The Elk Mountain pilot., 1902-04-08
LATE WASHINGTON NEWS AND
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS

1t is understood that Commissioner
General of immigration Powderly,
whose term of office expires soon, will
be rendered some other position in the
government service
The House committee on claims re
ported favorably the bill appropriating
S2S2.944 for overtime service of nu-
merous letter carriers whose claims
have been allowed in the Court of
Claims.
The monthly statement of the public
debt, issued April 1st. shows that at
the close of business March 81, 1902,
the debt less cash in the treasury,
amounted to S997, 732 1913, which is Il
decrease for the month of 81, ,S23, 100.
Congressman Shafroth is in favor of
wider distribution of the Congress
sional Record He has introduced Il bill
providing that each senator should
have 150 subscriptions placed at his
disposal and each representative 100.
Senator Martin. from the committee
on District of Columbia, reported fa-
vorably the amendment for memorial
bridge across the Potomac at Washing
ton. 1t fixes the cost at So,OOO,0OO ana
makes present appropriation of $780,
600.
Representative Adams of Pennsyl-
vania has presented the report of the
House committee on foreign affairs in
favor of the bill reforming the consul
lar service on n civil service basis. An
appeal is made for an effective and up
to-date business system.
Representative Clark of Missouri has
presented minority report on the Chi
nese exclusion bill and also sub-bill.
The main amendment he proposes is
in permitting Chinese to enter the
United States for attendance ut expo
sitions, worlds fairs, etc.
The President has appointed Brig
adler General X. Z. Hughes, Il major
general and Colonel Isaac ID. Derussy,
Colonel Andrew $. Burt and Colonel N.
V. Sheridan 10 be brigddier generals in
the regular army to fill existing va
cancies caused by retirements.
The House bill for the protection of
coal miners in the territories was
passed by the Senate and goes to the
President for his signature. 1t pro-
vides that coal mines over 100 feet in
depth shall provide 5000 cubic feet
of air every minute for every fifty men
employed and precautions are TO be
taken against the igniting of coal dust
Representative Goldfogle of New
York has introduced in the House a
resolution asking the Secretary of
State for information whether Ameri-
can citizens of the Jewish religious
faith. holding passports issued by this
government, are barred or excluded
from entering the territory of the EN-
pire of Russia.
The statement of the coinage eXecut-
ed at the mints during the month of
March, 1902. issued by the director of
the mint. shows II total coinage of So
1873 as follows: Gold, 81, ,35T 900;
silver S20G5.o minor coins, S2lG,-
600. Owing to the death of the melter
and refiner at the san Francisco mint,
no coinage was executed there during
the month.
Senator Mitchell. who was authorized
by the Senate committee on inter
oceanic canals to confer with the Re
publican steering committee of the
Senate, reported to the canal commit
tee that he had been in conference
with the members of the steering com
mittee and that he had been led to he
lieve that unless there is n change of
plan the Nicnraguan canal bill will he
placed on the Senate calendar as the
unfinished business after the disposal
of the Chinese exclusion bill.
The House observed Good Friday by
voting II large number of special pen
sions to worthy veterans and widows
throughout the land. In all 215 We're
passed. With one exception this is the
record for the number of such bills
passed at single session. During the
discussion ii developed that Colorado
has s, 134 persons on the pension rolls
and is receiving the sum of S444, 900
annually. Wyoming pensioners num-
Der T26 and receive S116.90o. New
Mexico has 1,T55 pensioners who get
S263,950.
The Senate committee on Indian af-
fairs decided TO adopt an amendment
to the Indian appropriation bill offered
by Senator Rawlins. providing for the
opening of the Uintah Indian reserva-
tion. in Utah. to settlement. To each
head of an Indian family it is pro
posed to allow eighty acres of land.
and to every other member of the two
tribes forty acres. The rest is TO be
sold to settlers mt the rate of Sl.25 per
acre, the proceeds above $4,000 to he
paid into a fund held for the benefit
of the Indians. The committee voted
unanimously for this amendment, and
it is very likely to become II law with
the Indian appropriation bill.
Representatives Mondell of Wyo-
ming. Shafroth of Colorado. Jones of
Washington and Fordney of Michigan,
have filed n minority report against
the Lacey bill to transfer the control
of the forest reserves from the inter
ior department to the agricultural
department The transfer of the
reserves as proposed by the bill is OPP
posed on t he ground that Il complete
transfer is impracticable because le-
gal questions relative to the settlement
of rights to lieu land selections. min
ing rights. etc, must necessarily be
determined by the Interior Depart
ment Further. that the Interior De-
partment is well adapted to admins
ta,. all fpntIrnS of forest rpSaryp man