The Lamar register., 1901-12-25
WASHINGTON GOSSIP

partment of mines and mining.
Senator Cullom has introduced in the
Senate a bill providing for the retire
ment of the Hawaiian coinage and cur
rency.
Senator Hanna has introduced n bill
granting n pension of 5000 Il year to
Mrs. Mckinley, widow OF the late
President.
The House Committee on Interstate
and Foreign Commerce has fixed jan
uary 11th for taking up the Pacific
cable question.
Senator Frye has introduced n joint
resolution authorizing the President
to invite the king of Siam to visit the
United States.
Representative Alden Smith of Mich
igan has introduced bill making the
birthday of William Mckinley, jan
uary 2Sth, a national holiday.
A bill has been introduced by Mr..
Mitchell fixing So as the minimum rate
employ of the government.
The House Committee on Agriculture
has fixed January 18th for taking up
the ELECTROMAGNETIC question, at
which time the various interests Will
Delegate Wilcox of Hawaii has in
troduced bill making the leper colony
of Hawaii United States government
reservation, and providing that the
colony shall be under the control of the
Secretary of the Treasury.
The River and Uarbor Committee has
taken action which insures the early
presentation of a river and harbor bill.
,rnS latnrminal tn f.lpSn the lplr-
ings on January 25th and to have the
bill ready to report on February 10th.
Senator Penrose has introduced bill
levying n duty of twenty-five per cent.
ad valorem on all importations of man
ufactured silver. A preamble to the
bill declares it to be the purpose of the
measure to protect the silver mining
industry of the United States.
At the instance of the Interior De-
partment n bill has been introduced in
vation lands shall be exchanged only
for lands of like approximate value and
that no denuded forest lands shall be
exchanged for other lands.
Senator Warren has introduced bill
to pay jurors and witnesses in United
States Courts in Wyoming $3 per day
for attendance on and days consumed
going to and returning from court and
10 cents n mile going and returning
when travel Is by stage, and 10 cents
u mile when by railroad.
Lord Pauncefote, the British ambas-
sador, is daily expecting notice from
his government Of its approval and
ratification of the Hay-Paunccfotc
treaty. As soon as he has this, he will
arrange with Secretary Hay the date
upon which the final exchange of rati-
fications of the treaty shall take place.
Representative Bell of Colorado has
introduced bill providing that any
Union soldiers who, while prisoners of
war. Joined the Confederate army with
the intention of escaping and who did
not actually fight against the Union,
shall not be prejudiced by that fact
In applying for pensions. He has also
prepared n bill authorizing the Secre-
tary of the Interior to set aside tracts
of lands in the West containing import
ant and aboriginal civilization when
necessary for their preservation.
Representative Jenkins of Wisconsin,
who proposed n constitutional amend
ment to control trusts in the last Con-
gress, has this session introduced Il
similar measure providing for n SINH
lar constitutional amendment, provid-
ing for government regulation of trusts
and other commercial organizations.
This amendment is substantially the
same as he proposed last year, which
was favorably reported by the House
Committee ON judiciary and received
the support of the majority in the
House. although the vote was not the
necessary two-thirds required on con-
Stitntipnnl nmnpImputS n
During an executive session of the
Senate Senator Morgan is reported to
have outlined the legislation necessary
for the construction of the Nicaragua
canal now that the Isthmian canal
treaty has been ratified. The first step
will be the passage of n short bill au-
thorizing the President to acquire from
the governments of Nicaragua and
Costa Rica n strip of territory along
the route of the canal. Senator Nor
gan introduced such a bill and it has
been favorably reported to the SENATE
from the Committee on Inter-oceanic
Canals. Mr.. Morgan explained that the
protocols with the state of Nicaragua
and Costa Rica gave the President the
right to acquire strip OF territory
along the route of the canal when au-
thorized to do so by Congress. The
next step for Congress to take, Mr..
Morgan said, was to pass bill framed
along the lines of the Hepburn bill and
approprating money for constructing
the canal. With the passage of such a
bill the preliminary work of building
the canal could commence at once and
Mr.. Morgan thought that this should
be one of the first measures to be con-
sidered by Congress after the holiday
recess.
G. o. Shields, president of the
League of American n Sportsmen, recent
ly called upon President Roosevelt to
enlist his aid in securing more adequate
protection than now exists for large