Gilpin observer., 1903-01-22
WASHINGTON NEWS AND
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS

The House committee on invalid pen
sions has favorably reported bill
granting a pension of S100 month to
the widow of General Franz Sigel.
An amendment to the sundry civil
appropriation bill appropriating $780,
900 for the investigation of the mining
interests of the country by the Geolog-
ical Survey, has been introduced by
Senator Perkins.
The President has sent the following
nominations to the Senate: Marshal,
Frank A. Hadsell, District of Wyom-
ing; United States Attorney, Timothy
F. Burke, District of Wyoming. Messrs.
Hadsell and burke are the present in
cumbents and are renominated.
Senator Clarke of Wyoming has in
troduced bill providing for the in
crease of the lighthouse districts OF
the country from sixteen, the present
number, to eighteen. Also bill ap-
propriating $150,000 for the promotion
of the salmon fisheries of Alaska.
Senator Perkins has introduced bill
comforting on municipal corporations
in Alaska the right to exercise the
power of eminent domain. The bill
confers the same power on railroads,
telegraph lines, wagon roads, gas and
electric light companies, bitches, etc.
The State Department has received
from United States Minister Squiers at
= Havana a report upon the progress
making there with the reciprocity
treaty with the United States. The
minister's report, based upon assur-
ances he has received from the Cuban
administration, is highly favorable to
early ratification of the treaty by the
Cuban Senate.
The export trade of the United
States has resumed its normal and ex-
pansive condition. From the low fig
ure due to the failure of the corn crop
last year and the unusual demand at
home, the export figures have in
creased from $SS,000,000 in June to
s14S, 900 900 in December, and reached
the highest mark ever made by ex-
ports IN the month of December.
Senator Morgan has introduced bill
to extend the scope of the Sherman an
THRUST law. 1t provides that the pro-
visions of the law shall be SO extended
as to include '.all persons and corpora
tions hereafter engaged in producing,
manufacturing, transporting, and buy
ing or selling any article for profit that
chase for the use of any branch OF the
government"
The Senate committee on foreign re-
lations agreed to report the Cuban rec
iprocity treaty to the Senate with two
amendments. The first of these is the
guarantee against the further reduc-
ton of the sugar tariff, and the other
makes a reduction of forty per cent in
he 6yfxy M
to Cuba instead of twenty per cent, as
provided in the treaty as it was origin
ALLY transmitted to the Senate.
In the Senate Mr.. McLaurin Of Mis-
sissippi called attention to charges
that the people of Indianola Mississip-
pI had been guilty of threats and in
timidation against the postmaster, and
declared them to be untrue, remark1ng
that his object in bringing the matter
to the attention of the Senate was In
order that his denial might go into the
Congressional Record as an answer to
those who made the charges.
Senators Platt of Connecticut and
Aldrich of Rhode Island recently dis
cussed with the President the prospect
of antitrust legislation in the Senate.
Both were of opinion that some meas
ure perhaps could be passed at this
session, although it was pointed out
that, with less than six weeks OF the
session remaining, it would be a Sc
rious problem to overcome any very
strenuous opposition to any measure.
A bill has been introduced by Rep
resentative Bell of Colorado, providing
that any producer, dealer, transporter.
agent or other person in any territory
of the United States who shall join
with any other person or persons for
the purpose of raising the price of any
article of food or fuel. or its carriage
and handling, shall be guilty Of extor-
ton. A maximum penalty of $4,000
fine or Imprisonment for one year is
provided.
Commissioner General Sargent of
the Immigration Bureau has filed
charges against Ralph lizard, Chinese
inspector, stationed at Brooklyn. New
York. Among other things, lizard is
charged with being in league with per-
sons interested in smuggling Chinese
into this country. 1t is said that the
business Of smuggling Chinese for a
consideration has covered a long per-
iod Of time, and the department be-
lieves that the evidence Of guilt is con-
elusive.
The naval affairs committee of the
House has adopted in its entirety the
naval increase program provided for
by the subcommittee in the naval ap-
preparation bill. The bill as 1t now
stands provides for three battleships
and one cruiser of 10000 tons each
two steel training ships and one wood
en- brig, the latter to be used for train
ing purposes. Provision is made for
the construction of the vessels at
government yards If 1t be found that
combinations exist.
An order has been issued by the first
assistant postmaster general to all
postmasters at rural free delivery Of
fices directing them to prepare list
of all patrons of the rural free deliv-