The Monte Vista journal., 1900-01-06
FROM WASHINGTON.
GOSSIP OF THE WHITE H0Vog
AND THE DEPARTMENTS.

The President Is talking about tax.
ing trip to the Pacific coast in the
spring. The new battleshlp Ohio will
be launched at the Union Iron Works.
San Francisco, In April or May, and he
thinks he may be able to get away for
. fortnight at that time.
General Miles will take precedence
over Admiral Dewey 1t receptions and
all other public functions. The Cabi-
net has decided that rank has nothing
to do with the question. hut that the
army ID entitled to FIRST place by virtue
OF seniority In organization.
Attorney General Griggs mas return
ed to the Interstate Commerce Com
mission the transcript Of the evidence
taken at hearing before the commits
sion last week In the matter Of the new
freight classification. with . view to
action by the attorney general under
the antitrust law, II his judgment
should warrant the same. He states In
reply that he does not believe that an
action would result In conviction un-
der the law.
Senator Hoar is drawing the report
privileges and elections In favor Of
seating Mr.. Quay Ms q senator from
Pennsylvania upon the certificate OF
Governor Stone on the ground that ev.
cry state is entitled to two senators.
and that IL Its Legislature does not ill
vacancies as they occur the governor
has the power to do 80. He takes very
broad grounds that the failure of the
Legislature to elect should not deprive
state Of representation.
The secretary of war has modified
the requirements as to physical proper
tions Of candidates for enlistment In
the army. In an order just Issued he
rays: ut In not necessary that the ap-
plicant should conform exactly to the
figures indicated In paragraph ITO. A
variation not exceeding ten pounds In
weight or two inches In chest measure
ment lat explrntion) below the stand
ard given In the table IL admissible
when the applicant for enlistment ID
active. has firm muscles and 10 evident
ly vigorous and healthy"
The session Of the Cabinet Tuesday
was brief. but 1t was the occasion Of
the important announcement by Secre-
tary Of State Hay that the negotiations
with the great powers of Europe and
Japan to secure common understand
Ing for \ continued open door pol
Icy" throughout China had been emf
nently successful. and that favorable
responses had been received from
Great Britain, Germany. France. Rus
sia and Japan. The only country ad-
dressed which has not yet responded
IL Italy. and q favorable answer Ii also
expected from her.
The naval board which conducted
the trial OF the Miller coaling system
has submitted Its report to Admiral
Bradford. chief OF the equipment bu-
.rau. In weather nv heavy m 1t wns
practicable TO coal ship under any con-
dtions, the device transported about
twenty tons an hour safely. Altogeth-
er the board concludes that the appar-
atus will he Of value during wnr time.
and consequently the plant with which
the experiments have been conducted
will fre paid for by the government un-
der the. terms Of the contract made last
summer.
Ex-senator Faulkner OF West vir-
ginia. who Ia looking after the inter
es's Of senator Clark Of Montana be-
fore the committee Of privileges and
elections. has determined to subpoena
every member Of the Montana I-egisla-
ture and make him testify under oath
whether he received money OF consid-
erniion Of nny sort fde hfA v6te for
United States senator nj the recent
election. Mr.. Faulkner contends that
this Is the only way to ASCERTAIN the
truth or falsehOOd Of the charges
against Senator Clark. and he expects
10 disclose the fact that other cnndi.
dates than his client are liable to the
same accusation under which he IN
resting. He also expects TO produce
confessions from witnesses who test.
fled against John Ii. Welcome.
The State Department has received
from Ambassador Choate nt London by
cable Il statement of the facts he had
developed in connection with the selx.
nre by British warships Of American
goods on The three merchant vessels,
Beatrice, Mashona and Maria. The
goods comprised not only Hour. but
miscellaneous articles Of common
trade. They We're shipped for IOurcnxo
Marques in British and German ships.
but our officials contend that they were
not subject 10 seizure. They could not.
however, lodge representations on the
subject until they were Possessed OF u
knowledge OF the facts, and nx soon ns
Mr.. Choates statement came TO hand
an instruction was cablsSi to him to In
form the British government that We
could not admit the right Of the seizure
In these eases.
Notwithstanding the efforts Of the
Treasury Department to get rid OF its
money. the surplus has been piling up
with great rnpidliy during December.
and the available cash is nearly &l3..
UD.uO more than II was nt the begin.
ming Of the month. the balance stand.
Ing yesterday nj S1}7 500: .:sts. The nc-
tunl excess of receipts over expendi.
lures for December was nearly eIS,-
100000, although II appears on the
hooks M only about S1.00O,WO, b.
cause nearly <ll.O0O.OOO was paid out
ms Interest on the public debt that wus
not due until January. The excess OF
receipts over expenditures for the last
six months has been over fa5. nm. 600
and the treasury officials predict that Il
will exceed S'1.ODOO during the cur.
rent fiscal year. Notwithstanding the
extraordinary expenditures In the Phil.
ipplnsr.
The monthly statement Of the public
debt shows that nt the close Of lr,si.
ness December 10. 1870. the debt. less
cnsh In the treasury, amounted to 81.
lN.5D.0OT. \ decrease for the month
~ s5.7Di .sa,. This decrease In largely
accounted for by the purchase of
bonds during tho month. The debt Ii
rs.ra Al tt,lus..J N~~l1cA... Ia