, 1900-02-08
WASHINGTON NEWS.
What Is Doing.-Notes From the
white House and the Departments.

The Lawton fund now amounts to
$4,000 and the subscriptions Will
close In II few days.
In the Supreme Court on Friday
three attorneys We're admitted to prac-
tice, one from Alaska, one from New
Mexico and one from the Hawaiian Is
lands, which is an evidence of expan-
sion.
President Mckinley was 1fty-seven
years old on the 18th, having been
born at Niles, Trumbull county, Ohio,
January 20. 1913. lie received many
congratulations from visitors and a
large number of ~cablegrams and teie-
grams felicitating him upon the occa-
sion. Many floral remembrances We're
sent him.
In answer to Il Scnate resolution,
Secretary Gage has sent to the Senate
n report upon the coast and Eeodetlc
survey with special reference TO the
new island possessions of the United
States. He says the of the
surveyor are inadequate TO complete
the survey of Hawaii and Puerto Rico.
He says the problems of the Philip
pines are much larger and recommends
the establishment of II Sub-Otfice nj Ma
Mia.
The House committee on mileage
has rejected the claim of Brigham ii.
Roberts of Utah for mileage in con-
nection with his contest for n seat in
the House. Mr.. Roberts puts in II
claim for mileage from Salt Lake city
to Washington. 1857 miles. and return,
at the usual rate of 20 cents II mile
each way. making n total of S1,O3S.So.
MIR. Roberts was not present to-day
and 1t was understood he had gone TO
Chicago.
For more than three hours Tuesday
Mr.. Bacon of Georgia occupied the at
tentiOn of the Senate with n discussion
of the Philippine question. His argu-
ment. which had for its basis his own
resolutions declaratOry of the govern
ment's policy toward the Philippines.
was listened to carefully by his fellow
senators, and by n large gallery audi
ence. He maintained that the United
States owed rs much to the Filipinos
as il does to the Cubans. to whom by
resolution of Congress self-gOvernmcnt
had been promised. II he strongly
urged that his resolutions declaring ii
to he the intention of this government
to confer the right of government upon
the Filipinos be adopted "a II means
not only of terminating the war. but of
extending to II strugglig people Justice
and freedom.
Speaking of the lack of courts IN
Alaska, Lieutenant Jarvis of the owe
nue. marine service says that on his re
cent voyage down from II Boring sea
country he brought several prisoners
and witnesses in charge of II United
States marshal who We're compelled by
the government of the United States to
go 1000 miles to attend court and TO re-
main away from their homes all WHITE"
because there Were no means by which
they could return home after their ties
timlony was taken. Some of them will
have 10 II away from their Ome for
nearly n year unless they are able 10
lind passage upOn II whuler early in the
spring. This injustice is due to the neg
lcct of Congress 10 provide courts for
Alaska. and Lieutenant Jarvis thinks il
ought to be corrected as Soon as posi-
Bile.
Much interest attaches to the ap-
preaching investigation by the House
committee on military affairs in the
matter of the trouble in the Occur
d'Alene country. This hearing is to
mel on the l4th of February.
Among those already summoned to
give testimony at that time are State
Auditor Bartlett Sinclair of Idaho.
Governor Steunenburg of the same
state. and General Merriam. who com
manded the department at the time of
the troubles. The witnesses on behalf
of the Miners Union have not yet been
summoned. although 1t is known that
President Boycc and others will be
called. The investigation will take II
wide range and the testimony is likely
to prove very interesting. owing to the
peculiar political ratification of the
case, involving each of the several par
ties in Idaho.
The United States and Great Britain,
IL was definitely learned tonight. have
cached an amicablr agreement re-
speeding the operations of the Clayton
Bulwer treaty as affecting the right of
construction II control 10y the United
states of the proposed Nicaragua canal.
The result marks the termination of
conferences between the officials of the
state Department and Lord pnuncefoic
Of fully II years duration. during
which "A number of meetings were held
and the subject fully discussed by the
representatives of the governments in
tcrCStCd. Great Britain agrees to a
modification of the Clayton-Bulwcr
treaty by which she practically relin
pushes any claims respecting n legal
,ontrol of the Nicaraguan canal after it
shall have been constructed. The result
therefore is to eliminate that feature
of the treaty bearing on the subject of
dual control, and 10 leave The United
States free to construct and thereafter
control this great intcr-ocennic water
way.
The woOlgrOwcrS of Ohio have asked
the President 10 withdraw from the
senate The reciprocity treaty with
the Argentine Republic. which gives
Il reduction of twenty per cent. or .
cents and . mills per pound. on the
luty on wool imported from that c0un-
try; the sugar beet producers have ask
al that the treaties with Jamaica and
the other British West Indies he with
drawn because they give II reduction
Of twelve and Onc-hIlf per cent. in the
duty on sugar imported from those
countries; and several other interests
have asked for the withdrawal of the
reciprocity treaty with France for sew
rIal similar reasons, but the President
declines to crafty them. He thus