The Springfield herald., 1904-01-15
EVENTS IN WASHINGTON AND
TRANSACTIONS OF CONGRESS

military barracks at Fort Mckenzie,
Sheridan, Wyoming.
The President sent to the Senate the
| following nominations Rear admiral,
Captain Charles O'Neil. Captains, Com
mander Francis ii. B. Delano and Com
mander Albion V. Wadhams. also other
naval promotions.
Civil Service Commissioners Cooley
and Green have decide to ask General
John c. Black. recently nominated as a
member of the commission to succeed
John r. Proctor. deceased. to become
chairman of the commission.
Senator Dubois has introduced bill
granting to those who have exhausted
their homestead rights and failed in
finally obtaining homestead claims the
right of an additional filing upon the
presentation OF necessary atfidavits to
the commissioner of the land Office.
The postmaster general has appoint-
ed Edward f. Kimball of Massachu-
sets superintendent of the money Or
der system of the Postoftlce Depart
ment Mr.. Kimball had been in charge
of this branch of the service since the
removal of j. T. Metcalf. during the
postofiice investigations.
Senator Teller and Congressman
Hogg have introduced bills giving the
Denver & Rio Grande railroad the right
to fit its narrow-guage cars with safety
brakes other than those designated In
the Interstate commerce law. 1t is
stated that the prescribed brakes are
not suitable for narrow-guage cars.
Delegate Rodey has introduced
bill to extend to New Mexico the pro-
vision of act of February rs. 1891. pro-
viding for selection of school sections
sixteen and thirty-six by the territory,
in lieu of those included in reserves
and in other lands reserved by the gov
ernment from public settlement.
The Secretary of the Interior on the
9Th inst. approved applications for
grazing privileges in Colorado forest
reserves during the year 1904 as fol-
lows Fixes Peak reserve. 5000 cattle
and horses; San Isabel. 1000 cattle and
horses: South Platte, 1900 cattle and
horses; Plum Creek, 1000 cattle and
horses.
The President on January 9Th sent
to the senate the nomination of Will
lam H. Taft of Ohio to be Secretary
OF War. The President also nominated
Luke E. Wright of Tennessee to be
civil governor of the Philippine
Islands, and Henry C. lde of Vermont
to be vice civil governor of the
Philippine Islands.
Senator C. d. Clark OF Wyoming has
been named as a member of the Repub-
lican steering committee of the Senate
for the present session. The committee
is unofficial but Is one of the most i'm
portant, as 1t has charge of legislation
on the part of the majority. The mem
bership is Allison. Hale. Aldrich. Col
lum. Lodge. Perkins, Clark. Elkins,
Spooner. Hanna and Beveridge.
The Senate committee on military
affairs decided to report favorably the
nomination of Gen. Leonard Wood to
be major general. The vote stood Z
to 2. the affirmative senators being
Proctor. Warren. Foraker, Quaries.
Alger, Cockrell and Pettus the mega
tives. Scott and Blackburn. Senator
Proctor was not present. but author
ized his vote to be recorded. Haw-
ley and Bate were absent.
Secretary Moody. with a view to ask
ing Congress only for such sums as
are actually necessary for the need of
the service, has reduced the estimates
for increase in the navy for the COM
ing fiscal year for construction machin-
cry by $4,000. 900. and also has eliminat-
ed the item of $4,000 for equipment of
vessels under the same heading. The
appropriation for construction and ma
chinery is continuing one. and the
original estimates called for $23, 100000
f.. e. Elwood, formerly United States
attorney for Arizona and former Gov
ernor Murphy of Arizona appeared be-
fore the committee on territories and
argued for single statehood for Ari-
zona They spoke of the right of the
territory, from the standpoint of popu-
lation and resources, to admission to
the union. With statehood and irri-
cation, the future of Arizona would be
assured. they contended. They did not
believe that joint statehood with New
Mexico was desirable for either of the
territories.
Senator Hansbrough chairman of
the public lands committee, has intro
duced bill authorizing the President
to appoint n supervising engineer at
an annual salary of $4,000 to take
charge of construction of government
irrigation works. This bill also pro-
vides for appointment of a clerk at a
salary of $1,000 and gives the engi-
neer authority to select assistants
from the reclamation service of the
geological survey. Hansbrough's bill
is said to have the approval of Presi-
dent Roosevelt.
Information has reached Washington
that Germany is making quiet but
determined effort to secure possession
of coal station at St Thomas, one of
the Danish West Indian islands. The
news comes in a manner that requires
further confirmation before official no.
tice can be taken of it. AS the United
States government has offered fair
price for the Danish West Indian is
lands, 1t is the feeling here that the
matter has progressed too far to allow
any third party to come between the
United States and Denmark in this
transaction. In other words, Denmark
is expected to sell the islands to the
United States or to retain them.
The question of opening the Indian
reservations, comprising nearly
100 900 900 acres. was considered by the
House committee on Indian affairs
The Indian commissioners was heard
at length by the committee and he took
the position that to throw the lands
open to settlement was the proper and
speediest way to elevate the Indian and
to settle for all time the Indian ques-