho nptpilS a 20 n OF For.
years, and the officers are then re-
turned to the line, and. in the case of
those below ehe rank of lieutenant col
onel, they must serve in the line for
two years before further staff duty.
Admiral Dewey is receiving commun-
ications from persons residing in vari-
ous sections of the country promising
him their support IN the coming cam
paign. These communications con-
gratulate him upon his determination
to enter the political contest, and the
majority of them profess qualification
that he has announced his intention to
have his name considered by the Kan
sas City convention. This is consider
ed very significant in view of the fact
that the letters have come from the
South and Middle West. The New
England Democrats have also been
heard from, and they have promised to
do all in their power to aid the. admir-
ais candidacy. The admiral does not
know what Influence his correspond
ents possess, but he is taking measures
to find out thow they stand and the
extent to which they will be enabled
to help him. In the meantime he is
sending a courteous answer to each
note that he receives. and he proposes
to pursue this course during the cam
paign.
Secretary Hay has not yet negotiated
treaties with Nicaragua and Costa
Rica for permission to build the canal.
but he can do so any time he likes.
Both Mr.. Corea and Mr.. Calvo, the
ministers from those countries IN
Washington, have received instruc-
tons from their governments on this
subject, and when Admiral Walkers
commission was in Central America 1t
had repeated interviews with the pres
idents of the countries named, in
which the terms were discussed with
more or less detail. Both Nicaragua
and Costa ,Rica upon invitation will en-
ter into an agreement to lease to the
government Of the United States
strip Of land twelve miles square along
the San Juan river for canal purposes.
The constitutions of those countries
forbid them to ALLEVIATE any Of their
territory, but they will lease whatever
is necessary for term of 90 years, or
800 years If necessary, at an annual
rental or for stated sum or for /;
percentage Of the tolls upon the traffic
Of the canal. Nor is there any diplo-
matte obstacle to such negotiations
Messrs. Cragin and Eyre, who obtain