The Lamar register., 1903-02-25
VA ASHINGTON NEWS AND
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS

Rear. Admiral George w. MelVliie
will relinquish his position as engineer
In chief of the United States Navy
within the next few weeks and VIII De
succeeded by Captain Charles W. hae'
The omnibus public buildings bill re-
ported to the House increases the limit
Of cost of the public building at Colo
RADIO Springs from $135. 900 to $l75 ,0oo.
and at Evanston, Wyoming. from Sloo'-
900 to $150,000.
The selection of two stations in Cuba
for naval use by the United States is
In conformity with the findings OF the
naval general board here. which mas
satisfied itself that there will be a suf'
ficiept number to meet naval needs.
One station is to be located at Guam
tanamo, on the southeast coast. and
one at Bahia Honda, on the northwest
coast, thus giving command OF the
two great channels of commerce at
either end of Cuba. tI
Ex-Secretary of State John w. Fos-
ter has been selected to take charge OF
the case of the United States. in the
presentation of the Alaskan boundary
question to the special commission to
be appointed in conformity with the
terms of the recently confirmed Alas
kan boundary treaty. Secretary Root
has concluded to accept his appoint
ment as one of the commissioners to
represent the United States on the
boundary commission. The other Two
members of the commission are Sena-
tors Lodge and Turner. 1t mas peen
urged that Secretary Root can do this
work during the coming summer with
out Interfering materially with his du-
ties as secretary.
The most important franchise yet
granted in the PHILIPPINES is conveyed
in an act by the Philippine commits
sioner, a copy of which has Just
resched Washington. granting to the
Manila Railway Company the right to
construct a branch road forty miles
long. from a station named Guiguinto
to an Important Philippine town now
without railroad connection, known as
Cabanatuan, lying northwest OF Ma
nila. Up to this time the backbone
railroad, from Manila straight north
ward to Dagupan, has constituted the
entire railway system of the Philip
pines, and this concession marks the
beginning of an epoch of railway de-
yelopment which Is expected to open
the agricultural resources of the in
terror.
Senator Teller and John C. Teller
called upon Chief photographer New
ell of the Geological Survey recently.
and presented proposition for con-
struction of an irrigation project in
the Arkansas valley, in which 1t is pro-
posed the state of Colorado shall CO.
operate with the government. Mr..
Newell received the proposition with
much favor, and while not being in
o. oh tDIx Hot l,f
government will take hold of the pro-
ject, he said that it appeared so feas-
ible that he would recommend it and
believed it would be adopted. 1t is
proposed that the state of Colorado
shall construct the. canals of the pro-
posed system and that the government
shall cooperate to the extent or sup
plying water stored from flood waters
in reservoirs to be constructed for such
purposes under the new irrigation act.
On February 10th. in the House, bills
were passed under suspension of the
rules to amend the river and harbor
act SO as to authorize the expenditure
of $125,000 for the construction OF a
channel through Sabine Lake. to con-
meet with Taylor's bayou or Port Ar
thur canal, Texas; to extend for three
years the time of making final proof
of the Colorado Cooperative Colony;
to effectuate the additional act of the
international convention for the pro-
lection of industrial property; to is
sue patent to certain lands to Buffalo,
Wyoming; to grant the Central Ari-
zona company a right Of way through
the San Francisco mountain reserve;
and to extend the coal and land laws
to the district of Alaska. A bill to
open to settlement 5O5,O0O acres in the
kiowa, Comanche and Apache reserva-
ton was defeated, thirty-five to fifty
two.
After much discussion the Senate
committee on public lands finally
agreed to report the Quarles bill. pro-
viding for the repeal of the desert land,
timber and stone, and the commuta-
ton clause of the homestead act, the
bill approved by the secretary of the
Interior. The most feryent advocates
of the repeal measure were Senator
Gibson of Montana. who said nearly
half of his state had been stolen under
the present land laws, and Senator
Berry of Arkansas. Repeal was Wig
orously opposed by Senators Clark
of Wyoming. Kearns, Heitfeld, and
Chairman Hansbrough. 1t was agreed
to report the bill favorably by a vote
VI SeNcH " Din n LllHofity report
will be made by Senator Hansbrough
The minority members are not unit
as to retaining all the land laws. Sew
eral favor the repeal of the commuta-
tion clause of the homestead act and
Senator Gamble favors an amendment
of the timber and stone act so that q
price shall be fixed upon each piece of
timber land disposed of, according to
its actual value.
The Geological Survey having de-
termined that the Gunnison project in
Colorado shall be among the first irri-
cation works undertaken next summer.
is completing detailed plans The Off
cialS ara NOT vnt a aprend ON tho din,,o.,