Gilpin observer., 1901-01-17
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From Our Regular Correspondent
iGsIlSlS2zisli.l.sislSESEhI
Washington January 15, 1900.

mittee's Reapporttioment bill, which
left the membership of the House as at
present but reduced the number of Rep
by one from eight States,
to 1902 against. Fond as the Senate is OF
amending House bills, it is not likely to
amend this one, which deals only with
the membership of the house There
fore it can be accepted as reasonably
certain that the Burleigh bill will be-
come a law in the near future. Under
it no state will lose any representatives,
and after March there will be 30 more
Represen tatives, the additions being
divided as follows: One each from Ark.
Cali, Colo, Conn, Fla, La, Mass, Mo-,
N. c., n. Oak, WASH, w. Va, and Wis;
two each from Mimi. N. j., and Pa, and
three each from ILL.,, N. Y, and Texas.
The ratio is one Representative for
every 194, 1872 of population.
The River and Harbor bill followed
the Reapportionment bill in the house
and after debate in which the opposi-
ton was of the most perfunctory sort,
caused more by disappointment at fail
ure to get appropriations in the bill than
from any actual oppositions, it was
passed.
Representative Champ Clark made a
semi-humorous speech in his best vein
in favor of his amendment to the Reap
portionment bill, providing for the max
ing of the District of Columbia Ter
ritory, which was ruled out ON point
of order. He said; at is a disgrace to
the American Republic that right under
the dome of this Capitol, 100000 people
black, white and copper colored-are
absolutely disfranchised, and have no
voice in their own government than ii
they were SO many digger IndiaEs. The
only objection that have ever heard to
my proposition was the statement OF
some fine haired citizens of this town
that il the right of franchise was re-
stored to these people the poor whites
and damn niggers would vote them into
bankruptcy. That is very strange
statement to be made in this Capitol
You cannot walk 300 yards without see
ing either the effigy of Andrew jackson
or Abraham Lincoln. And to say that
the poor whites sre dangerous voters in
this country, in town that holds up the
lives Of these men as exemplers of
America nmanhood is absolutely prepos-
terous. A wag out in Missouri told me
that when Andrew jackson was sworn
in as Vice President, in looking up at the
diplomatic gallery he happened to catch
sight of the representatives Of the for
eign powers up there, and he shook his
fist at them and said: You aristocratic
cockadoodles, go back to your royal
masters and tell them that in the land
of thu setting sun you saw a tailor aud
a rail splitter climb to the apex OF hum
an power Whether he ever said it or
not, it was worthy to be said, because
that is the genius of our institutions"
Senator Hawley, chairman of tine
Military Committee, and Pettigrew, had
a little spat while the Army bill was
being debated. The latter had inter
rupted the former by asking number
OF questions and finally Mr.. Hawley re-
fused to answer any more. Then Mr..
Pettigrew said: ~ am quite well aware
of the Senator's inability to intclligently
answer any question" Then Mr.. Haw-
ley got mad and retorted: What does
the Senator mean by that low-down in
suit? Has he been to a saloon outside
the post eXchange?"
1t is probematical when the Senate
committee on Finance will report on the
Revenue reduction bill and what the
nature OF the report will be. This
week s regular meeting of the committee
was devoted to a general discussion Of
the subject, bnt no conclusion was
The committee will not hold
another meeting until next week. 1t is
quite evident that there is no hurry on
ne message: also that the bill MS pissed
by the House is not satisfactory to the
The House judiciary Committee has
'avorably reported bill amending the
Chinese exclusion law SO as to put an
md to some of the most glaring methods
IF avoiding that law in connection with
he return TO the United States of those
Chinese who have legal right to enter.
The bill il largely the reslt Of recon-
of United States officials in
he northern district Of New York, en-
lorsed by tho Attorney General.
The Senate committee on Agriculture
iss closed tho hearings on the Oieo-
nnrginc bill, and it is expected that the
! ensure will shortely be favorably
cported to the Senate, bat there is
much doubt rs to wether it will be voted
mon nj this bession. If it isn't the