Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1905-01-20
OUR WASHINGTON
NEWS NOTES.
NEWS OF THE SECRET ORDERS
BRIEFLY NOTED.

BRIEFLY NOTED.
RIVER INTERESTS SUFFER,
Appropriations Certain to be Much
Less Than is Absolutely Needed.
Seems a Case of the Spoils Of
War.
The rivers and harbors committee
members are reticent about what is
to be the outcome of their delibera-
tlons, except to say that they are max
ing progress. They have
been going over all propositions, but
have finally disposed of only the
lakes and the Ohio river.
Projects, existing and proposed, af-
fecting the Southern States, have not
yet been reached, nor has the Mis-
slssippi river, which has always, on
account of its vast and far-reaching
interests, been treated as a separate
and distinct proposition.
From recommendation so far
agreed upon it is fair to say that with
the same spirit manifested, the Mis-
slssippi will be dealt with commensu-
rately with its Importance as COM
pared to other river and harbor needs.
Still, in view of the urgent pres
sure by the republican party leaders
for pairing appropriations, the bill to
come from the committee will be over
S25, 1000 less than the last rivers and
har6ors bills. Friends of the big river
look to the senate to save it. from
any possible serious neglect.
Three witnesses for the defense in
the Smoot case today testified that
polygamy is dying out in Utah so
rapidly that THERE is no good Of
prosecutions. 1t was declared that
The younger Mormons are all opposed
to polygamy, and that if they
thought it was being taught there
would be revolution in the church.
1t was admitted that Senator Smool
had to get the consent of the church
to become candidate for senator, but
only in the form of leave of alb
seace from his church duties, and it
was declared that he could have been
dominated and elected without it.
The Japanese legation has received
cablegram from Toxic, saying that
Gen. Nogi reports that the delivery
Of Port Arthur has been completed.
It includes the following:
Permanent forts, so; guns, SAG; can
non balls, $3.50; ammunition, 10000
kilos; rifles, 35,252; horses, 1920;
battleships, four, except Sevastopol,
which is entirely sunk; cruisers, q;
gunboats and destroyers, IA; steam
ers, 10, etc., besides smmall steam
ers, 35, of which will be serivceable
after little repairs.
In the senate an unavailing effort
was made by Mr.. Beveridge to secure
unanimous consent to fix a day for
taking vote on the statehood bill.
Mr.. Bate spoke for the opponents of
the bill, saying there were still num-
Der of speeches to be made. There
was some discussion of bill permit
ing American women who have been
foreigners to regain citizenship in the
United States, but it did not reach a
vote. Among other bills passed was
one protecting the great seal of the
| Jnited States against counterfeiting.
Sir Chentung Liang Cheng, the Chi
nese minister, has been informed that
J. Pierpont Morgan and the other
Americans interested in the Hankow-
Canton railway have bought back
their stock in the road and the min
lister had advised his government OF
the facts with the recommendation
that the franchise be not cancelled.
The Chinese minister in Washington
is using his influence with his govern
ment to prevent the cancellation Of the
franchise.
Representative Sheppard of Texas,
introduced bill prohibiting the pay
ment Of mileage to senators and mem
bers who ride on free passes. 1t
requires written statements to be
filed with the president of the SEN
ate and speaker of the house by sena-
tors and members to the effect that
they have not used passes before they
shall receive mileage.
The gross postal receipts for the
fifty largest postofices in the country
for October, 1904, show net increase
Of about 9 per cent. The highest IN
crease was % per cent, at Peoria, Ill.
The only decrease was % per cent
at Portland, Me-. and 1900 Of / per
cent, at st. Joseph, Mo. The re-
ceipts at New York increased almost
6 per cent, and Chicago almost "A
per cent.
The interstate commerce. commits
sion has received a complaint from
the DIESEL -Boettcher Company OF Hous-
ton, Texas, against the Kansas South
ern, Texarkana & Fort Smmith, St.
| Louis & San Francisco and the Inter-
tional & Great Northern roads, al
| leging that the freight rate of 58 per
| 100 pounds on apples from Sloan
Springs, Ark, to Houston is unrea-
| sonable and excessive.