Gilpin observer., 1904-05-05
LATEST NEWS FROM WASHINGTON

speed trial of the vessel and expect, II
the application Is granted that the
full contract speed will be made by the
Denver. In both speed trials she has
made the same speed as other vessels
OF her class but has not come up to
the speed called for in the contract.
IN the conference ON the pestofficc
appropriation bill, there were seventy
one amendments in dispute, involving
an increase in the bill made by the
Senate of $3,263 1872. The House pro-
vision permitting rural free delivery
carriers to carry merchandise for hire
upon the request of the patrons of their
routes, which was struck out by the
Senate. is restored to the bill and the
Senate provision regarding certain priv
ileges to newspapers. magazines and
periodicals with respect to subscrip-
.tions thereof and. the delivery of the
same is eliminated.
President Roosevelt signed the
Brooks-Teller bill amending the min
ing laws with reference to the proper
marking of boundaries of mining
claims. Representative Brooks. who
has been persistent and active in get
ting the measure through Congress,
was present when the President af
fixed his signature and received as a
souvenir of the event the pen with
which the measure was made into
law. The President expressed great
pleasure in signing the measure so
generally desired by the mining inter-
ests Of the western country. and spoke
with enthusiasm of the mineral re-
sources of Colorado.
The closing of the second session OF
the House of the Fffty-Eighth Con-
gress on Thursday, April 2Sth. was
made notable by the demonstration
which was evoked by a resolution Of
fered by Mr.. Williams, the minority
leader. testifying to the courtesy and
impartial manner in which Speaker
Cannon had presided over the House.
The resolution was not Of the perfume
tory kind. but was expressive of the
kind feeling which men in the House
of all parties entertained towards him.
In a graceful speech the speaker de-
clared his appreciation of the resolu-
ton.
An important conference was held
by President Roosevelt at the White
House recently with prominent mem
bers of both houses of Congress. They
included Senators Aldrich, Spooner.
Allison; Speaker Cannon and Chair
man Hemenway of the appropriations
committee. Secretary Cortelyou of the
Department OF Commerce and Labor
was also present. 1t is understood
the discussion covered wide range
and it is not at all unlikely that it en-
braced features of the platform which
will be presented for ratification by
the members of the national Repub-
lican convention when it assemblies in
Chicago in June.
The Wyoming delegation in Con-
gress is somewhat disappointed at the
defeat in the House at the last moment
OF the motion to, concur in the Senate
amendments to the bill to open part OF
the Shoshone reservation. thus delay
ing the Anal passage Of the bill until
the fall session of Congress. The
amendments adopted in the Senate re-
lated to the amount of money to be ex-
pended for the benefit OF the Indians
in purchase OF chattels. and in build
ing irrigation works, with a further
amendment that the bill should go into
erect without waiting for its ratifica-
tion by the Indians. Opposition to the
measure came from the secretary OF
the Interior. who has constantly ham,
pered and delayed the effort to open
this and other Indian reservations.
1t is probable that through person.
al letter written by Governor Peabody
to Secretary Moody of the navy. an old
bell which once adorned the frigate
Colorado as early as 1861. will be
placed on the new United States arm
ored cruiser Colorado" This bell has
inscribed upon 1t the name Colorado"
and the year 1851" When the fri
gate which carried it originally was de-
stroyed the bell was placed on another
frigate called the Puritan" where 1t
is at this time. Learning Of this fact
the governor wrote to Secretary Moody
and received a reply stating that the
secretary would be glad to render his
services in securing the transfer to the
new cruiser and that he had turned the
matter over to the bureau OF instruc-
ton. where the transfer, II found prac-
ticable. will be carried out.
Whether the President shall order
the construction of the battleship pro-
vided for in the naval appropriation
bill 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
Mr.. Hale of Maine, on the adoption OF
the conference report. 1t was devel-
oped that the language OF the bill was
perm.ssive and the President and the
secretary Of the navy could delay ac-
tion II they deemed 1t advisable. Mr..
Hale declared that II he were secretary
OF the navy he should not dare to go
on now and commit the government to
for 1t would not surprise him II events
OF the Russian-Japanese war demon.
strated that the $3.50, 100000 paid for
big battleships were bad investment
for this government. Several other
senators counseled delay.
Representative John Sharp VIII
liams of MississInnI the Demncrnfic