The Grit-advocate., 1902-12-19
WASHINGTON NEWS AND
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS


reelection by the Letter Carriers or
ganization and defeated will probably
be appointed fourth assistant postmas-
ter general and the letter carriers
transferred to his department, as the
Presidents rebuke to the Carriers 1or
interfering in the election OF repre-
sentative to Congress
The Senate committee on foreign re-
lations has decided to postpone consld-
Grafton OF supplementary treaty ex-
tending for a year the time for the ratl-
fication of the cession of the Danish
West Indies TO the United States. The
rejection of the original treaty by the
Danish Parliament makes action in re-
gard to the supplemental treaty un-
necessary at this time.
Senator Pettus has presented favor
able report from the committee on NIL
itary affairs on Senate bill giving
Brigadier General II. c. Merriam the
retired rank of major general. rms
measure will without much doubt pass
the Senate in few days. General Mer-
riam formerly commanded the Depart
ment OF Colorado. He is now retired
and living in Wyoming.
A favorable report was ordered by
the committee or appropriations on
the bill appropriating $500,000 for the
use Of the Department of Agriculture
in stamping out the foot and mouth
disease in the New England states. The
item is included in deficiency appfo-
priation bill and the bill carries $780,
900 also for pay of rural Tree de-
livery carriers and various smaller
sums for miscellaneous expenses OF the
Postoffice Department.
Gen. Luke E. Wright, vice govern
or of the Philippines, before the House
committee on ways and means adVo-
Gated reduction of tariff rates on
Philippine goods coming into the Unit
ed States to twenty-five per cent. OF the
Dingley schedule, as provided by the
bill introduced by Representative
Cooper instead of seventyfive per
cent, as under the present law. Cen
eral Wright said this would result III
a better market for Philippine goods
and provide more revenue for the isl
ands.
The Secretary of the Interior has re-
quested that the appropriation of last
session for resurveying the boundary
lines between Colorado and New MeX-
leo and Oklahoma be made available
until June so, 1904. Otherwise the
appropriation will lapse next June, be-
fore it is possible to complete the sur
vey. Howard b. Carpenter, who mas
the contract, says that owing to SHOWS
in the Conejos and Culebra ranges,
across which the line runs. little can
be done this winter. No doubt the eX-
tension will be made
The prospective retirement of Justice
Shiras from the Supreme Court, which
was announced by his son some time
ago as likely to take place at no very
distant date, it is believed may result
in the promotion to the supreme bench
of William H. Taft. chairman Of the
Philippine commission. Governor
Tafts elevation to that court would be
the fulillment of the general under
standing which existed at the time he
resigned from the federal court bench
in Ohio and took up his present duties
at the request of President Mckinley.
The testimony taken by the sub-com-
mittee of the Senate committee on ter
ritories, of which Senator Beveridge is
chairman, on the omnibus statehood
bill, has been just printed as Sen
ate document and tonight was made
public. 1t makes a book of 394 pages,
with maps, and includes the questions
and answers of great many people
examined by the subcommittee with
reference to size, population, resources,
schools and churches. business. moral
and other characteristics of the people
of the proposed states, and miScellane-
Gus information.
A joint resolution has been intro
duced in the House by Representative
De Almond proposing an amendment
to the Constitution of the United States
providing that the term of the Presi-
dent shall continue until April 30, 1905,
at noon. and thereafter, April 80, at
noon, shall be substituted for March 4,
as the beginning and ending of the
terms of President and vice president,
and that the Fifty-ninth Congress
shall end and the SiXtieth begin Janu-
ary s. 1907, at noon, and thereafter
each Congress shall begin and end jan
uary Sth at noon.
Secretary Moody has transmitted to
Congress the report of the Naval Board
headed by Admiral Taylor, which was
created to select site for naval
training station on the Great Lakes.
The report recommends that the sta
ton be located on Lake Michigan be-
low latitude 43: 80. and asks for an ap-
preparation of S250G00 to buy the land
and develop the station, leaving the
exact locality to be determined later
by the board Secretary Moody ap-
proved the report and points out that
an immediate appropriation will pre-
vent the raising of land values.
In order to give the department legal
power In the disposal of timber on for
est reserves the secretary of the in
terror has recommended to Congress
that a law be made authorizing him to
sell from the reserves such timber,
plants, stone. grasses, fruits and other
products as he deems proper. and apply
the proceeds of such sales to fund
which shall be used in protection of
the forests on the reserves The bill he
suggests will also allow the secretary
of the interior to lease portions of the
reserves for summer resorts, hotels,
mills and factories. A bill embody .Qg
these recommendations will be intro
duced in the House.