The Elbert County tribune., 1903-03-05
WASHINGTON NEWS AND
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS

state purposes The opinion was held
that neither the lands held BY tho al
lottees. the permanent improvements.
nor the personal property used for the
cultivation OF the lands Is subject 10
taxation. He said that as the lands
are held by the United States In exc
cution of its plans relating TO the In
dians. without any right In the Indians
to make contracts In reference to
them, or to do more than TO occupy
and cultivate them. there Is no power
in the state to assess and tax the lands
for state or municipal purposes. This
right could not. he said, accrue until
the lands are patented.
Senator Fairbanks introduced an
omnibus public building bill, which has
been agreed upon by the Senate com
mittee on public buildings and
grounds. By the bill the amounts of
various buildings are increased TO the
following; Colorado Springs, s175.-
900; Evanston. Wyoming, $4,000
municipal building. Washington. s2,-
100000. A new building is authorized
at Pierre, South Dakota. to cost $780,
900. The sale OF the old custom house
at Kansas City. Missouri, is author
lied, the proceeds to be applied to
81
which is to cost not more than $780,
600 A change is made in regard to
Lincoln. Nebraska. the total cost be-
ing s35o,000. the old building to be
sold.
The Interstate Commerce Commits
sion has submitted a report to the SEN
ate regarding all securities Issued by
railroad companies. the par values of
each class of securities outstanding on
June 80. 1900, interest and dividends
thereon, etc. The report says that for
the United States the total par value
of railway securities is $i1.724. .O35. .S29.
and their market value sS,351, l0s, ,523.
The capital stock is stated to be par
value. s6,021 1864 .502. and market value,
$3.250. IA 500. The par value OF the
funded debt is stated to be S., ,702. .671,-
1927. and the market value 81, 100, $685.
927.
The President has sent 10 the Senate
a report of the secretary of war upon
the resolution requesting Information
as to the Isle OF Pines. The secretary
quotes from an endorsement. made by
the late military governor of Cuba, who
says that at the date of transfer OF the
government of Cuba the Isle of Pines
was under the municipality OF the
province of Havana. The Isle OF Pines
was transferred to the de facto govern
ment of the Republic OF Cuba. pending
the settlement by treaty between tho
United States and Cuba The island
to-day is under the control OF the civil
governor of the province Of Havana
and the Republic of Cuba. No special
action was taken to protect the inter-
ests of United States citizens who have
purchased property and settled in the
Isle of Pines, because no such action
was necessary. An Americans are in
the same condition as other foreigners.
1t was understood that when they went
there they took the risks incident to the
situation. Secretary Root says Gen.
Woods endorsement answers all ques-
tions of the Senate.
Senator Burrows, chairman OF the
Senate committee on privileges and
elections, presented to the Senate a
protest signed by the Rev. ]. L. Leil-
itch. in the case of Senator-Elect Reed
Smoot of Utah. urging that Mr. Smoot
shall not be permitted to take his seat
in the Senate. Mr.. Leilitch is in charge
OF Methodist missions in Utah and re-
sides in Salt Lake. He is in Washing
ton as the representative of the Min
isters' Association of Salt Lake. His
statement is sworn to. Mr.. Leilitch
declares that Smoot Is a polygamist..
and now has a plural wife, although he
deems 1t inexpedient to give the maid
en- name of the lady at this time He
wants the Senate to compel the First
Presidency and the Quorum of Twelve
Apostles to produce the record Of this
plural marriage. Mr. Leilitch also as
serts that President Joseph f. Smith.
the president of the Mormon church.
is living in open polygamy. and has a
child born to him by his plural wife as
late as 1885, and also that President
Lorenzo Snow lived and died in the
practice of polygamy and polygamous
cohabitation. and that his plural wife.
Minnie Jensen Snow. bore him a child
as late as the winter of 1861"
A scheme for the organization OF the
new Department of Commerce and l a
Dor has been laid before Congress by
Secretary Cortelyou. in the estimates
transmitted to that body through the
secretary of .ae treasury. In addition
to the twelve branches of the public
service transferred to the new depart-
ment from other departments, which
have been appointed for. Secretary
Cortelyou asks for appropriations for
salaries aggregating s669.690 The SAL
aries cover the secretary's Office, tho
bureaus of corporations and manufac-
lures and subordinate divisions. Sec
retary Cortelyou says in his letter that
provision should be made for the nav
ment OF salaries for the remainder of
the current fiscal year of such officers
and employees as qualify before .Iuly
/. 1s03. but he says that the bureaus Of
corporations and manufactures proba-
bly, Will not be perfected until some
time during the next fiscal year. so he
concludes that s669.690 will be sum-
cient for the remainoer of this and the
next year. In addition to the salar;es
are estimates of $4,000 for rent; sf5O.-
600 for contingent expenses; sl50 ono
Tor travelling expenses of examiners:
S6OO.O00 for printing and binding in,