The Springfield herald., 1903-01-16
WA SHINGTON NEWS AND
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS

The secretary of war has submitted
to the House an estimate OF S4so'oo
for the laying of a cable to connect the
headquarters of the Department OF the
Columbia with the military telegraph
system in Alaska.
A Joint resolution was onereu ny
Representative Parker OF New Jersey
proposing an amendment 10 tne cohS'i
tuition to prohibit polygamy. he also
introduced a bill to restore the saie
of malt beverages and light wines 10
soldiers on army transports ana az
post exchanges.
The United States Supreme Court
has decided the case of the western
Union Telegraph Company versus the
Borough of New Hope, pennsylvania,
In favor of the town. The case ihVoi.eu
the validity of an ordinance requiring
n license fee for telegraph wires ana
poles in the town.
The statement of the coinage execul-
cd at the mints of the United States
during the calendar year l9os SHOWS d
total of $79 ,4S5,S15. as follows' nolu,
SAT ,1O9,S52; silver, $29.92S ,lof minor
coins. $2.447,796. In addition the gov
ernment has coined 100000 pieces for
Venezuela, 1850 900 for the government
of Colombia, and S7,50S. gold dollars
for the Louisiana Purchase EXPOSITION
In an address before the American
Association for the advancement OF
Science, Professor Willis l.. Moore, the
chief of the weather bureau. said that
1T costs 81, ,250. 900 a year to make the
forecasts: that the frost warnings Oh
a few days ago in Florida saved NIL
lions of dollars to the people OF that
state. and that the forewarninS oil lne
single cold wave recently saved snip
pers $4,000,000.
The committee on pensions Will I'M
mediately take up the legislative eN,
ecutive and judicial appropriation Dill
and it will be reported to the Senate us
soon as possible. 1t is Dill whlch
demands considerable investigation
and 1t is not probable that 1t will reach
the Senate much before the middle OIL
the month When it is reported the
committee will seek to secure It's I'LL
mediate consideration.
In the Senate the bill for the re-
demption of the silver coinage OF the
Hawaiian islands and its recolnage
Into United States coin was passed az
ter an hours debate. 1t provides ior
the redemption of silver coins by being
received either in Hawaii or the Unit
ed States in the payment OF dues.
Standard silver coins of the United
States may be exchanged for coin Oh
Hawaii at their face value.
Representative Bell is making an ef-
fort to have incorporated in the sundry
civil appropriation bill an item Oh
1900 900 for the purchase of machinery,
appliances and furniture for the Den
yer mint. and for an extension OF the
limit of cost of mint machinery from
sl5O 900 as fixed by the sundry civil act
of June 6. 1900 to s225,O0O. This has
been recommended by Director OF the
Mint Roberts and Secretary Shaw.
Andrew Carnegie, after the dedica-
tion of the Washington public library,
said that he was so well pleased with
the new library and the use made OF
his gift of $350.000, and the provision
for the support of the library that he
would give another S35O,OOO for the
erection of branch lIpraries on the
same condition as the original glft,
namely, that the city provide the sites
and arrange for the support of the Ii
braries.
The monthly circulation statement
Issued by the comptroller of the cur
rency shows that at the close OF the
calendar year the total circulation OF
national bank notes was $3Si,929,7 ,7Si.
an increase for the year of S24 4,64OO5S.
and an increase for the month OF S75,-
270. The circulation based on United
States bonds amounted to S342, 127, ,S44.
an increase for the year OF SIT 7,l1S,53S.
and an increase for the month OF ST.
OPT ABS.
When the Senate reconvened after
the holiday recess few senators were
Il Ji,, ,a11 Il
sion began regarding the coal situation.
Mr.. Lodge announced his introduction
of a bill suspending for ninety days the
duty on coal, with the statement that
in New England there was much dis
tress. owing to the scarcity of coal
and that unless relief was afforded at
once a number of factories would have
to shut down.
The House committee on merchant
marine and fisheries, after giving con-
sideration to the resolution providing
that the privileges of the coastwise
trade be granted to foreign steamers
for period of ninety days for the ex-
elusive purpose of carrying coal be-
tween American ports. directed that a
resolution be introduced asking the
House to authorize the committee to
investigate the entire subject of coal
transportation. Representative Gros-
venor of Ohio, chairman of the com
mittee, pursuant to the agreement, in
troduced such resolution.
Senator Mason of Illinois has intro
duced bill to provide for the tenn
porary operation of coal mines. 1t pro-
vides that hereafter whenever any coal
mine is unoperated and continues to be
unoperated to the prejudice of the rights
of the people, it shall be the duty of
the attorney general to apply to any
judge of United States Court for a
receiver for the mine, who, if appoint
ed shall serve until such time as the
court shall find by decree that neither
the general welfare nor public neces-