The Meeker herald., 1902-12-13
WASHINGTON NEWS AND
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS

The President has denied the appli-
cation for a pardon made on behalf Of
j. NJ Mcknight. who was convicted Of
embezzling the funds Of the German
National Bank of Louisville, Ken
lucky, while its president. The Presi-
dent has endorsed the application as
follows: Denied; this seems an alb
solutely clear case Of guilt, with no ex-
cuse whatever for pardon"
| The increase in freight rates which
are shortly to be applied on the roads
running from the Mississippi river and
points beyond to the East and South
Will be Investigated by the interstate
commerce commission, which has
fixed December 10th next as the date
| for hearing to be held at the Offices
of the commission in Washington. The
commission has issued an order re-
quiring the attendance at the time
of the chief trafiic officials or other
representatives qualified to give in
| formation OF the following roads:
Michigan Central, Lake Shore & Mich
igan Southern, Erie railroad, Balti-
more & Ohio. Pennsylvania, Cleveland.
Cincinnati. Chicago & st. Louis, Wa
bash Railway Company, Baltimore &
Ohio Southwestern. New York Central
& Hudson River, Delaware. Lacka-
wanna & Western, Lehigh Valley.
Pennsylvania Railway Company.
Southern railway. Norfolk & Western
and the Chesapeake & Ohio.
Senator Lodge. chairman OF the Sem
ate committee on the Philippines, has
introduced bill for the regulation of
the currency Of the Philippine islands.
The bill provides that the currency OF
the United States shall be legal tender
in the islands and makes the gold dol
lar the unit of value. 1t authorizes the
coinage of silver pesos Of 416 grains.
which is to be paid in sums of less
| than 100 pesos when demanded. The
peso is also to be received for all dues
to the islands unless specific provision
is made to the contrary. The Philip
pine government is authorized to take
such measures as 1t considers neces-
sary to maintain the parity Of the peso
with the currency OF the United States
at the rate OF two pesos for one dol
lar. Authority is also given for the
| issuance of certificates in the peso.
The Mexican and Spanish pesos are to-
go out of existence by the LIST of De-
cember, 1903. Meanwhile their value
is to be fixed by proclamation by the
governor of the Philippines.
Senator Cullom has introduced bill
to amend the Sherman antitrust law.
| 1t prohibits interstate commerce in ar
ticles produced by trusts. the penalty
for violation being a fine OF from $500
| to $4,000. The bill authorizes the at.
torney general or any district attorney
to make application to the federal
| judges for the summoning of persons
before them to answer questions as to
| material violations of the antitrust
law in advance of the trial Of a case.
and requires the Judges to issue orders
for the appearance of such persons up
on this application. In such cases wit
nesses are to be protected against pros
ecution on account Of their revelations.
but they are to be deprived Of their
right to refuse to answer because OF
| self Annual reports arc.
required to be made by all persons, firms
and corporations engaged In interstate
commerce. They are to be fled with
| the Interstate Commerce Commission.
and they are to be subject to the scru-
| tiny of the attorney general, but not of
the general public. The attorney gem
eral is authorized to appoint fifty spe-
| ciaI agents to seek out violations OF the
law.
Representative Hull, chairman OF the
| House committee on military affairs.
has introduced bill creating general
staff corps of the United States army.
The bill provides that the staff be COM
posed Of officers detailed from the army
at large, under such rules as the Pres
| ident may prescribe. The proposed du-
ties Of the staff are to prepare plans
for the national defense and for the
mobilization of the military forces in
time of war; to investigate and report
| on all questions affecting the efficiency
of the army and its state of prepared
| ness for military operations; to render
professional aid to the secretary of war
and to general officers and other supe-,
rior commanders. and to act as thsir
| agents in forming and co-Ordinating
action of all the different officers in
carrying out their orders. 1t Ia pro!
posed that the general staff corps conl
sist of one chief Of stan of the armyi
with the rank and pay of lieutenant
general; one major general and one.
| brigadier general, to be detailed by the
President from officers at large not be-
low the grade of brigadier general;
| four colonies, six lieutenant colonies
and twelve majors. to be detailed from
the corresponding grades in the army
| at large; twenty captains. mounted.
Representative Bell of Colorado in
troduced bill which he intends to
press at the present session making
certain amendments in the irrigation
law OF the last session. The changes
are intended primarily to meet condi-
lions in Colorado. and do not seriously
| alter the intent or character Of the
| present law. In fact. says Mr.. Bell. the
| amendments rather carry out the orig
inal intent Of the legislation, filing in
| omissions as 1t were. The first amend
ment permits acquisition of reclaimed
lands under cash entry. as well as
under the homestead law. in cases
where the land is part Of former In
dian reservations open to se..ement
/ under treaties which stipulate that the
Indians shall be paid so much an acre
for their lands. In the region to be
reclaimed by the Gunnison river prof.
ect there is a considerable area form