The Newport miner. [volume] (Newport, Wash.) 1899-current, 1911-01-12
N--WS FROM TIE
NATIONAL CAPITAL
What Our Lawmakers Are Do
ing and Other Interesting
Events.

w dSuluSIOu. - CUuSTeSStOudi iS"S
portionment, under new census fls-
ures, so as to increase the member
ship of the House to 433. is the plan
tentatively favored by the House COM
mittee on census. This figure will
protect each state from diminished
numerical representation. and is ex'
elusive of Arizona and New Mexico.
This represents an increase over the
present membership as follows: Ala
bama, Colorado, Florida, Georgia,
Idaho, Louisiana, Michigan, Minneso-
ia, Montana, North Dakota, Ohio, Ore
gon, Rhode Island, South Dakota,
Utah and West Virginia, one each;
Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey,
Texas and Washington, two each;
California and Oklahoma, three each;
Pennsylvania and New York, six each.
Bill Aimed at Parlor Matches.
The "parlor" match. ordinarily used
in the United States, is to be pro-
hibited in the future, If bill intro
duced by Representative Mann, OF
Illinois, becomes a law The bill pro-
hibits the transportation Of white or
yellow phosphorus matches under the
penalty of a fine of $1,000 and i'm
prisonment for three years.
Recent investigations by the gov
eminent have shown that the use Of
phosphorus in the making of matches
is attended by such danger to the
health Of the employees that President
Taft urged in his message legislation
looking toward a betterment of con-
ditions.
Promote coastwise Shipping.
Seeking to encourage the building Of
coastwise vessels, the senate commit
tee on interoceanic canals has decided
to recommend measure granting
American ships free passage through
the Panama Canal. The provision is
contained in an amendment by Sena-
tor Flint Of California to the Panama
bill Of Congressman Mann of Illinois.
TIE bill provides for canal tolls of
: to $3.50 per ton net. The amend
nent RENTS this charge, but stipu-
. :ates that c0astwise steamers owned
ard controlled directly or indirectly
by railroad companies or directors or
$ ockholders acting in the interests
CT the railroads, shall not be ex-
emrted from these tolls. Other coast
wise steamers aie to be allowed free
passage
National Capital Brevities.
Secretary Ballinger has prepared a
bill provid ng for the sale by the gov
eminent of timber on public lands de-
wasted by last years forest fires.
Economies which will approximate
more than s1,900,000 year have been
effected in the treasury department.
In order to avoid any possibility of
the Intervention of European powers
in the affairs of Honduras, in contra
vention Of the Monroe doctrine, the
United States government Is endeav-
oring to stra.ghten out the tangled
financial affairs of that country.
Secretary Ballinger has authorized
the Reclamation Service to undertake
at once additional surveys and exami-
nations preliminary to the construc-
ton work upon the west extension of
the Umatilla project in Oregon.
A dinner at which the chief execu-
tives and virtually the entire cabinets
of the United States and the Domin-
ion of Canada will be guests was ar
ranged for Wednesday night in honor
of visiting Canadian officials.
The interstate commerce commits
sion began the hearing Monday Of ar
guments in regard to the proposed ad-
vance in railroad rates, thus bringing
to close the most important public
investigation Of railroad business
methods and conditions that the coun-
try has ever known. The hearing of
the arguments is expected to occupy
the entire week. The case of the
eastern roads will be argued first and
that Of the western roads after.
Should an emergency arise, the
United States would have to depend
upon native troops to protect the
Philippines, according to the annual
report of Brigadier General John G..
Pershing, commander of the depart
ment Of Mindanao. The natives would
respond loyalty, too, the general says.
A determined effort to lay the foun-
dalton for a reciprocity treaty be-.
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