Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1900-02-08

thoriZes the Attorney General 10 Dring
suit for the amount of claims the feder-
al government has against Virginia, and
that also holds the State responsible Tor
the West Virginia share of her debt.
The only bill that has any bearing upon
the matters referred to. is one that was
approved March Ord, 1899. one day be-
fore the adjournment of the last session
of Con gress, be z IAN act to amend an
acts entitled an act to reimburse tins
governors of States and Territories for
expanses incurred by them in aiding
the Uniied States to raise and organize
and supply aud equip the volunteer
army of the United States in the exist
ing war with Spain, approved July Stb,
1898, and for other purposes" the 4th
g ction of which reads as follows:
THAT the expenses incurred by the
governors of States in carrying out
the provisions of this act shall he paid
to them, Notwithstanding any unsettled
accounts, claims, or Indebtedness OF
the United States against their States,
and without prejudice to such unset
tied accounts: Provided, That when
such unsettled account is caused by a
default in payment of principal or in
terest on any bonds or stock issued or
guaranteed by any State, the owner
ship of which is vested in the United
States, the Secretary of the Treasury
be, and he is hereby, authorized and
directed to institute any act or pro-
ceeding which he may consider advis-
able against such State or its repre-
sentatives to secure the payment of the
principal and interest of said bonds or
stocks"
But this amounts to nothing as the
Constitution provides, and the U. 5.
Supreme Court has often decided, that
States cannot be sued-not even by the
Secretary of the Treasury, great as Sec
rotary Gage imagines himself to be.
New York people here today say the
reason Mr.. Bryan did not have a larger
audience when he spoke there last
night, was the TACT that he spoke for the
benefit OF G.. A. R. post, all of whose
members will vote against him, and
that the democrats there would not pay
for any such purpose. If the proceeds,
they say, had been for himself, there
would not have been standing room in
the immense hall.
Inquiry in senatorial circles indicates
that the republican leaders are bring
ing the heaviest sort of pressure upon
their side to rally solidly to the support
of the new treaty with Great Britain
There is some disposition to slightly
change the document, but none of the
prominent republicans will admit there
is probability of the President with
drawing the treaty and having q new
one drawn. The treaty is certain to re-
ceive several democratic votes and it,
opponents are compelled to rely upon
republicans to aid them in its defeat
The general understanding is that q
long debate will ensue before final &C
ton is taken.
Senator Lindsay aud Representative
Wheeler, of Kentucky, called at the
White House this morning to give the
Pre- ;ijent such advices as they have re.
ceived from their troubled State. "The
fighting is all over down there" said
Senator Lindsay, "every one has put
up his shooting iron and the white
winged dove OF peace has returned to
its old abiding place at Frankfort
Mr.. Wheeler said that he returned
from Kentucky last night and left
things very quiet there.
The latest report on the progress oil
the bubonic plague at Honolulu was
received this morning. II is to the ef-
feet that Notwithstanding the destruc.
ton of the Chinese part of the
city the disease is raging there. Up to
date there have been 46 cases with 40
deathe. The whole town has been dis
tricted and each house is inspected
twice day with reference to keeping
track OF the inhabitants, discovering
cases of the disease and enforcing san
itary measures. About 1000 Asistics
and natives are homeless and are now
corraled in different places under
guard and are being fed at public ex-
pense. 1t is feared, however, that
many of them got away and may
spread the infection far and wide.
Mr.. Hepburn, chairman of the House
committee of commerce, which has had
under consideration the bill providing
for the construction of the Nicaragua
canal, is ready to report the measure
to the House as soon as he shall have
committed his views on the matter to
writing which will be in few days.
The Hsy-Pauncefote treaty he de-
pounces as ''irretrievably bad" He
sSvs, at will give the canal project q
set. back il rat fed. which hope it will not
be- England by that treaty has retained all
the rights she had under the Clayton-B1lwer
treaty, without sharing the expense of build.
ing the canal. By the Hay -Pauncefote treaty
we recognize the Clayton Bulwer treaty
which the best lawyers of this country have
pronounced rs either void or voidsble. The
canal besides, ought TO be fortified, and hope
1t will be-"
The Senate interstate commerce committee
held meeting this morning and considered
the bill amending the statutes reg,rding the
shipment Of live stock. The present law re-
quires that stock at the expiration of %
hours ehall be unlOaded, fed aud wstered,
and given rest of hours. The shippers
want the time extended to 40 hours. No
decision has yet been reached by the com.
mittee, but the bill will soon be reported, al
indicated above.
The President received the delegates to the
Master Painters and Decorators convention
at the White House this morning. He shook
hands with each visitor and congratulated
them upon the flourishing appearance of their
organization.
The Senate commerce committee today re-
ported favorsbly the House bill amending the
RIVER and bsrbOr act of last year, relative TO
the improvement Of Galveston ship channel
and Buffalo bsyou Texas. Senator Chiffon
appeared before the committee and urged
speedy action, The amount of money that
will be available this yesr is 100000.
James Dunlop, ex.cbsiIman of the Ken
tucky democratic State committee, arrived in
this city this morning and went into consul
tst'on with Congressman Berry and other
Kentucky democrats. The purpose of bis