New-York tribune., 1874-12-15
CURRENT TOPICS AT THE CAPITAL
Mr.. TREMAIN's PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO IhE


GENEVA AWARD ACT
WASHINGTON, Monday. Dec. IA, 1874
The following is the full text of Representative
Tremain's bill to amend the Geneva Award ac''
passed at the last session of Congress-:
SECTION l. BE enacted, de- That so much OF the l2tn
OF the said act provides that "no claim sha
be admissible allowed by said Court by or In beha
Of any insurance company insurer. either in It's OF m
own right or as assgnees otherwise In the rlgnt Oh
q person or party insured rs aforesaid. unless sucn
claimant shall show to the satisfaction OF sad oou''
that during the late rebellion the OF Its or his losses
respect its his risks exceeded the sum Oh 's
or his premiums other gains upon or In respect OF
such risks, and In OF any suca allowance ne
same greater than such excess OF loss DC
and the same is hereby repealed.
SEC. a. Any claimant excluded by the provision
hereby repealed shall have like period OF ne witnn
which 10 present he and provo Its or ais claim. after
the passage OF this amendment as he could nave hao
after the passage OF said ae II not 80 excluded And
should It be found impractIcable TO hear and decide
such additional Claims within the time heretofore
authorized the President may by proclamation extend
the time OF the duration OF said Court to period not
moro than one year beyond the expiration OF the hrs
year Of Its existence.
SUFFERERS BY THE GRAssHoPPER PLAGUE
The Senate to-day was occupied with the usuai
routine business and the reading Of the bill Tor the
government of the District of Columbia. Among
the various bills reported one for the relief OF
those settlers on public lands who were obliged by
the rayages Of the grasshoppers to yacate thelr
lands in 1874, and those who may be obliged to va
cate in 1875 for the same reason. Mr. Thurman hau
no objection to the relief being granted to those
who had already suffered, but was not disposed to
extend any invitation to grasshoppers to call again
next year, which they would surely do If they
knew we were preparing to pay their ex-
nv
yet suffered. Mr.. Flanagan, a great author
ity on grasshOppers, who had discovered some
connection between the marauding expedition OF
grasshOppers and the success OF the Democrats gave
it his opinion, after mature consideration ana ue
liberation that as we were threatened with swarm
of Democrats next year we had better proVide
measures for taking Of the grasshoppers as an
inroad of both might he too much for the country;
already taken care of Mr. Flanagan, and that he ana
not expect any further trouble The bill as reported
was passed.
NEW LEGISLATION IN THE GENERAL APPRoPRI
AIION BILL
The House of Representatives agreed unanimously
to-day to make it in order, when the Legislative
Executive and Judicial Appropriation bill is under
discussion in Committee of the Whole. to consider
several sections involving new legislation. The
most important of these sections are, first. fixing
the salaries of clerks of committees in the Senate
and House at the uniform rate of - per day. TO DO
paid only during the session. except in case where
special appropriations made for such salaries.
This provision will increase the compensation OF
clerks in the House 20 cents per day.
and reduce that of the Senate clerks
about 50 per day. Another section restores
the rates to be charged for money orders to the orig
inal standard before the last reduction. A third
clause directs that the printing for Territorial Gov
ernments now paid for by the United States shall
be done at the Government Printing Office Another
forblds the payment of salaries OF Department
clerks from any appropriation not specifically pro-
vided for that purpose; and still another places
snch construction on the clause of the Army Ap-
preparation bill of last session regulating the travel
ING expenses of officers of the United States as to
allow to United States Marshals and Deputy Mar
shals the fees to which they are by law entitled.