Gilpin observer., 1902-06-19
LATE WASHINGTON NEWS AND
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS

accept the Senate amendments to the
bill. AS agreed upon the bill provides
that owners of coal mines in terrific
ries shall provide ventilation Of not
less than 5000 cubic feet per minute
for every fifty men, air to be forced
through the mines by proper machin-
cry, to dilute and render harmless poi
sonous gases. Entries, room and all
openings shall be kept dampened with
water to cause coal dust to settle, and
| II water Is not Obtainable at reason
able cost, accumulations of dust shall
be taken from the working portions Of
! the mines. The conferrees retain the
Senate amendment striking out the
provision requiring owners to employ
professional shot firers to fire blasts.
| The President has nominated Briga-
dier Generals John G. Bates and
George w. Davis to be major generals.
Brig. Gen. John G. Bates was born in
Missouri, where he entered the regu-
lar army as first lieutenant of infan-
try in 1861. He was brigadier general
Of volunteers in the Spanish war, and
was with Shafter at Santiago. In the
Philippines his notable works were
the negotiation of the treaty with the
Sultan Of JOlo and the capture of
Lieutenant General Trias of the in
more of active service. Brig. Gen.
George w. Davis entered the volun-
teer army in his native state of Con-
necticut in 1861 as quartermaster
| sergeant, and became captain of the
regular army in 1867. After the war
with Spain he was made governor gen.
eral of Porto kico where he remained
until ordered to the Philippines in
| 1901. He has only one more year to
| serve.
Representative Shafroth Is highly
elated over the passage Of the irriga-
tiOn bill. "This measure" said he, ''in
my judgment, does more for the West
than all other appropriations we have
| obtained since the acquisition of that
territory. 1t starts with a fund of
$6,OOO,OOO cash to our\ credit and the
fund will increase at the rate Of 49,.
| 100000 to $4,OOO,0O0 each year. In re-
payment for water rights it is likely
to constitute a fund finally Of several
hundred million dollars. 1t is practic-
ally turning over to us the receipts
| from fully 55O,OOO,OO0 acres of land. In
about one year believe the secretary
Of the interior will begin the construc-
ton Of reservoirs and irrigation works.
He will probably start with three or
| four projects simultaneously. Definite
| surveys will first have to be made,
| as the surveys now on record are not
sufficiently accurate to draw final
plans. am anxious that practical
projects shall be selected, even If some
delay ensues, for 1t would be a bitter
| disappointment to those who have Sc
cured the passage of this bill to see its
first fruits turn out failures"
The Presidents Cuban reciprocity
message was variously regarded by
members of Congress. The straight
| reciprocity men urged that the effect
would be to cause at least some Of the
beet sugar Republicans to abandon
their opposition. They contepded that
some of them had misunderstood the
attitude of the President, and there
was no longer any excuse for opposing
reciprocity measures. The measure,
they said, would clear the atmosphere,
rendering the Presidents attitude un-
mistakable, and therefore bring oppon-
| nents within the party face to face
| with the fact that in continuing their
| opposition they are antagonizing the.
official head of the party. I'VE have
known all the time where the Presi-
dent stood on this subject, and have
told the Republican opponents of re-
| ciprocity just what the facts are" said
a leading reciprocity senator. "They re-
fused to accept our assurances, and
professed to have expressions from the
President to the country. The message
confirms all that we have said to them.
1t clears the atmosphere, and neces-
sarily the result must be beneficial for
reciprocity BILL" The beet sugar
leaders declared at the close Of the day
that the message had caused no loss
| ~ n 70 than. ba oil
tors who had stood with them before
are still with them. They also assert.
ed that the Presidents interposition in
the matter had had the effect of caus-
ing to hesitate some senator's who here
| tofore had not taken positive stand
against reduction because of the feel
ing that the President should leave
Congress to deal with the subject in
Its present stage.
During the discussion of the Corllss
Pacific cable bill In the House Mr.. Cor
llss said: This measure provides for
government cable uniting our islands
i'll the Pacific with the American con-
tinent. BY Its terms the cable shall
be American-made, laid by American
ship, and managed by the American
government" He argued that no one
had the right to lay cable without
permission of Congress. He placed
the cost of construction at not exceed
ing $10,00O,OO0 and the cost of opera
ton at 100000 per annum. A govern
ment survey of the route already had
been made, he said, at an expense Of
100000. He estimated that the reve-
nue. from commercial business alone
Would be far in excess of the cost of
operation. Mr.. Corllss presented to
| hn uausn n tv,
tended TO show the existence OF a ca
BILE monopoly and Its purposes. He
presented the grants obtained by the
Eastern Extension Cable Company
obtained from China, Japan and the
| Snnnish iSlandS In the Pacific includ.