Gilpin observer., 1902-01-23


to admit the Railway Guide to the
mails as second-class matter on the
ground that 1t contains no news.
Secretary Root has called the atten-
tion of Congress to the need of pro-
vidlng for the fifty companies of Phil
tppine scouts, comprising about 5000
men. A deficiency appropriation is re-
quired of $515,0OO.
Oscar S. Straus OF New York, for
mafly United States minister to Tur-
key, has been appointed as a perma-
nent member of the committee of arbi-
tration at The Hague The appoint
ment is to fill the vacancy caused by
the death of ex-President Harrison.
1t is now said that all members of
the Isthmian canal committee except
Professor Haupt are in favor Of recon-
mending the Panama route to the Pres
ident in the light of the new offer of
the Panama company to sell. Rear
Admiral Walker, Mr.. Pasco, Colonel
Haines and Mr.. Noble are all said to
have come over to Panama.
Representative Southard of Ohio,
chairman of the House committee ON
coinage, ID about to send invitations to
a number of the chief manufacturers,
merchants and others engaged in mer-
camille pursuits, to appear before the
coinage committee February 9Th con-
corning the bill for the adoption of the
metric system Of weights and meas
ures.
The Senate committee on commerce
has authorized n favorable report on
Senator Frye's ship subsidy bill. The
report will be made by Senator
10 nax nroI
amendments to the bill. The most i'm
portant were: Allowing mail carrying
vessels under the bill to be either iron
or steel, instead Of steel only, as orig
inally provided, and reducing to 1000
gross registered tons the vessels receiv-
Ing a bounty under the bill.
The Chesapeake Beach railway, ex-
tending thirty miles from Washington
to Chesapeake Beach, resort on
Chesapeake bay, and owned mainly by
Colorado investors, is to be improved
before the summer season opens, by
the expenditure of $5OO,OOO on track
age and equipment The steam loco
motives will be replaced by electric
motor engines capable Of n speed of
sixty miles an hour. Hon. Otto Mears,
president of the company, who re-
Gently returned from Denver, will take
charge of the work.
The following order has been issued
by the President, directed to each ex-
ec1Itive department: 1.-The attention of
the department is hereby called to the
provisions of the laws giving prefer
ence to veterans in appointment and
retention. The President desires that
wherever the needs OF the service will
Justify, and the law will permit, pref
gerence shall be given alike in appoint
ment and retention to honorably dis
charged veterans OF the Civil War who
are fit and well qualified to perform
the duties of the places which they
seek and are filing"
The Senate Thursday for brief
time, had under consideration the bill
9reating q department of commerce,
and the discussion tended to show that
the measure will have to be amended
In many particulars before it can re-
ceive the approval Of the Senate. Ser.
lous objections were raised to the
transfer to the proposed department of
several important bureaus now part
Of other departments Of the govern
ment. 1t was pointed out that If the
bill as reported became law 1t would
create the greatest department OF the
government, and that the secretary OF
commerce would have more power
than even the secretary Of the treas
ury.
The irrigation bill, as completed by
the committee OF seventeen western
members, and which will be reported
to a general caucus of all western
senators and representatives, while not
conforming to the views of all western
a. l. l.nl In ud ad
by the caucus practically in its pres
ent shape. Recent changes made from
preyious drafts of the bill give settlers
under proposed government irrigation
works the opportunity of taking up 100
acres instead Of eighty, as originally
sOposed. The fixed charge Of IS an
Fncre for government irrigated lands Is
withdrawn, and the price charged will
be the pro rata cost of irrigation, and
may be made in ten annual payments,
which shall be returned to the govern
ment reclamation fund. The commit
tee also struck out the proposition to
>give the secretary of interior authority
ID sell water from government works
flor irrigation Of lands In private own
ership, and inserted a proviso that the
Communication clause Of the homestead
law shall not apply to entries Of lands
irrigated by government works.
At a largely attended meeting Of Pa
clfic coast Senators and Representa-
tives a final determination was reached
a. to the course to be pursued on
Chinese exclusion legislation, and the
following resolution was adopted: IRE
solved, That the Pacific coast Senators
and Representatives approve the pol
icy and general provisions Of the bill
which they have requested Representa-
tive Kahn to Introduce In the House
and Senator Mitchell In the Senate;
but this shall not affect the privilege
of any member to perfect the same by
amendment" The bill thus to be in
troduced was agreed upon ut the meet
ing. As finally adopted the insular