, 1901-01-03
WASHINGTON NEWS

Nothing in the Supreme Cohrt slnce
the electoral commission thar DECIDED
the H~ayes-Tilden presidential cohtro-
versy has attracted so much attehtion
ms the arguments over the pontiCai
status of Porto Rico and the Philp-
pines.
Robert II. Wilcox. delegate in the
House of Representatives from tne
Hawaiian islands, has just been palu
a claim of $1,000 for mileage. 1t was
the largest claim of the kind ever mace
but II was paid promptly by the ser
geant-at-trms. Mr.. Wilcox VIII ura"
500 more for his return trip.
Last year it cost three-tenths of one
per cent to collect the revenues OF tnls
government from customs, when III
cludes the losses MS well as the salar-
les Inc other expenses. In the Internal
revenue bureau ii cost LIS per cent. TO
collect S295, 100000, which also III.
cludes all losses as well as expenses Oh
every description.
Last winter Congress appropriated
$4,000 to pay the expenses of a dele
gate from the United States to the sec
ond pan-American conference that is 10
assemble on the 22nd Of October next
at the City of Mexico, but 1t is proDa'
BILE that the authority will have TO De
renewed at the present session. IL
looks now as if the conference was go
ing TO be a great success.
Senator Wolcott recently called upon
President Mckinley and urged favor
able consideration of the petition filed
for the pardon of Former Bunker
Kunzmiller of Denver. While the SEN
ator cannot say that favorable action
will he secured. he is encouraged in
that the President said he would send
for the papers in the case and promised
to give the matter careful considera-
ton.
The secretary of war has sustained
the action of the military authorities
in Cuba in what is familiarly known
as the slaughter house case without
prejudice, however, to the full legal
rights of the claimants which are left
to the future determination of the
courts of Cuba. The case involves
many important legal questions and
bid fair to be n subject of litigation
for years to come.
The river and harbOr bill as it will
be reported from the House committee
soon after the reconvening of Congress
on the 3rd of January, will carry a pro-
vision abolishing the Missouri River
Commission. Members of the House
nose ulSlTltIS TOUCH lHt AlSSbull oH
either side generally express the opin-
ion that the navigation of he stream
is so limited as to render the commits
sion useless.
There is a good deal of c~anvassing
among the Daughters of the American
Revolution over the approaching cleo
tion of n president of that order in the
place of Mrs. Manning. who promised
last year that h would lot be n can
didate again. Those who are familiar
with the inside politics of the Daugh-
tiers confidently predict the election of
Mrs. Donald Mclean of New York.
who has been n candidate on several
occasions and is the most active mem
Der of the New York chapter.
Christmas day was generally OBJ
served in Washington, in all of the
churches holding special services.
President and Mrs. Mckinley had with
them as guests at dinner SurgeOn-Gen-
eral and Mrs. Sternberg. DIR. and Mrs.
Hickey, o. S. Hiestand, General Corbin
and Secretary and Mrs. CortelyOu. The
President did not go to church, but he
and Mrs. Mckinley took two drives
out into the country during the day.
Secretary and Mrs. Hay, Postmaster
General and Mrs Smith and Represent
Nv iuNIt VI view lOIh tulltu On
them.
President Mckinley, like President
Jefferson. believes that his entire Cab
met should share the responsibility of
all h important acts of the admin
istration, n hence every proposition
above h ordinary routine relating to
the general policy of the government
which may arise in any of the execu-
tfyn 1ana NJ pnnnty 10 e,,Ipnftt.1 60 Il.
bate and decided by a majority vote,
the Presidents name being called at
the IL of the roll. Every member of
the Cabinet has an opportunity to dis
cuss the subject MS freely as he desires
II TO question his colleague In whose
department the matter may belong for
information, but he votes on his own
responsibility.
The State Department has received
no money as yet on account of the
Turkish indemnity claims. Nor has it
had any connection whatever with the
deal which has been made by the
Cramps wi.h the Turkish government
for h inclusion of the amount of the
indemnity in the price to be paid for n
warship by the Turkish government.
But 1t does know that such contract
has been made and it also has had for
its own part promises from the Turk
ish government that the claims shall
be paid. So, If the money comes
through the Cramps, it will be ac-
cepted, as the State Department recog-
nizes the right of the porte to select
any messenger it may choose to trans
nit the money.
Mr.. Wilcox, the new delegate from
the Hawaiian islands, is going to have
trouble on the same ground as the late
member from Utah-an unnecessary
number of wives-only Gf the charges
are true) Mr.. Roberts was much more
honorable manly thar Mr.. Wilcox.
He ~endeavored to "cleave" unto his
three helpmates until death do them
part" whereas Wilcox shook" his first
wife in n most ire~prehensible manner
although she was an Italian princess,
He married her when he was n prince
himself, n nephew of the late King
Kalakau and n student at n military
college ut Turin, Italy. He claims that
his marriage was annulled by order of
flAa ~ M aIa.. 80 tI-. -