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Show NEWS FR03I WASHINGTON. The Speakership Contest. Washington, Dec. 2. There seems to be practically little change in the speakership situation this afternoon. All five candidates continue to express cheerful confidence. There is no signs that any withdrawals wil take place prior to the first ballot, and nothing as yet has occurred to demonstrate the ability of any one of the candidates to to transfer his strength to another in the event of his withdrawing. Crisp's and Mills friends continue very sanguine of winning, and are working for an early termination of the contest. They still say they expect to see a brak among the supporters of Springer, McMiiVan and Hatch after the first or second ballot. At Crisp's headquarters it is said two or three vote's were transferred to hiru from the doubtful column. . Mills is hopeful of a considerable accession acces-sion of strength to come between flhiw and Saturday. There seemed t b.' a general disposition this afternoon to admit that Crisp at present is doing exceedingly well, but his apponcnts insisted that he has reached the limit of his strength and would be unable to obtain a majority of the total vote. McMillen and Springer say they will keep in the fight to the end believing the contest between Mills and Crisp will have no result except to necessitate the choice of another candidate, in which event each of these gentlemen gen-tlemen hopes to lie the choice of the caucus. Hatch, though not yet BO active in the canvass, expresses a similar opinion and hope. The Public Debt Statement. AVAsniNGTOK, Dec. 2. The public debt statement is as follows: Interest bearing debt $58.",0:(i.ST0 increase during the month Telt on which interest has ceaseil .-.'-! " Decrease - "'"J-?,1 Debt (wiring no interest 3S..1-U.4 II I)-rpae ,t.n..- AeereiKitP interes-t and non-interest bfaringdebt ; Pecrease 1 Asjrfcalc of dfbt. including certifl- rates and treasury notes l.sWM.ri'.i.! i nh in treai-r.ry, gild coin and bwrs... gTl.MH.l'.i.i Silvrr dollars, subsidiary bars and trade dollar bars 412.FK.Vto Pap-r Bunds, minor coins, etc i'1.'':-.';' Aggrejate ' I'v'1'?'1'" Demand liabilities, gold. !-ilver and currency certificates and treasury notes..." 56!,221,700 Disburfinir officer's balance for redemption re-demption in current bank notes, Ptr 4n.rMK.l-""? Gol'd'rVsVrve" .'.'.'.'."...'. oi..i0.0iK Net cash balance Jrft.12rt.ttl. Aggregate TkVijK i- Cah balance in treasury October 31, .. 13!i,7Vn Ca-li balance in treasury Xovemtier iss.i ist.icfi.m Decrease during month Mo.5ir- The McKinley Act I'nder Fire. Washington, Dee. 2. The United States supreme court continued the hearing of the three suits brought by the New York and Chicago importers to test the constitutionality constitution-ality of the McKinley tariff act. John P. Wilson, representing Marshal, Field A: Co., closed the opening argument for the importers, im-porters, maintaining the whole act was vitiated vi-tiated by the omission of the tobacco rebate section. General Solicitor Taft then followed fol-lowed in behalf of the United States. Presidential Fostofttoes. Washington, Dec. 2. The annual report of the first assistant postmasler-general shows that the adjustment of presidential postmasters' salaries makes a total of 2ChU presidential oflices on July 1, 1S01, a net increase in-crease of 252. The total gross receipts of these offices increased f-t,!s75,6it6 over the previous year. The Chinese Minister Doubts It. Washington, Dec. 2. It is etated at the Chinese legation that there has been no dispatch dis-patch received there stating that a preliminary prelim-inary skirmish has recently taken place "at the port of Shanghai, between two Italian gunboats and the Chinese navy aud the two former were sunk in deep water." The minister min-ister said he believed tue story to be without foundation. Foster Improves ."Slowly. Washington, Dee. 2. Secretary Foster continues to improve, slowly but does not gain strength as rapidly as his friends expected. ex-pected. He will go to some point in the potith early next week for a few days recuperation re-cuperation before resuming his official duties. du-ties. The San Diejjo Ouarantine Wharf. Washington, Dec. 2. Rids were opened yesterday at the treasury department for the construction of a wharf a the quarantine station, San Diego, Cut. the lowest being that of B. McMahon it Sons of San Francisco, Fran-cisco, .T101. |