Gilpin observer., 1903-02-26

Senator McCumber has introduced
the pure food bill. as proposed
amendment to the agricultural appro-
priation bill.
The conferees on the army appropri-
alton bill met February 18th and came
to an agreement. The appropriation
of s2000.O 900 for equipping the national
guard the same as the regular army
was agreed to. The Senate conferees
receded from the amendment providing
for the purchase and preservation OF
the Balls Bluff battlefield. The Senate
provision for 100000 for army post
buildings to take the place of the can
teens. remains in the bill, but it Is
provided that not more than 100000 be
expended for any one post building.
The Senate amendment permitting all
army officers below the grade of major
general, who saw service in the civil
war, to retire with the rank and pay
of the next highest grade. was agreed
to, with further amendment making
it apply only to officers who served in
the Civil War more than one year.
Senator Teller and Senator Patter-
son called upon the director of the
mint recently and conferred with him
on the matter of completing the ma
chinery plant in the Denver mint.
The House has already appropriated
$150.000 for this purpose, and an effort
will be made to increase the amount to-
$250,000, the estimate of the director.
The director said that much of the ma
chinery in the New Orleans mint would
be removed to the Denver mint upon
the latter's reduction to an assay mint.
Senators Teller and Patterson suggest
ed that southern senators would sue
cessfully oppose such measure. The
director promised that as soon as the
appropriation was available he would
proceed with the installation OF ma
chinery. He made it evident that Den
yer was one of the three desirable
minting places in the country. the
other two being San Francisco and
Philadelphia.
During the discussion of the state
hood bill in the Senate Mr.. Teller re-
sented Mr.. Depew's remarks on une1
quail representation in that body. Ad-
vancing to the center aisle and speak,
ing with great fervor, Mr.. Teller said
it was no small thing to talk about
changing the form under which the
government had grown so great and SO
strong. Il have listened to great deal
of nonsense" said he, Il have listened
to good deal l consider beneath the
dignity of some, but l cannot listen to
Mr.. Depew's remarks without saying
here, as a citizen of the United States,
that 1 feel the American people will
feel the insult from the senator from
New York" Replying. Mr.. Depew said
he regretted that Mr.. Teller felt insult
ed, but when you add to the minority
representation in this Senate" he said,
land take it further away from the
people. you are calling attention to
condition where you cannot tell what
the people may do in the discussions
| of the future"
The conferees on the bill for the pro-
lection of the president have agreed
and their report has been submitted to
the house. The senate accepts the
house amendments to the original bill,
with some changes in the wording
AS agreed upon by the conference COM
mittee the death penalty is provided
for anyone who shall wilfully or malic-
iously kill the president or vice-presi-
dent. or any officer upon whom the du-
ties of president may devolve under
the constitution, also for the wilful
killing of any officer of the government
in line of succession to the presidency,
or any ambassador or minister accred-
ited to the United States. Any at
tempt to murder the officials named IS
made punishable by death or imprison-
ment for not less than ten years. Any
one, under the bill. who aids. advises
or abets the killing of the president.
vice-president, or any officer upon
whom the duties of president may de-
volve. or shall aid, abet or advise the
killing of a foreign sovereign, shall be
| deemed a principal offender Anyone
who aids one guilty of the offenses
described in the bill shall be punished
as principal.
The government has formally ac-
cepted the offer of the Panama Canal
Company to sell to the United States
the canal property and all of the COM
pany's rights therein for $4,000, 900.
subject only to the ratification of the
pending treaty with the Republic Of
| Colombia. The effect of this accept
ance will be to extend the life Of the
option held by the government beyond
March 4th next, and until the treaty
now before the Senate has been rati-
fled by both countries in interest Tho
President desires that the proceedings
necessary to the transfer of the title
and possession of the. property be for
warded as much as possible to the end
that when the pending treaty is rati-
fled and goes into effect. nothing will
remain to be done but to consummats
the transaction by the delivery of pos
session and the payment of the con-
sideration. Senator Morgan, as
question of privilege. had read a recent
communication addressed to him by
Rafael Reyes. Colombian minister to
Mexico, and which appeared in the
| public press denying the accuracy OF
a certain statement alleged to have
been made by Mr.. Morgan In the Sem
ate February 18th, that the president
of Colombia had sold out and abdi-
Gated for 81 900 900. He declared that
/ ,o,tt,;,r ,,,ac e,tJ l,, l,;r. a. ..,.. -