North Park union., 1902-01-10
[ATE WASHINGTON NEWS AND
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS


clines to make public the memorandnm
or Its substance. but 1t Is pointed out
again that the basis of the United
States representations is to be looked
aor IN the utterances of President
roosevelt In his annual message to
congress, touching the Monroe doctrine
IN It's application to South American
| countries which do not pay their debts,
| Adjutant General w. II. Whiteman
OF New Mexico has drawn up a pro.
posed act for Congress to reform the
present national guard system, placing
the militia of the different common
Weaiths upon uniform footing and
upon the same plane us the United
States army. under the supervision OF
the national government, but under
the control of each state or territory.
He has received replies from many ad-
Jutants general approving of the pro-
posed legislation, and the national
guard journals are expressing them
selves strongly In Its favor 1t Is be-
lieved that the convention of adju-
tants general to be held at Washing.
ton In January will approve the plan
and Will urge Congress to pass a bill
framed upon those lines.
Under mistaken impression that
there will be n large balance remain
Ing of the So, 5,OOO,OOO indemnity fund
to be paid by China to the United
States after paying all legitimate
claims and the army and naval ex-
penses of the Chinese campaign, some
OF the powers party to the Pekin pro-
tocol have intimated that they would
be glad to have the balance turned
over to them. The allegation is that
they have not claimed sufficient indem-
mites to reimburse them for actual ex-
penses and proper claims, and that
they have right to regard the 45O.-
100000 taels as properly divisible on
the basis of actual expenditures and
losses. 1t is not at all probable that
this point will be pressed, however, be-
cause the officials here are confident
that after we have betrayed our own
claims and expenditures there will be
little or no balance remaining Of our
allotment.
"The treasury is In condition of un-
exampled strength" said Secretary
Gage, when asked to review briefly the
treasury situation at the close of the
year. "Only month ago. In my an
nual report to Congress, reviewed
these conditions. The figures for the
last iiiohtH iaiNt llille SHuhSS.
For the calendar year we show receipts
in excess Of the ordinary expenditures
amounting roundly to 100000 600
Such an excess might have resulted in
serious embarrassment had not the de-
partment been able by means of this
surplus to reduce the public debt in
large amounts. Since April LIST. last,
the treasury has redeemed and can
celed United States bonds to the par
value of S5S.I14. 100. which have been
applied to the sinking fund. and the
disbursement resulting therefrom was
I2,226Si5 The available cash on
hand is therefore only about S3O, O,0OO,-
600 larger than the amount held year
ago"
The dissolution of the joint high COM
mission which has the Alaskan bound
ary dispute under consideration, TO be
followed by direct negotiations be-
tween Secretary Hay and Lord
Pauncefote, the British ambassador,
that viii result in treaty giving Eng
land certain concessions on the disput-
ed points, is believed by many senators
to be the price Great Britain is de-
manding for the new isthmian canal
treaty, in which she abandoned COM
pletely the ground that she has ten
aciously held for many years, and
which has hitherto blocked the con-
struction of the canal. If Secretary
Hay made such bargain 1t Is pretty
clear that he will find 1t very difficult
to carry out the agreement. The Sen
ate is watching the boundary dispute
very closely. and any treaty which IA
vors England at the expense Of the
United States will certainly fall of rat
itication when 1t comes before the Sen
ate.
The Navy Department has taken the
initial steps toward the adoption of
wireless telegraphy as n means of Sig
Mailing between warships at sea. To
this end Admiral Bradford OF the Bu-
reau OF Equipment has asked that the
armored cruisers OF the Pennsylvania
class have their masts and rigging so
arranged that the wireless system can
be introduced. This will necessitatc
the lengthening of the masts of the
ships and the insulation of the metal
rigging by the use Of hemp covering
for halyards. 1t is intended to get
test sets of Instruments of the various
wireless systems now being operated.
These include the Marconi system.
Thus far, however, the Navy Depart
ment has not adopted definitely any
system. but the construction Of the
new ships is regarded rs preliminary
to the adoption of system whenever
Its practicability is established. The
British navy already has number Of
its ships equipped with the wireless
system, but this is the first move on
the part of the American navy to make
use of wireless plan.
The United States is really governed
by means of n series of conferences"
saws the New York Mail and Express.
But the House of Representatives and
the Senate and the President, one may
protest, What do they do? The an
swer is, Simply carry out what the
conferences" have decided. 1t Is very
Instructive to watch and study the
workings" and deliberations OF the
Congress for hour after hour from the
rnretied atmosphere of the correspond
ent's gallery. A great volume of sound
rises ceaselcssly. Sometimes the
House or even the soberer and more
stolid Senate, is as voluble and noisy
MS the pit of the New York Stock Ex-
change. But as glance over the Sem
ote I observe that few men are out
side the hurIy-Durly = withdrawn
apart, aloof. l mark Senator Aldrich
In close conversation with Senator
plntt of Connecticut. sitting on sofa
In tha rear. detached from the main