The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1903-03-05
At Washington.

The Philippine coinage measure, as
passed by the Senate and confirmed by
the House, last week. establishes the
gold peso standard-that is, with fifty
cents worth of gold as the unit. There
is to be, further, new peso of 416
grains of silver which shall be legal
tender. 1t is also provided that United
States gold shall be legal tender, one
dollar to be reckoned equivalent to two
pesos. Authority is given to the govern
ment of the Philippines to have the sill
yer pesos coined and put in circulation,
leaving the details largely to the discre-
ton of the government. The RESPONSE
bility for the maintenance of the Philip
pines upon the gold basis is also left
with the commission without any deiini-
ton of methods. No provision is made
for a gold redemption fund or for the
obligatory exchangability of gold coin
and silver pesos when called for. The
main features of the bill have been
amended as proposed by Henry w. Pea
body, but his advocacy of redemption
fund of gold and a statutory parity
through exchangability with silver pesos
las not been included.
The House committee on library has
favorably reported the Senate bill to
erect a monument in Hampden, Me-, to
the memory of Dorothea Dix, chief of
the hospital nurses of the U. :. during
the Civil war.
President Rooseyelt's message suggest
ing that he be author zed to appoint a
commission to take part in an inter
national conference with the silver using
countries of the world, was laid on the
table by vote of the House committee
on Coinage, Friday, after consideration
at four consecutive meetings. The
action of the committee, however, will
not preclude consideration of the sub
ject by the two houses of Congress, as
the Senate placed the recommendation
as an amendment on the sundry civil ap-
preparation bill. The international com
mittee will thus become subject of
conference.
Baron Covers, the minister of the
Netherlands, and Mr.. Bowen have signed
the Netherlands protocol providing for
the settlement of the claims OF that
country against Venezuela. 1t is pro-
vided that President Roosevelt shall
name the umpire in the event of dis
agreement. The protocol follows the
jlutb VI ludt III INT ~ uiIou olatOo'
The Democrats of the House, Friday,
carried out their threat that if Butler
was unseated they would do everything
in their power to block legislation from
now until ougress expires, March
The result was another stormy session
prolonged from II O'clock that morning
until almost o'clock that evening
Roll call succeeded roll call and at ev-
cry pause party passion manifested it.
self in bitter and acrimonious denunci-
alton. Two special rules were brought
in to expedite appropriation bills and to
continue the legislative day of yesterday
in order to reduce as much as possb BILE
the minority's power to obstruct lcgis-
lation. 1t was agreed pn both sides that
the present situation sounded the death
knell of practically everything except
the appropriation bills.
The appropriations made during the
session of Congress which closed, yester
day, aggregated 1888, Asa, 018, as against
$500, 624 ,496 for the last session, The
total for the entire Congress Thus foot
ed up $1,554, 10S,514 The closing
scenes in the House were unusually
exciting. Democrats did not make
unanimous the vote of thanks to Speak
er Henderson, but this usual courtesy
was extended to senator Frye president
pro tenn of that body.