Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1903-02-17
Correspondence of the Alexandria Gazette.I
Washington, ID. c., Feb. II.

Washington, d. c.. Feb. IL.
Secretary of State Hay and Minister
Bowen this afternoon signed the proto-
col providing for the adjudication of the
claims of Americans citizens against
Venezuela by a commission, and the
setting aside of 80 per cent. of the Gus
toms receipts of La Guayra and Puerto
Cabello for the payment OF all foreign
claims in such manner as shall be deter
mined by the Hague Court OF Arbitra-
ton in accordance with the provisions
ofthe protocols recently arranged between
Venezuela and the foreign allied powers.
The commissioners are to be appointed
one each by President Roosevelt and
President Castro and an umpire by Queen
Wilhelmina of Holland. The commits
sioners are to be appointed before May
LIST and are to meet at Caracas on or be-
fore June first, their labors to beconclud-
ed within six months from that date.
Each country is to share jointly IN the
expenses of the commission.
There will be a caucus Of the repub-
lican Senators in the Marble Room of the
Senate at four O'Clock this afternoon.
The purpose is to arrange programme
To ensure the ratification Of the Panama
canal treaty. An agreement Is ex-
pected to hold a continuous session OF
the Senate until vote is reached. BY
this means, Mr.. Morgan, who is the
only opponent of the treaty, will be
given time to exhaust his remarks and
himself too. If the expected arrange
ment is reached this afternoon, the
Senate will probably remain in session
all of tomorrow night. The option by
which the Panama canal company
agrees to transfer its property to the
United States for forty million dollars,
will expire on March 4th. 1t is exceed
ingly doubtful whether it would be pos
sible to renew that option at all, even
at higher price, and it is understood
that foreign syndicate stands ready to
grab the property as soon as
the United States option expires.
Realizing this situation, President
Roosevelt has taken hand in the matter
and has urged upon Senators the absolute
necessity of prompt action. Appropri-
ation bills and other nCoossary measures
he has suggested can be attended to in
an extra session but the opportunity to
acquire the Panama canal property at
the present advantageous terms offered
the United States is liable to vanish for
ever if the treaty with Colombia is not
ratified before March 4th. Under these
representations from the White House,
the republican Senators have determined
to act aggressively, and if Mr.. Morgan
persists in holding up the great canal
enterprise, as he is now doing, it will
devolve upon him to speak continuously
until physical fatigue compels him to
stop.
The House committee on merchant
marine and fisheries met today and
took up the ship subsidy bill. Chair
man Grosvenor made the following an
nouncement: 'In accordance with
our understanding that a weeks notice
should be served before vote is to be
had on the bill, we agreed to take it
up for final vote next Monday. -Four
democrats and one republican were
absent today; if vote had been among
those present the bill would have been
reported favorably by vote of z to s."
If Mondays meeting is full one, the
fate of the bill would hang on the vote
and if today's situation prevails then it
will be defeated by vote of 9 to 8.
Mrs. Roosevelt will leave Washington
this afternoon for Philadelphia where
she will be the guest of Mr.. and Mrs. John
w. Brock. She will attend the Grand
Opera tonight and will return to Wash
ington tomorrow.
A few minutes before the House
met at noon today fire was dis.
covered by one of the employees in the
public gallery in the northeast corner
of the hall of the House of Represent
atives. 1t was under the floor and
caused by crossed wires which burned of
the rubber insulation and sent up great
pufs of smoke. There was much in
terest, tut little excitement. An ice
water brigade checked the flames and
the electrician quickly repaired the
damage.
The Navy Department this morning
received the following dispatch, dated
Willemstad, February II, from Com.
mander Diehl. of the Marietta: ERASED
the blockade. War vessels withdraw
from all blockaded ports"
Thirty members of the graduating
class of the Carlisle Indian School,
shook hands with the President this
morning. Representative Sherman in,
PRODUCED the young red men and rec
women to the chief executive.
The Weather Bureau predicts continue,
ton of the cold for the Atlantic States and
lower lake regions with temperatures close &c
! below zero over the northern districts, and &c
the freezing point in central Floriday. 1t will
continue cold in the Gulf States and Ohio
valley says the forecaster. The temperature
on the Gulf coast this morning was 6 degrees
below the freezing point. low temperatures
now prevail over the entire country except IN
Montana and Wyoming. The coolest part ia
the United States in the past "a hours wa,
Williston, North Dakota, where the murcury
went down TO "a degrees below zero. At Bis
mark il reached 40 degrees below.
The House bill permitting the free importa
ton Of animals for breeding purposes was TO
day reported favorably from the Senate com
mittee on finance.
The scheme for reforms in Macedonia
agreed upon by Russia and Austria durinf
/ 80. r II