The Grit-advocate., 1903-02-27

rebate bill. With the signing of this
measure the administration anti
trust program for this session of Con
gress is completed.
The Senate committee on foreign re-
lations has authorized a favorable re-
port on the eXtradition treaty with
Mexico and also on an agreement with
France extending the provisions of the
French reciprocity treaty to Porto
Rico.
The senate committee on military
affairs has adopted a favorable report
on the military academy bill. The bill
committee recommends increases over
the amount carried by the house bill
aggregating $500. bringing the total
to 1854 ,i3S.
Commissioner Richards of the gen
eral land Office has ordered the tempo
rary withdrawal from entry or settle
ment, except under the homestead
laws, of number of townships in the
Carson, New, land district for irriSe-
ton purposes.
The State Department has been ad-
vised that the Congress of Honduras
has confirmed the presidential decree
placing the conduct of affairs in the
hands of a ministerial council and au-
thorizing President Sierra to take the
field in the campaign against Presl-
dent-Elect Bonilla.
The resolution which passed the sem
ate providing that Rear Admiral
Schley be given the pay and allowance
Of rear admiral on the active list.
was called up in the house committee
on naval affairs and there was tabled.
Messrs Mudd of Maryland Tate of
Georgia and Rixey of Virginia voted
against tabling it.
Representative Mercer of Nebraska,
chairman of the House committee on
public buildings and grounds, is con-
ferTing with Secretary COrtelyou con-
corning a building for the new Depart
ment of Commerce and Labor Inc
necessity for such n building is very
urgent, as the department will be one
OF the largest in the government.
The gunboat Bennington will be
commissioned at the Mare Island navy
yard about March IL, and attached to
the Pacific squadron. She will be COM
manded by Commander Chauncey
Thomas, q brother cf ". r. Thomas OF
the faculty of the Colorado State AGri-
cultural college and formerly Of the
Denver News editorial staff
The house by majority of to
rejected the conference report on the
army appropriation bill, because OF its
provisions for the retirement Of civil
war officers at an advanced grade and
permitting officers to deposit money
with the government at 3 per cent. In
terest The house cmphatically voted
against both amendments and sent the
bill back to conference.
If Congress fails to pass the bill per-
mitting the secretary Of the interior to
lease all government lands in NeDras-
ka at from ! to ) cents per acre Tor
given number OF years for pasturage
purposes, it is stated at the Interior
Department that the law providing
for the removal of the fences from all
such domain will be enforced. In one
case over $4,000 acres were fenced in
by private interests.
Before passing the naval appropria-
ton bill the House made several
amendments, the most important being
one to authorize the secretary OF the
navy. in his discretion to purchase or
contract for submarine torpedo boats,
after investigation of their merits, and
making an appropriation for that pur-
pose. The amendment was in the Ian
2uage of a bill introduced by Mr.. Hill
of Connecticut, and it was stated on
the floor that it had the support of all
the members of the naval committee.
1t was adopted practically without Ce-
bate An amendment was adopted Civ
ing members of Congress whose dis
tricte are not now represented at the
Naval Academy the privilege of imme-
diately appointing to fill such vacan-
cieS
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 ard Turner 1t has been
urged that Secretary Root can do this
work during the coming summer with
out interfering materially with his du-
ties as secretary,
There is a movement on among some
OF the friends of the statehood bill in
the senate to couple the fortunes OF
that measure with those of the Pana-
ma canal treaty and make the ratifica-
ton of the one depend upon the pas
sage of the other. The details Of the
plan have not come to light fully, but
it is understood that the scheme is to
menace the treaty by delay until an
TO vote on the statehood bill
can be secured None Of the statehood
supporters will admit that this is the
purpose, but one of the most prOmi-
ncnt of them on the Republican side of
the chamber admitted that such is the
tendency. Many Of the statehood ad-
vocatcs on both sides Of the chamber
say they will not allow Senator Nor
pan IN he forced bv a test of uhNgiCal