The Holly chieftain., 1904-02-05
EVENTS in WASHINGTON AND
TRANSACTIONS OF CONGRESS

|
vania has introduced a bill to pre-
hibit the issuance of money orders on
Sunday .t
The Senate has passed a bill ap-
propriating $5,000,O0O for memorial
bridge across the Potomac river at
Washington.
i Senator Beveridge has introduced a
bill for the suppression ard punish
ment of bribery and official corruption
III the territories of the United States.
| The Senate committee on foreign re-
lations authorized a favorable report
on the Cuban treaty, including the
Platt amendment. The treaty has been
ratified by the Cuban senate.
Representative Miller. chairman Of
the subcommittee in charge of the
BonyngeShafroth contest. has OBJ
tained leave of absence for ten days,
| but will leave the work of examining
ballots irf charge of other members
of the subcommittee and Expert Car
vail.
Senator Burrows, chairman of the
committee on privileges and elections,
has introduced a resolution to instruct
the committee to conduct an investiga-
tion into the protest against Senator
Smoot retaining his seat. The resolu-
| ton was referred to the committee on
contingent expenses.
The Senate committee on claims re-
ported favoraby Senator Teller's bill
to pay the heirs of A. G. Boone of La
| Veta 12,291 for services performed by
| Boone in negotiating treaty with the
indians in Colorado in 1866 by which
| the United States received a large area
| OF valuable lands.
Just before his retirement from Of
flee. Secretary Root addressed the fol-
lowing telegram to Governor Luke
Wright: Wright, Manila-Hearty con-
gratulations and good wishes upon
your assuming office of civil governor
There can be no better wish than for
same fidelity, ability and success which
have always characterized your public
service in the Philippine islands,
Representative Shafroth of Colorado
has introduced resolution reciting
the work that has been done by the
commission on International exchange,
and authorizing the commission ''to
agree, subject to the approval of Con-
gress, with other nations upon uniform
laws, which will tend to preserve as
much of the gold product of the world
for coinage and monetary purposes as
possible"
Senator Mitchell has introduced a
bill authorizing the North American
Telegraph and Gable Company to oper-
ate telegraph lines or cables between
the shores of Alaska and Washington
in order to reach the Aleutian Islands,
Siberia, Manchuria, China, the Japan
ese empire and the Philippines. The
company is required to establish line
within five years between the United
States and the Aleutian Islands.
Rear Admirla R. d. Evans, COM
mander-in-chief of the Asiatic squad
ron, writes to the navy department
that desertions in his command have
been reduced to minimum. He says
the worst drawback to discipline has
been the excessive use of alcoholic
drinks. Admiral Evans recommends
the establishment of canteens in the
navy, where beer and light wines may
be sold to the men, to be taken with
their meals or when coaling ships.
The report of the commissioner of
patents for the calendar year 1903
shows that the patent business trans
acted exceeded all previous records.
The total cash receipts of the Office
were $1,616.69S, leaving a surplus of
$1SS.0O0. There were 5O,213 patents
applied for and 1869 issued. The re-
port predicts the same increase for the
present year and says the patent Office
since its inception in 1869 has fur
nished a net balance of $5,6S2,540 to
the government.
For the first time in many years the
treasury finds itself without any gold
coin in its vaults. 1t Is explained that
this condition is the result of an un-
precedented demand for gold certifi-
Gates during the time when the mints
have been fully employed in coming
Philippine silver and subsidiary silver
for the United States. The mints at
Philadelphia and San Francisco have
been ordered to begin the coinage of
double eagles and to work overtime un-
til a sufficient supply has been coined
to meet all demands ,-
President Roosevelts elaborate en-
tertaining at the White House is un-
derstood to be compelling him to make
serious inroads upon his private for
tune. The $4,000 he receives as salary
from the government is far too small
to stand the strain of a constant sue
cession of receptions, dinners. lunch
cons, musicales and teas. Few of his
predecessors in Office saved anything,
and President Roosevelt has sur
passed all of them in the brilliancy of
the functions which have made the
White House the real center of Wash
ington social gayety.
The forthcoming monthly statement
of the governments receipts and ex-
penditures will show a decided falling