The Lamar register., 1901-01-02
WAoAl GTON NEWS

pensions of $40 Il month each to the
widows Of General John ii. McCler-
nand and General John NJ. Palmer.
Nothing in the Supreme Court since
the electoral commission that decided
the lihycs-Tildcn presidential contro-
Versy has attracted so much attention
ms the arguments over the political
status of Porto Rico and the Philip
pines.
Robert IL. Wilcox, delegate in the
House of Representatives from the
Hawaiian Islands. has just been paid
a claim of $1,000 for mileage. 1t was
the largest claim of the kind ever made
but it was paid promptly by the SER
Geant-at-trms. Mr.. Wilcox will draw
5000 more for his return trip.
Last year it cost three-tenths of one
per cent. 10 collect the revenues OF TINS
government from customs, which IN
cludes the losses as well as the salar-
les ana other expenses. In the internal
revenue bureau it cost LBS per cent. to
collect 500 J,DOO,OOO, which also in
cludes all losses as well as expenses of
every description
Last winter Congress appropriated
$4,000 to pay the expenses of II dele
gate from the United States to the sec
ond pan-Amcrican conference that is to
assemble on the 22nd of October next
mt the City of Mexico, but 1t is probn-
BILE that the authority will have to be
renewed at the present session. 1t
looks now as if the conference was GO
ing to be great success.
The secretary of war has sustained
the action of the military authorities
in Cuba in what is Familiarity known
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 ana
bids fair to he II subject of litigation
for years 10 come.
The river and harbor hill rs il will
be reported from the House committee
soon after the rccouvcning of Congress
on the :ird of January. will carry 81 pro-
vision abolishing The Missouri River
Commission. Members of the House
whose districts touch the Missouri ON
either side generally express the opin-
ion that the navigation OF the stream
is so limited ns to render the commits
sion useless.
There is Il good deal of canvuSsing
among the Daughters ofsthe American
Revolution over the approaching cleo
tion of president of that order in the
place of Mrs. Manning. who promised
last wear that she would not be II can
didatc 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 Il candidate on several
occasions and is the most active mem
e 1,a ,.Ip
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 ut dinner Surgeon-Gen-
ernl and Mrs. Siernbcrg, Dr. and Mrs.
RiNkey, o. 5. Iiiestand, General Corbin
and Secretary and Mrs. Cortclyou. 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
ative Payne of New York called on
them.
President Mckinley, like President
jefferson. believes that his entire Cab
met should share the responsibility of
all the important acts of the admin
istration. and hence every proposition
above the ordinary routine relating to
the general policy of the government
which may arise in any of the eXecu-
tive departments is submitted for de
bate and decided by majority vote.
the Presidents name being called at
the end of the roll. Every member of
the Cabinet has an opportunity to dis
cuss the subject rs freely as he desires
and 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 rs yet on account of the
Turkish indemnity claims. Nor has 1t
had any connection whatever with the
deal which has been made by the
Cramps wi.n the Turkish government
for the inclusion of the amount of the
indemnity in the price to be paid for n
warship by the Turkish government.
But it 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