The age-herald., 1900-06-04
AGU|NALDO SHOT BY
 MAJOR MARCH'S MEN
Americans Have Little Doubt But That the Famous
 lnsurgent Has Been Killed.

occupied to a considerable extent with i'm portant treaties. Of these the treaties with Great Britain and Germany closing
 the tri-partite government in Samoa and
 awarding to the United States the island
 of Tutila with it's valuable harbor of Pago-
 Pago has been ratified, while the commer-
 cial reciprocity treaties with France and
 the British West Indian islands and the Hay-Pauncefote treaty concerning the in- ter-oceanic canal go over without action. Financial Act Most Important Of the legislation actually accomplished l and now on the statute books the financial act is regarded the chief achievement of the year. The noteworthy feature of the debate on this measure in the house was that party lines were broken to some | extent a number of democratic members | from the eastern and New England states joining with the majority in passing it. In the senate also party lines were not en- tirely regarded, Senators Lindsay and Caffery voting for the measure and MT. Chandler against it. As it became a law by the presidents signature on March Il, it makes specific the declaration of the gold standard provides a treasury reserve of 50.000, 000 establishes division of issue and redemption of the treasury, provides for the redemption and reissue of interest bearing bonds of the United States and makes new regulations as to national banks, their circulation, establishment in small communities and the tax they pay. The act also contains a specific declaration that it's provisions are not intended to preclude the accomplishment of interna- tional bimetallism.
 Porto Rico Legislation
 Porto Rico legislation has been the most
 fruitful theme of controversy in and out
 of congress during the session. The dis
 cussion first turned on the revenue bill,
 leyying d duty of b per cent. of the Dingley
 rates on Porto Rico goods. The majority of
 the ways and means committee urged the constitutonality and necessity of this course; while the minority, reinforced by
 Mr. CcCall of Massachusetts, member Of the majority, maintained that the constitu- tion of the United States extended to Porto
 Rico, and that congress was inaugurating
 new and dangerous precedent by giving
 the island any other law than that of the
 rest of the country. Excitement ran high
 under the spur of widespread public atten-
 tion. The debate in the house was signal
 ized by the division of the majority, which.
 for a time, made the result doubtful, but
 the bill ultimately passed. The contest in
 the senate was animated, but less acute.
 Next in importance in the accomplished
 work of the session is the act Ito provide
 a government for the territory of Hawaii"
 The debates it in the senate and house aroused little division save on matters of detail. The act provides system of gov ernment much like territory with a gov ernor appointed by the president, a legisla-
 ture of two houses, franchise rights prac-
 tically the same as those of voters in the
 United States with the additional quaifca-
 tion that a voter shall "be able to speak,
 read and write the English or the Hawaiian
 language.
 Philippines and Cuba The Philippines and Cuba have occupied
 much attention in the way of debate and
 the adoption oi resolutions of inquiry.
 The extraditon bill applying to all in-
 sular possessions and dependencies, has
 passed both houses and doubtless will be- come a law. Ii is designed mainly to reach cases like that of c. r. W. Nicely. The Nicaraguan canal bill and the ship ping subsidy bill notable instances of legislation practically advanced during the present session, but not enacted into law. The canal bill has passed the house and has been made the special order in the sen- ate beginning December 10 next. The ship l ping bill is on the calendar of each house l with favorable recommendation from ma l jorty membership of senate and house 1 committees.
 The general pension laws have been ma terially changed by the present congress, as d result of the efforts of the Grand Army of the Republic, which secured the
 passage of a bill amending the law of June
 z7. l90. sa as to permit the "aggregating of disabilities, and changing the provis-
 ion to widows so that a widow may re-
 ceiye pension when she is without means
 of support other than her daily labor, and
 has actual net income not exceeding
 $25o,'' etc.
 The Free Homes'' act has at last be- come law.
 Miscellaneous Acts Among other miscellaneous acts of the session are those for the preservation of
 the historic frigate Constitution and for
 extending the work of the 12th census. Considerable general legislation is carried
 on appropriation bills These provisions in-
 clude the amendment to the military acad-
 emy bill, making the commanding general
 of the army lieutenant general and the
 adjutant general of the army major gen
 eral.
 Also, the amendment to the sundry civil
 bill, appropriating ,000 for the St Louis
 exposition. Both of these bills are still
 pending. The naval appropriation bill adds
 to the battleships thYee armored cruisers
 three protected cruisers and five sub-masne
 boats to the naval strength and may in- clude special legislation as to armor plate and a government plants"
 Other measures which have passed one house or the other. but are still pending, including those for the election of senators by the people; authorizing the president to appoint a committee to study commercial conditions in China and Japan; for ncreas- ing the efficiency of the army by making service in the staff corps temporary; ex- tending the eight-hour law; increasing the annual allowance to the militia of the coun- try from $400, GOO to $1 ,000 900.