Idaho Springs siftings., 1904-04-30

The House committee on insuiar af-
. fairs has authorized favorable report
on the senate bill providing for the
naturalization OF Porto Ricans as citi-
zsns ef the United States The com
mlttee eliminated from the bill the nat
uralizatian provision on the ground
that the Supreme Court Of the United
States had decided In the Gonzales case
that Porto Ricans are not aliens
The state department has been noti-
asd Of the conclusion In Paris OF the
contract for the sale to the United
states government by the Panama
Canal Company Of all its franchises
and property Of the isthmus- The mon
ey Tor the canal company will be paid
over by the secretary Of the treasury. IL
Is understood Secretary Hay himself
Will pay 10 the state OF Panama the
SO 004 600 to which Il has become en-
Z titled. This payment will be made in
/ Washington to Senor Arosamena. the
newly appointed minister from Panama
as soon as the government Of that state
authorizes him by cable to accept the
money The authorities in Panama
have become clamorous for this pay
ment. as the money is needed 10 defray
certain expenses already incurred in
connection Vith the creation uf The new
state.
Whether the President shall order
the construction OF the battleship pro
vided for in the naval appropriation
bul or wait until the war In the far
East demonstrates the comparative
utility Of the big sea fighter and the
torpedo boat or submarine craft WAS
a question raised IN the Senate BY
Nr. Hale of Maine. on the adoption Of
. the conference report Il was deyel-
oped that the language Of the bill was
permlssiye and the President and the
secretary uf the navy could delay ac-
ton n they deemed It advisable. Mr..
Hale declared that II he were secretary
Of the navy he should not dare to 90
on nos and commit the government to
the building Of an immense battieship.
for it would not surprise him II events
u the sian-Japanese war demon
strated that the si50.0o0 900 paid for
big battIeshfps were a bad investment
for this government Several other
, senators eeuuseled delay.
The general deficiency bill. as re-
rorted b. the Senate committee on sp-
uropriatjon- carries sii.342 LAG, an in
crease as II passed the House OF s9i0.-
sg5. II contains as an amendment the
Hlrt Chinese exclusion bill. which was
accepted BY the House before the bill
vas passed. The Hit bill was intro
dueet in the senate by Ar. Peurose
ard referred to the committee on for
eiFu relations In this committee the
discovery. fl Is said. has been made that
the btu will affect the introduction OF
I Chinese coolies labor into the Pana-
ma canal zone. and to cOnsidera Bile
extent affect the immigration to this
country OF Koreans and Filipinos and
the deportatIon from the United States,
Hawaii. Porto Rico and any territory
subject TO the Jurisdiction of the
United States Of any person held to
ccme within the definition of the words
/ Chinese persons" and objection has
I been made TO the far-reaching effect of
the bill
Admiral Dewey placed himself on
record in favor OF the general board
Z plan Of Secretary Moody before the
! House committee on naval affairs. The
present naval board. the admiral satd.
vas too large. The proposed board. he
said would have jurisdiction over
, plans for fleet formation in time OF
var and peace. The recommendations
OF the board were to be purely in the
nature Of expert advice for the guild
[ ance Of the secretary. He did not ia
/ vor giving the board executive author
I ity Admiral Dewey was outspoken II,
I his disapproYal Of the army general
/ staff as a model. and said he would
not favor duplicate Of that organiza-
/ tion for the navy. He was opposed to
to any organization which would
4 take power away from the secretary
| The pending bin was not objectionabie
4 in this respect. He would not have
| retired officers assigned to membersh. p
| on the board: the assignment shoui ]
be made from officers FIRE n from tne
sea"