Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 20, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 December 1898 — WASHINGTON GOSSIP [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

WASHINGTON GOSSIP

There are four Smiths in the present Congress, and there will be five in thenext. Four of them are Republicans and three come from the State <»f Michigan. The only Democratic Smith is David Highbaugh Smith of Hodgensville, Larne County, Ky„ who represents the district in which Abraham Lincoln was born. Mrs. Dominis of Honolulu, formerly queen of the Hawaiian Islands, arrived in Washington from San Francisco. Sheconn's to present a claim to Congress through the Secretary of State for the crown lands in the Hawaiian Islands, which are said to be valued at $4.000,000> and to produce an annual revenue ot $160,000. Gen. Garcia nnd his Cuban associates are pleased with the President's message, nnd declare that his references to Cuban independence nre in effect, if not in words, n recognition of the republic. It is doubtful, however, whether the President intended that such a construction should be placed upon his words. A communication received at the State Department from the consuls general at Berlin nnd Frankfort places the total value of all exports from Germany to the United States for the quarter ending Sept. 3<> at $19,789,007. an i'mrcase over the same period of 1897 of $5,110,093. The monthly statement of the director of the mint shows the total coinage nt the United States mints during November, 1898, was $7,845,910. of which $5,006,700 was gold. $2,755,250 was silver nnd $83,IMM> minor coins. The stnndnrd dollars coined amounted to $1,402,000. Bishop Hurst of the Methodist Church returns to Washington from a tour of the Pennsylvania cities, with assurances of contributions of $1,000,000 from the rich Methodists of that State for the American university in thia city.