Gilpin observer., 1902-12-11
WASHINGTON NEWS AND
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS

Senator Hale has introduced bill
fixing the age for admission to the
naval academy at between seventeen
and. twenty years. The present limit
is fifteen and twenty-one years.
Oliver Wendell Holmes was con-
firmed by the Senate to succeed the
late Justice Gray as a member of the
bench of the United States Supreme
Court There was no opposition.
A bill introduced by Representative
Jenkins, by request, makes newspa-
pers or other periodicals unmailable
which contain any pictures of suicides
or details relating to suicides beyond
a simple statement of death by sui
eide, and imposing a penalty.
1t has recently been brought to the
attention of Postmaster General
Payne that about twenty-five women
are holding positions as carriers in
the rural free delivery service, and
call has been made upon Superintend
ent Machin of tnat branch for infor-
nation about them. An investigation
will be made to determine whether
they are performing their duties in
satisfactory manner Mr.. Payne is
said to be opposed to the appointment
of women to such service.
The House has passed bill author
izing the following persons to accept
presents and decorations from foreign
governments: Capt. B. H. McCalla,
U. S. N; Drs Eugene Wasdin and H.
D. Geddings, U. S. NJ H. c.; Henry E.
Afford, w. A. Taylor, H. W. Wiley, NJ.
a. Carleton and John l. Shuttle, De-
partment of Agriculture; John A. Ok
erman, Mississippi river commission;
Casper S. Crowinshield, United States
commercial agent; Miss Anna Tolman
Smith and Lieut.. Col. F. H. Phipps.
The annual report of Governor
Otero of New Mexico to the secretary
of the interior says the territory is
unusually prosperous, irrigation work
has taken great strides, new mines are
opening and new towns and cities are
springing into life. The net bonded
debt of the territory is s1,034,054. The
assessed valuation of property in New
Mexico is now SAL, ,10S,745, which the
governor says is not one-third of its
actual value for taxable purposes,
fair estimate, he says, not falling far
short of s150,0O0,00O.
The War Department has issued an
order for the exchange of fifteen Phil
lpplut Will tllt Sdluc
ber of troops in the United States.
The home troops will relieve the
troops in the Philippines. The first
transport of them leaves San Fran
cisco February 1st Parts of the
fourteenth cavalry and Eighteenth in
fantry, now at Fort Logan, Colorado,
will be sent to the Philippines and
parts of the Second infantry and Fifth
cavalry, now in the Philippines, will
come to the Department of the Colo
RADIO.
Details shall be for four years. and
officers detailed may be assigned to any
branch of the service. The bill pro-
vides further that the chief of staff.
under the direction of the President
and secretary of war, shall have super
vision of all troops of the line and of
the several administrative staff and
supply departments and shall be
member of the board of ordnance and
Notifications. Under the bill inspec-
tions of troops are to be made habit
ually by commanding officers and in
spections of the army at large by the
general staff.
Following the change in the Colom-
bian negotiators reported, steps have
been taken to Immediately resume the
exchanges between the State Depart
ment and the Colombian legation with
a view to the perfection of canal
treaty. 1t is now known that what
was regarded as the most difficult prob
lem to solve has been successfully met
by the negotiators in the arrangement
of the perpetual control clause of
the projected treaty. Under this the
United States may hold the necessary
strip of land indefinitely. The real diff
ference now is as to the compensation
to be paid Colombia which seeks an
increase of annuity to more than
s500,00O per annum.
The House committee on commerce.
| which is considering the department
of commerce bill. heard Commissioner
of Patents Allen. who disapproves of
the transfer of the patent office to the
proposed department of commerce.
Assistant Secretary of the Treasury
| Allies informed the committee that the
treasury department is willing to
/ transfer to the proposed department
! of commerce the Bureau of Immigra-
ton, National Bureau Of Standards.
! lighthouse establishment and coast
I and geodetic survey. to aid in form-
. ing a nucleus for the new department.
But the treasury is not favorable to
the transfer of the marine hospital
service. life-saving service, steamboat
inspections, Bureau of Navigation or
Bureau of Statistics. because of their
close relation to the treasury depart
ment. These five last named bureaus
are In charge of department officials
who have charge of other matters
also.
| Attorney General Knox. in his an
nual report. renews his recommended
ton for an increase of the salaries OF
judicial officers throughout the coun-
try. The report shows that the num-
ber of cases remaining undisposed OF