The Elk Mountain pilot., 1902-04-08

The House committee on coinage has
ordered favorable report ON the bill
of Representative Mercer, establishing
n coinage mint at Omaha, Nebraska,
and appropriating $950,0U0 for a build
ing.
The House committee on foreign af-
fairs voted to report the bill of Repre-
sentative Adams of Pennsylvania, to
reorganize the United States consular
service and place it on civil service
basis. 1t provides for the appointment
by the President of Il committee of two
senators, three representatives and one
State department official to assist in
the reorganization of the consular SER
vice; which is to be graded with fixed
salaries; fees are abolished; II board of
examiners is established, and provision
is made for an eligible list from which
appointees may be selected.
The following bills were passed in
the Senate April I'd: Authorizing the
appointment of John Russell Bartlett
as Il rear admiral on the retired list of
the navy; providing for the issuance of
Il patent to the town of Basin City,
Wyoming. to the municipal authorities
thereof for the use and benefit of said
town; to extend the time for presenta-
tion of claims to reimburse the COVER
nors of states and territories for eX-
pense incurred by them in aiding the
United States to raise and organize an
army in the war with Spain to Jan
uary 1, 1903; granting land near Salt
Lake, Utah, for miners home, and
seventy-one private pension bills.
The civil service commission will
shortly institute n test system of an
nual examinations of its employees,
which. If proven practicable, is desg-
mated to be extended to all branches of
of the government service. These eX-
aminations will be required of all. re
gardless of whether they are seeking
promotion or not. and the employees
will be reduced in grade and pay if
they fail to score seventy per cent. in
the examinations, The regular etii-
cheney records will be counted on the
basis of forty per cent. out of the maxi
mum of 100 per cont. The commission
is instituting the scheme in its own
offices first. before taking steps look
ing to its general adoption.
The scheme for Philippine currency
MS agreed ON by the Republican mem
bers of the currency committee is that
there shall be coined a Philippine dol
lar of the same weight and fineness rs
the Mexican dollar and the British dol
lar. 1t is TO be bullion dollar. but
the volume Is TO he limited only by
the demands of business The coin will
carry an American device on one side
and an Oriental design OH the other.
and It is calculated that it will in time
be very popular coin throughout the
eastern world. The amendment also
provides for subsidiary coinage suf-
iicient to meet the wants of the Philip
pine people. The coinage of this silver
dollar will be done both in America
and in the Philippines.
The House does not seem to want
Liberty to enlighten the world. Dur
ing the consideration of the sundry
civil appropriation bill Mr.. Sulzcr of
New York offered an amendment to
appropriate $4,000 for lighting the
torch of Bartholdi's statue of Liberty
in New York harbor. Mr.. Sulzer said
this light was put out March 1st
Since the statue was erected in 1SS6
until now. he said. the sundry civil bill
had always carried an Appropriation for
this light lie had read poem writ
ten by an antl-imperialist on the eN-
tinguishment of the light in Libcrty's
torch. When Mr.. Sulzcr concluded Mr..
Cannon congratulated him on the
speech and the poem. and then asked
him if he withdrew the amendment.
Mr.. Sulzer replied in the negative.
whereupon Mr.. Cannon said the pend
ing bill carried 81 100000 for lights.
the expenditure of which. he said. was
entirely within the discretion of the
lighthouse board. Mr. Cannon said
the appropriation committee had made
some Investigation and had ascer-
tnined that the light on the Bartholdi
statue was valueless for commercial
purposes. on rising vote the amend
nnts fnI 4 10
New York school teachers in the gal
lery applauded vociferously. Mr.. Can
non Immediately demanded telers.
You will have to carry this by tellers
and an aye and no vote before it is
finally adopted" he declared, en-
phatically. Great interest was taken
In the vote by tellers. The pages
scurried out to the restaurant and com
mittee rooms to bring in absentees.
When the vote was finally completed
the first vote was reversed and the
amendment stood defeated. 81 to ca.
The investigation of charges made in
connection with the Danish West In
dies purchase was begun April 1st be-
fore the special committee appointed
by Speaker Henderson. Beside the
members of the committee there was
present Niels Gron. who brought the
charges to the attention of Representa-
tive Richardson and quite number of
interested spectators. Mr. Gron eX-
planned how the Danish parties oppos-
ing IL sale of the islands had persuaded
him to come to Washington and place
the Christmas report before Congress
and the public. so that the facts would
he known. He told of having secured
IL note of introduction to General Gros-
venor of Ohio. now in Washington.
General Grosvenor at first seemed
quite indignant, Mr.. Gron said. and
spoke of laying the matter before the
proper parties in order that suitable ac-
tion might be taken. The witness said
thar latpi. General GroSvpnot. cnncIud