, 1900-04-26

or officer in the future. The commit
tee thinks this is selfish, and has lost
its interest in the subject,
The secretary of the interior has sent
to Chairman Sherman of the House
committee on Indian affairs, n strong
adverse report on n bill to allow min
eral locations and entries on Indian res
e%rvations. Accompanying his letter
is a report of the commissioner of In
dian affairs, which ays IF this bill
is allowed to become n law 1t will open
the way to the giving up the agricul-
tural lands in he Indian reserves to
homesteaders. This naturally follows
the allowance of mineral locations. and
there is just ms much reason for allow
ing homestead entries on agricultural
lands as there is mineral entries for
mineral lands. l nm unqunlifiedly op-
posed to the passage of the bill" Sec
rotary 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-
mfttee from army officers who repre-
scented that the bill as drafted at the
War Department contained pernicious
provisions which would demoralize the
army and introduce politics and iniu-
ence in the administration of military
affairs. The new bill provides that the
present officers shall continue to be
rrounptnl a,,nrIfpr e., en,to,it,, l,.
that hereafter any vacancy except that
of chief of corps shall be filed by de-
tail from the line. and there shall be no
more permanent appointments in the
stan. The details are to last for four
years. and the officers are then re-
turned to the line, and. in the ease of
those below the 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-
IL sections of the country promising
him their support in the coming cam
paiEn. These communications con-
graduate him upon his determination
10 enter the political contest. n 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 IN which fhnN- will la I,In1
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.
Sacret,rr How h,,
treaties with NJ U, re
Rico for nnrmissinn 80 h"u5 nv ISL
Int he can do go nm, tirno ho Ill
Roth AR Corso omd NJ Cnivo Nc
ministers from ,hoso ,no iv
Wosbington hara reoo,'nl III
tinns rrorn lit vi
srhiac, ma ~ - w III
commission was in Central America il
had repeated interviews with the pres
idents of the countries named. in
which the terms We're discussed with
more or less detail. Both Nicaragua
and Costa Rica upon invitation will en-
ter into an agreement 10 lease to the
government of the United States n
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 II term of 80 years, or
y years If necessary. at an annual
rental or for "A stated sum or for "A
percentage of the tolls upon the traffic
of the canal. Nor is there any diplo-
matte obstacle to such negotiations.
Messrs. CraEin and Eyre, who obtain
ed an option from the Nicaraguan gov
eminent for IL canal concession. have
been formally notified that their rights
terminated and that their option ex-
pred on the l1th of April last, because
they ana not comply with its terms on
that date by the payment of 100000.
MIR. Cragln claims that he has six
months more to pay the money and
perfect the option, but the Nicaraguan
government does not look ut it in that
| WAN.