The silver star., 1900-02-02

| ed to senator's, reading as IolioWs' ne
it resolved. that nll the remaining pun.
lie lands of the United States should
he held for the benefit Of the whole
| people and that no grants of the title
10 any OF these lands should be made
to any but active settlers and home
builders on the land We consider this
a matter OF great Importance to labor
and homc-seekers.'
Enormous crowds were present to-
day to witness the opening of the de-
bate in the Roberts case. Fully three
fourths OF the spectators were women.
Principal interest centered In the
speech of the accused congressman.
and after Chairman Taylor of the com
mittee had read the majority report fn-
yoring the barring of the man from
Utah and the report of the minority
favoring his being seated md then ex-
expelled Mr.. Littlefield. representing
the minority, challenged Mr.. Taylors
authorities. the principal interest how
ever, centcrcd on the speech of the man
| from Utah, who followed Mr., Little
field in a speech of an hour and a half
A report prepared by Frank H.
Hitchcock of the Agricultural Depart
ment shows there has been Il great
| development of our trade with China
and Japan during the past decade. In
| the fiscal year 1899. the value of the
merchandise exchanged with these two
| countries. including the port of Hong
Kong. reached $S1.305.GSS. against
only $46,29I. .161 in 1899. Figures given
show that in the decade there was a
gain of S2S.393, 1876. or 256 per cent.
In exports. while the increase in i'm
ports amounted to only S12,6lS.3G5. or
thirty-six per cent. During the last
few years. in fact, the imports dis
closed an actual falling of. the value
for 1889 being sligo, 131 less than that
for 1896. which was recorded at SiS.-
?I9,1GG. Our exports. on the other
hand, more than doubled during the
three years succeeding 1896.
The fiat has gore forth from both
Senate and White House that the re-
ciprocity treaties. against which vigor-
Gus protests have recently been filed by
western senators and representatives
| are TO be abandoned. The State De
partmcnt has discovered that there is
little chance for the ratification of the
treaties, owing to the fact that unless
this action Is taken within the next six
ty days, the treaties will expire by lin
itation. When the treaties We're nego
tiated a period was fixed in each with
in which ratification must take place or
the treaty will fail. The Argentine
treaty was concluded on July 10th last.
and required TO be ratified within seven
months from date. or by February
10th; that with France requires ratifi-
cation before March oath: those with
the British West Indies before March
22nd. With the unlimited debate rule
in the Senate, and the well organized
opposition to the treaties 1t Is recog-
nized that ratification before the dates
Of expiration by Limitation Is out OF the
question, and senators are advising
their constituents. whose interests wefe
threatened by the reduction OF tariff
duties proposed by the treaties, tina,
| danger from this cause IL ended.
The Senate committee on Puerto Rico
has decided. so far as 1t can decide.
that the island whose affairs 1t has un-
der Its particular care shall be known
as Porto Rico and not Puerto Rico, ns
| fixed by a recent executive order. The
question came up Saturday In the meet
ing of the committee in connection with
the Foraker bill providing for form of
government for the island. and the de.
cision on the spelling Of the name was
unanimous. The committee went over
the bill in detail, deciding upon many
changes in phrascology and some alter.
atoms In the general provisions Of til.
measure. Probably one Of the most i'm
porfant changes was to strike out the
word constitution" wherever it ap.
reared in the original print Of the bill
which extended the provisions of the
constitution as well as of the laws to
the island. The change was made he
cause of the opinion generally express
ell by the members OF the committe.
that our constitution Is not suited /,
the Puerto Rico people. The opinion
was also quite general that the cxiri'
sion of the constitution was not ne. ~
sary. Some of the senators expressed
the opinion that the natives of III,
island were not yet prepared for jur,
, trials. Another important amendincn
provides for the retirement of Pucrt,
ltican coins and substitutes for then
; the coins Of the United States.
Mr.. Trnccwell. the comptroller OF th,
trensury. has rendered decision to til,
effect that common carriers which d.
an Interstate business and give part,
rates" to theatrical and other orgnnizn
tions. must give the same rates To tn.
general public under similar cOihi
; tions. ana also to the government II
: the transportation Of troops He says
. "a second question involvedlis whcthr,
|
tion when the service IL rendered u
the government by the free or the III
: ~ per cent. land grant railroads. Th,
ground upon which ! hold that the gov
crnment II entitled TO the benefit %
party rates II that said rates are avail
able for the general public and there
fore for the government. As part.
. rates are charges. the general publi
In cascs like those now under consider
, alton no more than fifty per cent. o
, snid rates can be charged"
r The cnse OF Brigham II. Roberts, TIN
Mormon representative-elect frou
/ Utah. which hns occupied no much o
? the attention OF the House since the ~
, sembling OF Congress, WINS decide,
Thursday by the adoption OF n rcsoi,
tl0n to exclude him. by a vote OF ~
| to 30. The cxact lnngunge OF the reese
. luton was ns follows: '"That unde
the fncts and circumstances Of IN
/ case. Brigham II. Roberts, Representa-
I uve-elect from the state OF Utnl
ought not to have or hold sent In III
House OF Representatives nnd thnt III,