The Meeker herald., 1900-03-31
WASHINGTON NEWS.
Whst Consrcss 10 DoinE. Froua the
white ALuss and the Dep2 rtments.

Ghe House committee on public lands
has reported favorably the bill extend
Ing the provisions of the soldiers
homestead act to soldiers of the Span
ish war and Philippine insurrection.
The Senate committee on naval az
fairs has agreed to report the bill for
Pacific cable which Senator Hale was
authorized to draft at the last session
Of the committee and the report was
later presented to the Senate. The bill
provides for present cable only to
Honolulu, but declares purpose to ex-
tend 1t in the future.
Ex-Governor McCord of Arizona,
who recently came to Washington at
the request of the Arizona Press Asso-
citation to further AriZona's claim to
statehood, states that there Is no pros
pcct Of securing Arizona's admission
at this session of Congress. II have de-
cided to give up for the present" said
Governor McCord, 'and will advise the
people of Arizona not to press the mat
key until after Congress gets Puerto
20, the Philippines and Cuba on Its
E26ds."
The House committee on public lands
has reported bill abolishing the pay
ment Of $1.25 an acre on land taken up
by settlers under the desert land act.
The committee also reported favorably
bill to refund $1.25 per acre to per-
sons who have located under the pre-
emption or homestead laws, and who
have committed their entries by cash
fragments to $3.50 per acre where the
hnds located were within a railroad
Sant and the railroad was never
built.
The Senate committee on appropria-
lions has reported the urgency def
Cheney bill, carrying an appropriation
Aof $4,000 for continuing the work of
the geological survey In stream gaug-
ing in the arid and semi-arid states
This work has been suspended by rea-
son of the exhaustion of the appro-
priation caused by extra work of the
survey during the drOuth period In Cal
ifornia. photographer Newell of the
survey states that when the new ap-
preparation is available considerable
work will be done In Colorado and Wy
oming.
After spirited discussion, extending
over three days, the Loud bill relating
Ito second-class mail matter was recon-
mended by the House to the committee
on postoffice and post roads. The ma-
jority in favor of the motion to recon-
init was SO decisive that 1t Is regarded
ms unlikely that the measure will ap-
pear again during the present Con-
gress. Mr.. Loud said after the vote
was announced that this wns the third
time and out. SO far as he was con-
cerned. The vote on the motion was
14S to 96, with 16 present and not vot-
ing. The bill is intended to exclude
from the second-class postage rate all
books and pamphlets.
The division Of issue of the comp
troller of the currency's office Is send
ling new currency to national banks at
1.-THE rate of more than million dollars
la day, and will continue to do SO until
the full amount which the banks are
Untitled under the new law has been
furnished. Under the old law national
banks were permitted to take out cir
xculation to the maximum of ninety per
cent. of the par value OF the bonds de-
posted with the Treasury Department.
The amount Of bonds to secure circu-
ntion is about $24O,0OO. The new act
permits the banks to take out circula-
lion to the par value of these bonds,
thus emitting them to about $24, OOO, 900
In excess of that they have heretofore
5enjoyed.
Ellis H. Roberts, treasurer of the
United States, says that under the new
| currency law nearly $12,OOO,OOO of sill
yer bullion must he Immediately pur-
chased by the mints for the coinage of
10, 25 and 5O-cent pieces. The new law
requires that the subsidiary silver shall
hereafter be kept at 500, OO0,O 900, which
is an increase of $24,OOO,OOO ($24,
$50, for the amount outstanding on the
LIST Of the month was $75, 425 Alb. The
same law provides that hereafter all
currency under the denomination of
SO shall be standard silver dollars or
certificates issued upon them. There
fore all greenbacks and other notes OF
81, 81 and So are to be retired and sill
yer certificates substituted for them.
This will require the coinage Of about
12OOOO,OOO new silver dollars within
the next year or two.
The conference on the Puerto Rican
appropriation bill have agreed upon a
compromise measure, The Senate con-
ferees receded from the Senate amend
ment limiting the appropriation to the
revenues collected on Puerto Rican i'm
portntions until the first Of last Janua-
ry and restored the clause In the House
bill applying to future revenues. read
ing as follows: "Together with any
further customs revenue collected on
r44ortati0ns from Puerto Rico since
Jnnuray 1, 1900. or that shall hereafter
be collected under existing law" The
provision in the Senate amendment
a9seifying the purpose for which the
/ money shall be used Is retained, but nm
addition is made declaring specifically
\ PIT 1t shall be for the laid and relief
the Puerto Rlcnns"
! Mr.. Foss of Illinois, who is acting as
chairman of the committee on naval
affairs during the disability of Mr..
Boutelle. has prepared the biggest ap-
preparation bill ever offered to the
House of Representatives for that
branch Of the service. Its total is $751;
100000 in excess Of the highest prev
ious record. 1t provides for two $4,000
ton battleshlps at cost Of g, 1000, 600