The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-06-29

'h tIe republican National platform of
ln OF 1900 will find that seven of them
'ther two Uhe Nicaragua canal and the
way to speedy fulhlment. In addition,
led:
/ GOVERNMENT OF PORTO RICO.
! MUCH OTHER BENEFICENr LEGIS
l LATION.
/ tional platform has been redeemed bv the
! enactment of the Free Homes law. which
slgnihes return To the orig nal home
stead policy, which was temporarily
abandoned in large measure ten wears
ago, at the instigation and through the
efforts Of William 5. Holman and his
Democratic party associates in Congress.
By TINS law the homestead settlers on
lands purchased from Indian tribes since
leS9 are given the same privileges as are
d enjoyed by homestead settlers on other
pubic lands bought from Indian tribes.
or otherwise acquired by the United
States prior TO ,nat time.
Stnl another pie~ge Of the Republican
National platform was reueemed IN part
at the session which has just expired by
the enactment of amendments to the
pension laws, in the form Of a measure
| advocated by distinguished Union sur
VlVors OF the -.vil war and supported
/ by the veterans of that great struggle
| with virtual unanim!ty. 1ns enactment
confers aG~.tional benefits on Union sur
ViVors OF the war who may be suffering
from physical disabInues. and also on
the dependent WIDOWS of Union veterans
Inc Senate also passed a bill provhling
Tor a cod hcauon of The pension laws.
and one providing Lat in the adiudica-
ton OF any pension claim the fact that
the applicant was accepted and muster
ed into the service shall be taken and
held as prima facie proof that he was
OF sound mind and body at the date OF
his enlistment. The House of Represent
atives has not yet taken acton on these
raaog-res
An amended militia law was enacted
ard the annual appropriation for the mi
litia was increased to $1.OOO,OOO.
Congress at its recent session enocted
law providing a civil code ar>sF judi
tiary system Ton alaska, thu supple
gress. which enacted %,,~-s.ninaI code for
that Territory. his was exceedingly
necessary and important legislation. in
view OF the rapid increase of population
and the new and rich discoveries and de-
velopment Of Alaska's mineral and other
natural resources.
THE CLARK AND ROBERTS CASE
In It's recent session Congress was
compelled 70 deal with two cases in
Nolvtng the title OF members TO ther
seats which were happily Of an unusual
II not an unprecedented nature. One was
the Montana case I'm the Senate. After
long and painstaking investigation. the
committee charged with that duty re-
ported unanimously that the title of VIII
Lam a. Clark was defective on account
OF bribery and corruption, of which he
had been the beneficiary, and submitted
a resolution declaring that for that rea-
son he was not entitled to the seat ne
then occupied. 1t was so late IN the ses-
81 NnH hot
we're submitted that Mr.. Clark was en-
abled not only to forestall prompt action
by resigning his seat, but also to prevent
further acton in the case prior to the
adjournment.
The case in the House Of Representa-
tives was that of Mr.. Roberts. of Utah,
and that body took prompt and decisive
action. a special committee was ap-
pointed, which, after a patent and ex-
haustive investigation. reported that
Roberts had been convicted of bigamy
and was iiving in polygamy at the time
Of his election as a Representative in
Congress. The committee was unani-
nous in its findings OF the facts. but It's
members differed as to the proper course
TO be pursued TO keep Roberts out of the
seat TO which he had been elected, but
was not entitled. Tie most direct course
was adopted, that OF not admitting him,
instead Of first admitting and next ex-
pelling him.
Both Mr.. Clark and Mr.. Roberts had
been elected to fill seats in Congress As
Democrats.
TREATIES RATIFIED.
In the course Of the session the Senate
devoted a good deal OF attention to va
rious conventions and treaties submitted
for its approval. one which was ratified
was the convention between the United
States. Great Britain and Germany which
annuls the tripartite treaty in regard to
Samoa. BY this convention the United
States acquired possession OF the fertile
island Of utuila, with the safe and com
mod.ous harbor of Pago Pago, over
which the Stars and Str pes now wave
Another convention between the same
Powers which was ratified provides for
the settlement Of claims for losses al
legged TO have been caused by unwar-
ranted acts OF naval forces at the time
Of the Sa moan disturb ances. The con-
vention signed at he Hague by the plen-
ipotentaries cf --e United States and
other Powers for the pac fic settlement
Of Internal onal controversies, etc. was
also ratified. was one signed at The
Faguc last year 10 adapt the principles
of the Geneva convention Of 1874 to mar
itime warfare. treaties between the
United States and Argentina and Peru.
respectively. for the eXtradition OF Grim
iuals were also rat fed. II may be no ed
that the eXtradtion laws Of t-e United
States are amerdeu so as TO cover such
cases as that of Neoly, who stands ac-
cuscd ~ 'he emhCzzlement of Cuban
postal funds.
THE APPRQPEGAT1oNs.
All Of The general appropriation hil's to
provide fcr the support Of the Govern
rnert during the next fiscal year heoame
laws. Among them were provisions re-
lating 10 the importation OF a1uterated
md dangerous articles. pruvid ng
check m foreign Inspection OF American
Continued on Page 81