Gilpin observer., 1902-04-03
LATE WASHINGTON NEWS AND
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS

The minority members of the Senate
committee on the Philippines are con-
sidering the advisability of presenting
to the full committee a proposition for
u visit to the Philippine islands during
the next vacation for the purpose of
investigating conditions there and Of
taking the testimony Of leading Fill
plnos.
The Senate public lands committee
has reported favOrably Senator Mitch
ellis bill providing for refunding $1.25
per acre to homestead and pre-emptiOn
holders of land who secured lands by
entry within railway land limits and
paid at the rate of $3.50 per acre. and
where railway companies failed to con-
struct the lines Of railroad on account
of which such land grants were made.
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 OH n civil service
basis. 1t provides for the appointment
by the President of Il committee of two
senator's, 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; board of
examiners is established, and provision
is made for an eligible list from which
appOintees may be selected
The scheme for Philippine currency
as agreed on by the Republican mem
bers of the, currency committee is that
there shall be coined Philippine dol
lar of the same weight and fineness as
the Mexican dollar and the British dol
1Or 10 fn ha n hvy1 hut
the volume is to be limited only by
the demands of business. The coin will
carry an American device on one side
and an Oriental design on the other
and 1t is calculated that 1t will in time
be very popular coin throughout the
eastern world. The amendment also
provides for subsidiary coinage suf-
ficient 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.
President Roosevelt declared the 9TH
er day that SO long as he is in office
no deserter from the army or navy
would find favor with him. The state
ment was made to Captains Frank
Bruner and Fred McDonough of Lytle
Post, G. A. R., of Cincinnati, who
handed in a set of resolutions from the
ex-UniOn soldiers of Cincinnati con-
demning the restoration of deserters to
the rolls, and approving his course in
vetoing certain bills recently passed by
Congress. They also arranged to pre-
sent to the President at the next an
nual encampment of the G. A. II. the
resolutions passed by the Lytle Post
thanking him for the stand he had TAX
en- in giving preference to Civil War
veterans in the matter of appoint
ments.
The answer of the State Department
TO the Richardson resolution directing
an investigation into the charges that
$5OO.OOO had been used in bribery,
made in connection with the Danish
West Indian treaty. will disclose the
fact that the United States govern
ment has refused to have anything to
do with any persons not directly con-
nected with the Danish government.
The failure of Congress to appropriate
the $5,OOO.OOO which was to be the
price paid for the islands would not
cause failure of the transfer of the
territory. The construction Of the
treaty by the State Department is that
directly upon the exchange of ratifica-
tions the islands become the property
of the United States without waiting
for the payment of the money, and
the failure of Congress to make the ap-
preparation would simply leave out
standing debt Of honor.
The House committee on foreign af-
fairs has completed consideration of
the Chinese exclusion bill and by a
practically unanimous vote ordered it
favorably reported to the House. The
measure has been most carefully con-
sidered for more than a month, and it
comes from the committee with quite
n number of changes. The exclusion
of Chinese laborers is made complete,
both as to the mainland territory of the
! United States and all insular poses
sions. including the Philippines and
Hawaii The committee finally re-
stored the prohibitory clause recon-
mended by the Pacific coast senators
and members. so that as reported 1t
reads: "And the prohibition shall ap-
ply to all Chinese laborers. as well as
to those who were In such insular pos
sessions at the time of acquisition by
the United States. also to those who
have come there since, and those who
may be born there hereafter"
During the consideration of the sun
dry civil appropriation bill, Mr. Spight
of Mississippi and Mr.. Pou OF North
Carolina spoke on the question Of the
disfranchisement of the negro In the
South. The former appealed to the
Republicans not to disturb the ern of
good feeling inaugurated by the late
President Mckinley, and Mr.. Pou, af-
ter describing the manner In which 900
negroes had been inducted Into office In
North Carolina between 1894 and 1900,
through coalition between the Re-
publicans and Populists, said that the
Democrats again having secured con-
troll, proceeded to dlsfranchise as many
negroes as possible. ''If our represen-
tation is to be reduced for that" said
he. 1--WE are willing to submit to it..