The Dolores star., 1902-06-20
LATE WASHINGTON NEWS AND
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS

providing for the protection OF lives
OF miners In the territories agreed TO
accept the Senate amendments to the
bill. AS agreed upon the bill provides
that owners of coal mines in terrific
ries shall provide ventilation of not
less than 5000 cubic feet per minute
for every fifty men. air to be forced
through the mines by proper machin-
cry. to dilute and render harmless poi
sonous gases. Entries, room and all
openings shall be kept dampened with
water to cause coal dust to settle, and
IL water is not obtainable at reason-
able cost, accumulations of dust shall
be taken from the working portions of
the mines. The conferrees retain the
Senate amendment striking out the
provision requiring owners to employ
professional shot firers to fire blasts.
The President has nominated Briga-
dier Generals John C. Bates and
George w. Davis to be major generals.
Brig. Gen. John C. Bates was born in
| Missouri. where he entered the regu-
lar army as first lieutenant of infan-
try in 1861. He was brigadier general
of volunteers in the Spanish war. and
was with Shafter at Santiago. In the
Philippines his notable works We're
the negotiation of the treaty with the
Sultan of Jolo and the capture of
| Lieutenant General Trias of the in
surgent army. He has four years
more of active service. Brig. Gen.
| George w. Davis entered the volun-
teer army in his native state of Con-
necticut in 1861 as a quartermaster
sergeant, and became a captain of the
regular army in 1867. After the war
| with Spain he was made governor gen.
eral of Porto kico, where he remained
until ordered to the Philippines in
1901. He has only one more year to
serve.
Representative Shafroth Is highly
| elated over the passage Of the irriga-
tion bill. This measure" said he, "in
my judgment, does more for the West
than all other appropriations we have
| obtained since the acquisition OF that
territory. 1t starts with a fund of
S6,OOO,OOO cash to our credit and the
| fund will increase at the rate of S3,.
100000 to S4O0O.000 each year. In re-
payment for water rights 1t is likely
to constitute a fund finally of several
hundred million dollars. 1t is practic-
ally turning over to us the receipts
| from fully 55OOOO.OOO acres of land. In
about one year l believe the secretary
of the interior will begin the construc-
| ton Of reservoirs and irrigation works.
| lie Will probably start with three or
| four projects simultaneously. Definite
surveys will first have to be made.
| as the surveys now on record are not
| sufficiently accurate to draw final
\ plans. am anxious that practical
projects shall be selected, even If some
delay ensues, for it would be bitter
disappointment to those who have Sc
cured the passage of this bill to see its
first fruits turn out failures"
The Presidents Cuban reciprocity
message was variously regarded by
members of Congress. The straight
reciprocity men urged that the effect
would be to cause at least some of the
beet sugar Republicans to abandon
their opposition. They contepded that
some of them had misunderstood the
attitude of the President, and there
was no longer any excuse for opposing
reciprocity measures. The measure,
they said, would clear the atmosphere,
rendering the Presidents attitude un-
mistakable, and therefore bring oppon-
nents within the party face to face
with the fact that in continuing their
opposition they are antagonizing the
official head of the party I'VE have
known all the time where the Presi.
told the Republican opponents of re-
ciprocity just what the facts are" said
leading reciprocity senator. "They re-
fused to accept our assurances, and
progressed to have expressions from the
President to the country. The message
confirms all that we have said to them.
1t clears the atmosphere, and neces-
sarily the result must be beneficial for
reciprocity bill" The beet sugar
leaders declared at the close of the day
that the message had caused no loss
whatever to them; that all those sena-
tors who had stood with them before
are still with them. They also assert
ed that the Presidents interposition in
the matter had had the effect of caus-
ing to hesitate some senators who here
tofore had not taken n positive stand
against reduction because of the feel
ing that the President should leave
Congress to deal with the subject in
its present stage.
During the discussion of the Corliss
Pacific cable bill in the House Mr.. Cor
liss said: This measure provides for
government cable uniting our islands
i'll the Pacific with the American con.
tinent. BY Its terms the cable shall
be American-made. laid by American
ship, and managed by the American
government" He argued that no one
had the right to lay cable without
permission of Congress. He placed
the cost of construction at not exceed
ing $1O.OOO,OOO and the cost of opera
ton at 100000 per annum. A govern.
ment survey of the route already had
. been made, lie said, at an expense of
, $2OO,OOO. He estimated that the reve-
nue. from commercial business alone
would be far in excess of the cost OF
, operation. Mr.. Corliss presented to
the House statements and figures In.
8 tended to show the existence of c8-
BILE MONOPOLY and its purposes. He
l presented the grants obtained by the
l Eastern Extension Cable Company
f. obtained from China, Japan and the
: Sapnish islands in the Pacific, includ.
I Ing Guam, the Philippines and Mar.
g shall islands, to show that this -able
' company had control of cable cOmmu.
i. | uicufiOns with the Far Fact oud ,o,,