The Springfield herald., 1903-02-20
WASHINGTON NEWS AND
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS

duty domestic animals for breeding
purposes.
The Senate committee on foreign re-
lations has authorized a favorable re-
port on new treaty of friendly rela-
tionship with Greece.
Cuban senator's and members of the
Cabinet regarding the coaling stations
for the United States navy have in
formed President Palma that they have
no objection to the treaty Gs inform
ally agreed upon.
If the time limit expires next June.
without a reconsideration of the Dan
ish government of its adverse action
on the sale of its West Indian Islands.
the department will abandon further
efforts to secure the islands.
Superintendent Brownson of the
United States Naval Academy has re-
fused to accept the resignation of
Midshipman II. p. Pearson, the young
man who had his jaw broken as the
result Of a fight caused by his objec-
tion to hazing by his classmates.
The State Department has been ad-
vised by United States Minister Merry
that the president of Salvador has in
formed him that complete tranquility
prevails in Salvador and that the ru-
= mored declaration of war is false.
Francis B. I.oomis has been formal
ly installed in Office as assistant sec
retary of state. 1t has been arranged
that the incoming assistant secretary
shall take up part of the important
diplomatic work of the state depart
ment at once. in conjunction with
portion of the consular business.
Adjurant General Corbin has made
report to Congress in regard to the
militia of the United States, which
shows that there are 10,S53,396 citi-
Zens fitted by age and physical condi-
tion to bear arms in defense of the
country in case of necessity, and that
there are 11S,259 men attached to the
organized militia.
The House committee on census has
authorized a favorable report on the
bill for the collection of municipal sta
tistics in 1905 and biennially there
after. A subcommittee was appointed
to consider the advisability of collect
ing agricultural and livestock statis-
tics every five years. as proposed by
pending bill.
The Senate has passed Representa-
tive Bells bill providing for holding
federal courts In Colorado. as follows:
DeHVeT, HTSl i ueSudyS III way anu ANO
vemher: Pueblo, first Tuesday in
April; Montrose, second Tuesday in
September. The bill provides that
courts heretofore held at Del Norte
shall be discontinued and the business
transferred to Montrose.
The House public lands committee
has favorably reported the Senate bill
authorizing the sale of isolated tracts
of lnu Nf
within the limits of Indian reserva-
lions that have been opened to settle
.9!nent, provided such tracts remain ur-
occupied for three years after all sur
rounding lands have been entered. The
bill affects the Uncompahgre. Southern
Ute and other Indian reservations.
where lands have been opened to set
tlement.
Chairman Burrows of the Senate
committee on privileges and elections.
has been authorized to report adverse
ly upon the claims for back pay pre-
sented by the legal representatives of
senators from the Southern states who
entered Congress at the time of recon-
struction, amounting in the aggregate
to $4,000. These claims were made
for the entire Congress to which the
men We're elected, while at the time
they were paid only from the time the
states were restored to their full
rights
The Senate committee has added the
following amendments to the Indian
appropriation bill: Providing that the
unexpended balance of the appropria-
tion for 1903 for the support of Apache
and other Indians in New Mexico and
Arizona be made available for 1906;
authorizing contract to be made with
the Utes for the transfer and sale OF
the Mesa Verde tract, containing the
cliff dwellings, in Montezuma county;
construction of a mess hail and en-
ployes' quarters at the Grand Junction
Indian school, 1924 600; comforting jur
isdiction on the Court Of Claims to adj
judicate and grant Judgment in the
claims of the confederated bands of
Utes.
In an executive session on the 11th
~lst. the Senate ratified the Alaskan
boundary treaty. There was no delay
in securing action on the treaty. and
very little opposition to it was mani
tested. Senator Teller said that he con-
sidered the Alaskan boundary so well
determined as to make it not matter
of dispute. Therefore, while he would
not delay it, he would not vote for it,
Senator Mason made a few similar re-
marks, adding that he considered the
procedure proposed by the treaty non
American The ayes and noes were
not called. but there were several
voices heard in the negative when an
informal expression was called for.
The ayes were so much more numer-
Gus, however, that the decision of the
chair to the effect that ratification had
prevailed was rot challenged.
The Court of Claims has rendered a
decision of far-reaching Importance to