The Grit-advocate., 1905-03-03
D0INGS AT WASHINGTON


The Senate in executive session ra'-
ified and made public treaty betwee.'
practically all nations for the exemi
tion of hospital ships in time of wal
from the payment of all duties anI
| taxes.
Representative Brooks and Hog.
have been assured by Republican
leaders in the House that the pending
Philippine bill proposing to reduce tn
tariff on Philippine sugar will not be
come law at this session. While the
bill will be brought to the House, there
is not time for its consideration, though
ii seems probable similar bill will b.
passed at the next session.
The House passed the Philippine tar
In bill. practically as il came from the
committee and with but little discus
sion. There was no special opposition
10 it, although amendments coming
from the Democratic side designed to
put certain products on the free list
met with defeat. An effort to prohibit
the importation of opium into the is
lands, except for medical purposes,
also failed.
Secretary Hitchcock is quoted by
Representative Campbell AS having
stated that whether there is legislation
or not touching the famous Foster oil
lease. the vested interests of the peo-
pie holding under that lease will be
protected after March. 1906. the date
of the expiration of the lease. This in
formation was in answer TO an offer
! of 81 900, 900 for the lease submitted by
MIR. Campbell for certain of his con
Stituents.
Secretary Taft has transmitted to
the House a statement showing the to
tai cost of the joint encampments and
maneuvers of the militia and regular
army for the past year. The maneu-
vers at Manassas, Virginia, cost the
state militia organizations S4S4 ,043,
and the regular army S105, 1856. In Cal
ifOrnia the cost to the militia was $24,-
900, and the army $3.50 In Washing
ton state the military expended $26.-
1872. and the army $9.47l. The state
ment contains an item of $l3,GOS for
Pullman car fare for officers.
The naval appropriation bill as
agreed upon by the Senate committee
carries $1O0,33G.S79. an increase OF
$422,52O over the House bill. For in
creasing the number of petty officers
and men of the marine corps, $3O5,- -
is added. The limit of cost of each of
the cOlliers and scout cruisers author
lied by the last naval appropriation
bill are increased to 81 .450 900 and $2,-
600, 900, respectively The limit of cost
of the sailing training vessels author
ized by the act of March 3, 1903, is in
creased to $4,000 each.
1t is understood that no report will
be made in the Senator Smoot case
during the present Congress. This
has been agreed upon by several mem
bers of the Senate committee on privi-
leges and elections. for the reason that
time does not remain for consideration
by the Senate of such report as the
committee might make. Senators
Spooner. Hale and Platt of Connect
cut and several other senators, as well
as members of the committee. desire
to discuss the case when it is brought
to the Senate. Members of the com
mittee have practically determined to
continue The Investigation during the
summer.
Although not figuring formally of
late in the various tentative efforts by
the powers to bring about peace be
tween Russia and Japan, this govern
ment has kept in close touch with de-
velopments along this direction. To
make any official statement of what il
has done on its own account might be
i'll advised, owing to the extreme sen
sitiveness OF both belligerents, but it
may be safely said that, while peace is
not regarded as Immediately at hand,
at least foundations have been laid for
negotiations that will bring the princi- |
pies together in the end and il will |
probably be found that the United
States has had some share in this |
work.
The secretary of state has called to
the attention of the Department of
Justice certain bodies Of men in Mo-
bile, Alabama, who are said to be en-
gagged in filibustering expedition
against Guatemala. This action has |
been taken at the suggestion of the
Guatemalan government, which repre-
sents that an American port was being
used as base of hostile operations
against friendly nation, and that the
men, who were represented to be
merely laborers going to develop a
railroad concession, were really part OF
a force recruited in the United States
to initiate revolutionary movement
in Guatemala. The State Department
mas asked the Department Of Justice
to make an inquiry and If need be to
take the necessary steps to thwart the
movement.
The conferees on the army appro-
priation bill perfected an agreement
which covers all points of difference.
The amendment regarded as most i'm
portant is that affecting the pay of re-
tired officers and involving the pay OF
General Miles, which at present is the
full pay of a lieutenant general. The
effect of the agreement as to General
Miles is to give him full retired pay,
without reference to any compensation
he may receive for service on the staff
of the governor Of Massachusetts. The
provision agreed on reads: That re-
tired officers of the armN above the