Gilpin observer., 1902-03-20
LATE WASHINGTON NEWS AND
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS

Before the Senate Philippine cofnmis-
sion General Hughes said that when
ever he went into action against the
Filipinos he felt as If he were fighting
children, and that he never made an
attack that he did not regret 1T. He
said he knew of but one case of
wounded Filipino being left on the
field.
General Hughes says the death rate
I among Spanish prisoners in the Phil
| ippines was far beyond what it should
have been. Investigation proved that
the prisoners We're so debilitated by
reason Of their long stay in the heat
and by their military service that they
were unable to rally from any illness
which attacked them. He said he had
urged the return of United States
troops to this country after two years
service.
The officials in the Department of
Justice Will make every effort to secure
the extraditiOn from Canada Of Colonel
Gaynor and Captain Greene, who are
charged with completely in the Savan-
nah frauds for which Captain O. NJ.
Carter was sent to the peniteniary.
The officials are looking up the law and
the treaty bearing on the subject and
as soon as this is completed they will
ask the State Department to take
steps to secure the eNtradition Of the
men, who are now in Canada.
| President Roosevelt's attitude to-
wards the project of reclaiming arid
lands will probably figure largely in
the growing popularity of the New
lands -Hansbrough bill before the
house, says a News special The
presidents views have not changed
since the delivery of his message
| to congress and on several oc-
casions recently he has given evidence
thatt he is heart and soul with the
| Westerners in their government irriga-
ton measure.
1t may be that the collision which oc-
CURED between Russian soldiers and
the crew of the United States steam
ship Vicksburg at the beginning of the
year, while the gunboat was in q mud
dock at New Chwang will be the SUBJ
| ject of further representations to the
Russian government. Mail advices
make out very strong case for the
American sailors. 1t is shown that
they were attacked without reason in
their own clubroom by the Russian
| guard and were handled cruelty.
The House judiciary committee. will
report a bill to define "conspiracies,"
SO as to limit the issuance Of injunc-
! tions in labor controversies. 1t pro-
vides that no agreement between per-
| sons to do or not to do any act in fur
| therance of any trade dispute between
employers and employees shall be
deemed criminal. nor shall such person
be indictable for conspiracy, nor shall
such agreement be considered In re-
straint of trade, nor shall any restrain
| ing orders or injunction be issued in
relation thereto.
Mr.. Shafroth of Colorado and Mr..
Hill of Connecticut locked horns for
brief time on the floor of the House
over the question as to whether the Hill
| financial bill, which provides for the
exchange of gold for legal tender sill
| yer dollars, had the support of the cOun-
| try or simply the moneyed institutions
of New York. Mr.. Shafroth contended
| in emphatic terms that the country at
| large did not indorse the Hill bill. Its
author replied that he did not know
what the bankers all over the country
| thought Of the bill. but the indOrse-
ment Of the New York Chamber Of
Comerce was sufficient. in his estima-
tion, to brand it as desirable legisla-
ton.
Representative John c. Bell has
taken a stand against what he terms
the undignified principles in the post
Office department. He has been inveS-
tigating cases in Colorado where
rooms have been rented to the post
office authorities for the nominal sum
of 81 per year, 1t being openly admitted
that the low rental was offered by pri-
Vate parties for the purpose of having
the postoffice placed in a locality where
it would enhance the value Of property
in nj, fnfoHaStn6 Mr.
Bell learned enough to satisfy himself
that this has been widely practiced in
the West, and countenanced by the de-
partment.
The House during the present week
will pass the river and harbOr bill, will
decide the contested election case Of
Moss VS.. Rhea, from the Third Ken
tucky district, and will consider the
bill for the retirement of officers Of the
revenue cutter service. Such Is the
program Of the House leaders. The re-
port in the contested election case Is
against Mr.. Rhea. the sitting member,
who is q Democrat. and 1t is regarded
as q foregone conclusion that he will
be unseated. The revenue cutter SER
vice bill was defeated in the last Con-
gress, but Its friends claim they have
hope that 1t will meet a. better fate
now. 1t believed that the river and
harbor bill will not consume more than
two days.
The bill to adopt the weights and
measures of the metric system as the
standard for the United States, rs in
troduced by Representative Shafroth.
was favorably reported by the House
committee on coinage, weights and
| measures. 1t provides that after Janu-
nrv 1904 NIL the departmentS OF the
government Of the United States In
the TRANSACTION of all business requir-
| ing the use of weight and measure
ment, except in completing the survey
of public lands, shall use only the
| ,vniuhta md mon surns OF the meiric