The Holly chieftain., 1901-02-22
WHAT IS BEING DONE AT
? THE NATIONAL CAPITAL

The commissioner of the general land
office, in an opinion upon the Dill re.
Gently introduced in Congress providing
for the extension of the general land
laws of the United States to the terri
tory of Hawaii, with rules and reguln-
tions for homestead entries by the sec
retary of the interior, states that the
passage Of the bill at present would
not be justified because Of the lack OF
data bearing upon the Hawaiian lands.
The commissioner recommends that
committee be appointed to collect the
necessary data.
The diplomatic and consular appro-
priation bill was reported to the Senate
with an increase Of SAT 40 over the AZ
lowance Of the House, making the total
$1,S65. .22S. Tie largest item Of in
crease is $4,000 for legation grounds
at Pekin, China. and 5000 for student
interpreters in China. The purchase At
Pekin for land adjoining the present
legation and the buildings thereon, as
recommended by Minister Conger. The
student interpreters are to be five in
number, to study the Chinese language
with view to aiding our consuls IN
China.
Chairman Mercer of the House pub
lie buildings committee proposes TO
hold back the consideration Of his ON
nibus bill for increasing the cost limit
of various public buildings, until the
last ten days of the session. Ihs
course is adopted in the hope of pre-
venting amendments providing for new
buildings being reported Mt this session
which authorize the construction OF
I>,,tI J;,,c md
bus bill can be kept free from such
provisions there will be no doubt Of Its
passage. The resumption Of work
upon buildings at Cheyenne. Boise and
Salt Lake City depends upon the pas
sage of the bill.
A spirited discussion took place In the
House over the amendment proposed
by Representative Hill of Connecticut,
by which he sought to strike from the
sundry civil bill an item appropriating
100000 to pay transportation charges
upon silver dollars sent from the Trens-
ury Department and mints to the var
ious banks of the country. Mr.. HilFs
proposition was opposed by western
members. Messrs. Shafroth and Bell
Of Colorado were among those speak
ing in opposition. The proposition was
ed in the bill Representative MondelI
of Wyoming joined with the Colorado
representatives in retaining the appro-
priation.
The officers Of the quartermaster's
department have prepared schedule
for Transportation to San Francisco OF
the volunteer troops in the Philippines.
1t shows that all the troops can be
brought home in time for discharge by
the 3Oth OF June next. which is the
late fixed by law for the disbandment
of the volunteer army. All the vessels
Of the Pacific transportation feet will
be used and will be run between San
Francisco and Manila on close and
regular schedule. Counting the volun-
across the Pacific, it is estimated that
there are nearly 10000 still to be
brought to the United States before the
LIST of July.
Mr.. Cannon presented in the House
a detailed table showing the total ap-
preparation bills up to date. This
showed a grand total of 1904, 1855,
omitting the $53OOO.OOO sinking fund.
This grand total is $26, ,256, 900 below
the estimates, which aggregated $i2O.-
3T4, ,SO4, exclusive of the sinking fund.
The bill to authorize the holding OF
the international exhibition at the cen.
tennial anniversary Of the Louisiana
purchase at st. Louis in 1908, and ap-
propriating $5,GOO,OO0 therefor, passed
the House under suspension OF the
rules by a vote Of 191 to Al. The oppO-
sition was hopelessly in the minority
and the struggle over the bill was brief.
The question Of closing the exposition
on Sunday was not mentioned during
the debate.
At the diplomatic dinner a few days
ago the President is said to have told
several of the foreign ministers that ID
did not see how an extra session Of
Congress could be avoided because
there would be no opportunity for the
consideration of Cuban affairs during
the few days that remain Of the pres
ent session and the subject was too i'm
portant to postpone any longer than 10
absolutely necessary. He did not I'M
timate to them when an extra session
would be called, but to others wtthin
the last few days he suggested that
1t would not be advisable to submit
the Cuban constitution for the conaad.
Grafton Of our Congress until II con-
tanned some satisfactory provision de.
f1ning the future relations which'shcul
exist between the republic Of Cuba and
the United States.
Senator Hale has introduced a joint
o1ipt}os, toudorfpop tho fhnnka ~ CnsS.