The Elk Mountain pilot., 1902-12-16

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opening and new towns and cities are
springing into life. The net bonded
debt of the territory is 81 .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. a
fair estimate, he says, not falling far
short Of $150.000,000.
The United States Supreme Court has
affirmed the opinion of the Circuit
| Court of Appeals in the case of the
Knights Templar and Masons' Life In
surance Company VS.. Rosa B. Jarman.
The case involved the validity of the
suicide statute of Missouri of 1879 pro-
viding that suicide shall not be de-
fense against the payment of a life in
surance policy, the policy involved be-
ing upon the life of John F. Jarman,
husband of Mrs. Rosa Jarman. who.
while insane, took his life in Grundy
county, Missouri, In 1898. The decision
of the court sustained the law and held
the company liable for the amount OF
the policy regardless of the fact that
the policy contained a clause for the
avoidance of the policy in case of sui
eide, whether voluntary or involun-
tary, sane or insane"
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
and geodetc 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.
Senator Lodge. chairman or the Sem
alto 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 a 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 it 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 1st of De-
cember 1908. Meanwhile their value
is to be fixed by proclamation by the
governor of the Philippines.
The Senate committee on immigra-
tion gave hearing to parties interested
in the bill to regulate the immigration
of aliens into the United States. Mr..
Brown of the New York State Lunacy
| Commission said that in the state in
sane hospitals of New York there are
$4,000 inmates. and that they are in
creasing at the rate of about 700 year.
One-half of the large number, he de-
clared are foreign born and should not
have been permitted to land. He offered
proposed amendment to the bill, ex-
tending the time to two years for de-
porting an alien who has become a
public charge, and with additional pro-
vision that ANY alien who becomes a
public charge by reason of lunacy,
idiocy or epilepsy within two years af-
ter arrival, will be presumed to have
become such from causes existing prior
to landing. unless the contrary be af-
f1rmatively shown" Answering Sena-
| tor Lodge. Mr.. Brown said that in the
course Of ten years the foreign born in
sane in this country will cost the United
States $50,000,000. He declared that
the state of New York would be willing
| to pay the entire expense of deporting
all who come to the state and who be-
come insane within two years, as pro-
vided in his amendment, should it be
adopted. The foreign insane. Mr.
| Brown said, answering Senator Lodge,
were largely from the pauper class.
The House on December Sth paid a
remarkable tribute to the memory of
ex-Speaker Thomas B. Reed His death
| has created a general desire to show a
signal mark of respect to his memory
| For the House to take action on a for
mer member has only three precedents
in history; namely, on the occasion of
the death of Benton, Blaine and Alex
ander Stephens, when the House adopt
| ed resolutions and adjourned out of re-
spect to their memories. 1t was decid-
ed to. follow these precedents in the
case of Mr.. Reed. The resolution, Of
fered by Mr.. Sherman of New York and
unanimously adopted, recites that
THE Hon. Thomas Bracket Reed died
in Washington, December 7, 1902. For
| twenty years he had been a member of
| this House; for six years it's speaker
His service terminated with the Fifty
fifth Congress. Within this chamber
the scene of his. lifes great activities
were laid. Here he rendered services to-
| his country which nlaced him in the