The Somerset reporter., 1902-04-10
At Washington.

At the conclusion of lively debate,
Thursday, the Senate passed the cleo.
margarine bill by a vote of 80 to 81.
The discussion was largely in the nature
of reinforcement of argument previous.
ly advanced.
The House committee on labor has or
dered favorable report on the eight
hour bill, so called, providing that in
every contract for work for the govern.
ment, it shall be specified that the work
is 10 be done on an elght-hour basis.
This measure has been strongly support.
ed by labor organizations and opposed
by the large armor, shipbuilding, ordin-
ance and other concerns having contracts
with the government. The favorable re-
port was ordered without division. Chair
man Gardner will make the report.
Friday the Speaker called upon Moody,
Mass, who is to succeed Secretary Long,
May /, to preside over the committee of
the whole. AS the future secretary of
the navy assumed the gravel, the mem
beers on both sides of the House gave
him an ovation.
The United States minister at Pekin,
Edwin II. Conger, has started on a
short visit to Shanghai, on board the
United States gunboat Wilmington. Mr..
Conger will begin the negotiations for a
new commercial treaty between the
United States and China.
The time of the cabinet, Friday, was
taken up almost entirely with a COM
munication which the President has re-
ceived from the governor of Louisiana,
protesting against the camp alleged TO
be maintained in that state by the agents
of the British government for the pur.
pose of supplying mules and teams to
the British army in South Africa. The
President has directed an investigation
in the facts bearing upon the case.
By small but sufficient majority the
oleomargarine has passed the Senate in
an amended form, and its final shape
will now be determined in conference.
The bill is designed to improve and
make more effective the law of 1886 i'm
posing tax of two cents a pound on
artificial butter and requiring that the
packages should be plainly marked.
The Washington Post says: Sen. Platt
of Connecticut, the chairman of the Sen
ate committee on Cuba, has received
two notifications One from the Demo-
cratic side was to the effect that the
minority proposed to fight reciprocity at
every stage and had formed compact
organization for that purpose. The
other came from prominent Republican
who stated that, at the proper time, he
would offer an amendment to the bill
declaring that recrocity should be con-
tengent upon the agreement by the
Cuban government to a treaty with the
United States embodying the text of
the Plat amendment, the senator put
ting his statement on the ground he fear
ed the Cubans, after they had formed a
government would attempt to nullify the
Plat amendment.
President Roosevelt and party left for
Charleston, S. G., Monday at 80
O'Clock. The presidential party travell-
ed in special train over the Southern
railroad.
The House Monday passed the Chinese
exclusion bill after Incorporating in it
several amendments which increased the
drastic character of the measure. The
principal one not only excludes Chinese
by birth and descent, but those of mix
ed blood. The chief struggle was over
an amendment to prohibit the employ
ment of Chinese on railroads on. Ameri-
can ships.
The House committee on territories
has reported favorably on the bill grant
ing statehood to Arizona, New Mexico
and Oklahoma. This action was expect
ed and it brings the whole matter pro
minently before Congress, but there is
much doubt if the bill is passed at this
session.
James R. Garfield, a son of the late
President Garfield, has accepted the
position of civil service commissioner
rendered him about ten days ago, by
Pres. Roosevelt. He takes the place to
be vacated on the first of April by Mr.
VIM. A. Rodenberg.