The Elk Mountain pilot., 1901-01-15
WASHINGTON NEWS

Sometimes there are queer combina-
tions. For example, Senator Chandler
married a daughter of ex-senator
Hale, and Senator Hale married
daughter of ex-senator Chandler.
Senator Hoar has introduced an
amendment to the army bill appointing
a committee of nine scientific experts
to investigate the effect of the army
canteen upon the health, discipline and
morality of the army.
Representative Shafroth has been in
vited to address the alumni association
of Michigan university at its annual
dinner to be given February 10th, in
New York city. His subject will be
1.-The American Congress"
The army canteen is to be abolished,
as the Senate, by decisive vote, con-
CURED in the public provision relative
to the army canteen. Only hfteen
votes could be mustered in the Senate
in favor, while thirty-four were cast
against it..
A recommendation has been sent to
Congress by the secretary of the treas
ury for an appropriation of Shooo TO
pay expenses of selecting and segregat-
ing lands for the territory OF New
| Mexico, also recommending an ap-
the military post at Sheridan, Wyom-
ing.
Senator Warren has introduced a res
olution extending the thanks of Con
gress to Captain Clark of the Oregon.
Clark has been a frequent Wyoming
visitor, where he has relatives and
many friends, at whose instance Sena-
tor Warren is taking the initiative in
securing recognition from Congress
for Captain Clark's meritorious SER
vices.
In discussing the army bill, Mr..
Hoar suggested a general amendment
to the bill looking to the conciliation
of the Filipinos, and expressed the
opinion that in time of peace we should
have one soldier to 900 of our popu-
lation. He did not, therefore. he said,
oppose the bill on the score of increase,
but he did oppose it because of the
avowed policy Of military control of
the islands.
The secretary of the navy has ar
rived at the conclusion that the law re-
lating to the building of the new ships
requires the department to allot one
of the vessels to the Pacific coast.
Therefore he has announced that he
will award the contract for one of
the sheathed battleships to Moran
Bros. of Seattle, one to the Bath works
of Maine and one to the Newport
News Ship Building Company.
The House committee ON naval af-
fairs is considering the naval appropri-
alton bill which the subcommittee has
agreed upon. The full committee has
tentatively agreed to increase the en-
listed force of the navy 5000. The
Secretary of the Navy recommended
1900. The committee has scaled down
the appropriations recommended for
navy yards. reducing them an average
of about forty per cent.
In speaking ON the river and harbor
bill in the House Mr.. Burton said the
sundry civil bill would carry about SS,-
600 600 on contracts previously author-
lied. The total appropriations for riv-
ers and harbors for the fiscal year
would therefore aggregate about S43,-
100000. He devoted an hour to giving
the committee reasons for abolishing
the Missouri river commission. Over
S1O0,OOOOO0 had been expended on the
river, he said with only trivial devel-
opment of navigation. 1t had less
commerce to-day than it had thirty
years ago.
Senator Lodge of Massachusetts, in
his speech ON the army bill drew a bril-
liant word picture of the commercial
future of the United States. declaring
that the trade conflict with Europe, al
ready begun, could result only in the
commercial and economical supremacy
of this country over the whole world.
In this industrial conflict he appre-
hended no danger from a material con-
test with any nation of the world, but
he urged the necessity for strong and
scientifically organized army and
powerful navy, in order that the United
States might be prepared to defend its
rights against any possible foe.
Western representatives are having
their say on the river and harbor bill.
Before the House Mr.. Mondell CWyo-
ming) produced figures to show that If
the money expended upon the Missouri
and Mississippi had been used to re-
claim the arid lands of the West 1t
would have been sufficient to build
comprehensive reservoirs at the head
of those streams. which would have
prevented floods and insured naviga-
tion throughout the year. From this
he argued that the government should
Immediately enter upon the reclama-
tion of arid lands in the West. Mr..
Bell (Colorado) argued along the same
lines. and gave notice of an amend
ment he would offer to appropriate
$500. 900 for reservoirs at the headwa-
tiers of the Platte and Arkansas rivers.
A Washington correspondent says
the reciprocity treaties. twelve or four
teen in number which Mr.. Kasson
has negotiated with so much labor
and pains in order to secure conces-
sions for the manufacturing and agri-
cultural interests of the United States,
ore doomed Two or three of them
which have no particular Importance
will perhaps be ratified. but the oppo-
sition to the rest, and in fact to all of
importance. is said to be sufficient to
prevent them from receiving the sup
y ~. 4