Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1900-12-20
FROM WASHINGTON.
(Correspondence Of the Alexandra Gazette
Washington. December 70.

y
rich. associate counsel for EWil j..
Pepke in the Philippine diamond ring
case, began the argument which Is TO
close the constitutional case. No dimi-
mutton in the SIZE OF the audience was
noticeable and during the course of the
argument many members OF both
branches of Congress dropped in to lis
ten. Mr.. Aldrich said: 81 challenge
the learned Attorney General or any
other advocate OF the power OF the
President to govern territory not un-
der constitutional government, to pro-
duce an authority of eminence who
will hold this argument il valid. The
Attorney Generals brief contains many
references to seemingly consistent ar
guments that territory of the United
States can be held by this country and
yet not be a part OF it, yet the great
Chief Justice Marshall declared that
the United States was name given to
our great republic, which is composed
of States and Territories, and they are
all the property Of the United States In
the sense that they are held in trust for
the people thereof" Mr.. Aldrich con
tended that foreign governments had,
by reason OF their appointment OF con-
suls at the open ports OF the Philip
pines. recognized the fact that they
were ports of the United States, and
being such Pepke had every right to
bay diamonds or any other articles for
which he could pay and to bring them
into the United States as freely as ne
might take them from one State TO
another.
TIE Hay-Pauncefote treaty undoubt-
eddy will be ratified this afternoon by
the Senate il secret session. voting
on the various amendments which have
been offered began at three o'clock.
There are so many of these that the
final vote on the treaty itself is not
likely to be reached much before i've
o'clock. Unless some unforeseen cir
cumstance should arise there will be a
majority for the treaty of from TO 3
votes beyond the necessary two'thirds.
Senator Jones says the story OF bis
proposed resignation OF the chairman
ship of the national democratic COM
mittee is as follows: "Such an idea has
not occurred 10 me. II is without any
basis or foundation. Before the cam
paign opened | had some mlsgivings as
to whether l ought to retain my posi-
ton as manager, because of the condi-
ton of my health and the fact that q
long and arduous session Of the Senate
had Just closed, But now my health ia
pretty nearly perfeci--better than 1t has
been for years, 10 tact-and the political
labors connected with the committee
are not very onerous at this time.
Therefore, see no reason to call q
meeting of the committee either now or
10 the near future to tender my resig.
nation, and the thought never entered
nv head until l saw the publication oil
this morning"
The richest woman in Alaska and the
ONLY woman mine manager IN that ii
Dorado is in Washington. Her name i:
Alice Robbins Crane, and she is here for
the purpose of urging the government
to better the homestead laws of the
territory. Mrs. Crane owns and operates
fourteen mining claims in the Klondlke
district and her wealth is said to be
counted in the many hundreds of thous'
ands. II the Alaskan homestead laws
were improved so that those who took
ND land were certain OF their title and
had adequate protection from claim
jumpers, Mrs.. Crane says that hundreds
of men who las made failure of mining
would be glad to settle down in the
country. She says Alaska is a splendid
agricultural country if only cultivated
properly. Along the Yukon the soil is
rich and loamy and all the grains that
thrive ia the northern States may be
cultivated there with success.
Justice Brown, of the Supreme Court,
received visit early last evening from
burglar who carried away valuable
gold watch that belonged to the mother
of his wife.
Chief Wilkie, OF the secret service,
says about an alleged attempt to assas.
sinate the President: This last story
is Just on a par with q lot of others we
have been tracing or trying to trace re-
Gently. Not long ago gentleman call
ed on me and laid bare most thrilling
plot to kill the President. He told ne
exactly where the conspirators were
meeting and how they intended to Stay
their victim. sent operatives out to
gather in the desperadoes and discov-
cred that there was no such place on
the top OF this green earth as that he
had named. The headquarters OF the
gang, like the details of the plot, were
all in his brsiD."
Admiral Remey has cabled the Navy
department that fifteen troopers of the
Fourth cavalry and FIVE of the crew
landed from the gunboat Basco yester.
day, at Lindanes, Cavite province, and
surprised eighty insurgents. A sharp
skirmish followed, which lasted half an
hour. Thirteen insurgents we're killed,
twelve rifles captured, large amount
of stores destroyed, and one soldier
wounded.
Considerable opposition to the bill
increasing the tax on oleomargarine de-
vsloped in the Senate committee on
agriculture today. After hearing Rath-
bone Gardner, representing manufacture
ing firms of Providence, r. l continue
his arguments against the bill begun
yesterday, an attempt was made TO
limit further hearings, The question
came up on the motion of Chairman
Proctor to continue the hearings during
the holiday recess. This was objected
to by several members VINO said they
would not be in town. Tue subject
was finally postponed until tomorrow
when the committee will meet again
and decide the question.
Congressman Levy, of New York, 10.