Gilpin observer., 1900-01-25

| CNCis SChtCiCu Ou tAC tPCCSu vi thC
from Utah, who followed Mr.. Little
fleld In speech of an hour and half.
4 The special committee of the House Of
Representatives to investigate the case
Of Brigham H. Roberts of Utah to-day
reached final conclusion. On the p>
lygamous status of Mr.. Roberts, the
committee was unanimous, and agreed
upon formal statement of the facts.
On the question Of procedure to be
adopted the committee was divided.
The majority, consisting of all the
members except Littlefield. of Maine
and DeArmond of Missouri, favored
exclusion at the outset. Messrs. Lit
tlefeld and DeArmOnd will make a
minority report favorable to the seat
ing of Mr. Roberts on his prima facie
rights and then expelling him.
The officials of the War Department
have known for long time that Sen
ator Hoar's speech made in the Senate
more than year ago in favor of grant
ing independence to the Philippines
was cabled to Hong Kong, translated
into the native languages, and distrib-
uted among the different tribes of the
Philippine archipelago by the junta at
Hong Kong for the purpose of incit-
ing resistance against the authority of
the United States. 1t was cabled from
here to Paris and from Paris to Hong
Kong, and, as stated by ex-Minister
Barrett in the papers this morning, the
telegraph tolls are said to have eX-
ceeded 1000 1t is also known to the
War Department officials that the
money was contributed by the wealthy
''anti-imperialists" in this country.
The War Department has made pub
lie statement showing the imports
at the port of Manila for the three
months of July, August and Septem-
ber last, being the first official data re-
lating to imports during so long q pc
riod since American occupation. The
total value of merchandise entered at
the Manila custom house from the
three months named was 81, ,S02, ,5S1. In
addition there was So, $40 in gold coin
and $3.50. .294 in silver coin from Brit
ish India, and $500, TO7 in silver coin
from China. bringing the aggregate of
imports up to S6.443, 102 or at the rate
of more than S25,30O,OOO year from
Manila alone. The growing nature of
the trade is shown by II comparison
with the amounts for all Philippine
ports for the fifteen years ending with
1884. during which time the average
yearly imports of the archipelago only
amounted to. S17.039.O44, OF approx
liiittlN tWO-tuliuS ol lne
dicated by the trade of three months
ending with September, 1889, for Ma
Mia alone.
The sixteenth annual report of the
United States Civil Service Commits
sion has been submitted to the Presi-
dent. The report. while containing
much information of value concerning
the operations of the commission dur
ing the year. deals with Il number of
subjects of general public interest The
remarks of the commission on the i'm
portance of a merit system in our
colonel possessions: the need of max
ing some disposition of superannuated
employees: the Improvement shown in
the reduction of the percentage of re-
movals throughout the service, result
ing from the requirements of the law
and the order of the President of July
p. 1897. looking to its enforcement,
and the advantages TO be gained by
the classification of the force of the
library of Congress and the municipal
service of the District of Columbia, de-
serve special attention at this time.
The report opens with Il preliminary
statement in regard to the extent of
the classified and unclassified service,
from which it appears that there are
approximately 10000 CLASSIFIED po-
sitions and 100000 unclassifiod po-
sitions: of the latter. 11.007 are occu-
pied by fourth-class postmasters. There
are 10.i4G positions in the executive
service in the District of Columbia.
and more than 10000 distributed
among the states and territories. The
commission states that the eXpendi-
lures for salaries for the entire service.
classified and unclassitied. is approx
mately S10I, 100000 per annum Il large
increase having resulted from the war
with Spain. The total number of ap-
pointments made during the year on
certificates of the commission was
9,05G
Colonel Bryan's visit TO Washington
last week resulted in an agreement
among the Democratic leaders Of the
Senate and House of Representatives to
advocate hereafter n harmonious and
uniform policy upon at least two i'm
pOrtant issues-eXpansion and trusts.
There has been II very wide divergence
of sentiment in that party upon the
first proposition, and some of the most
ardent of eXpansionists are found in
its ranks. Finally after n heated dis
, cussion and reluctant yielding upon the
part of several prominent men. they
got together" so to speak. and devised
policy which Is to hold until the na.
tional convention. 1t does not differ
materially from that defined In the res
olutions offered by senator Bacon of
Georgia last December, and may be
summed up as follows: /. The sup
preston of the insurrection In the Phil
ipplne islands. .. The establishment
of II republican form of government
| there as soon as the insurrection Is SUP
pressed. 3. The withdrawal of the
army ns soon as such n government Is
i'm operation. 4. The REIMBURSEMENT
of the sovereignty of the United States,
but the exercise of II protectorate over
the islands in order to prevent foreign
| lnInrfnrnnnn tEhn lSsIn nf Sol