New-York tribune., 1874-03-19
CURRENT TOPICS AT THE CAPITAL.
THE WAYS AND MEANS CHAIRMANSHIP.

CURRENT TOPICS AT THE CAPITAL.
THE WAYS AND MEANS GUARDIANSHIP.
WASHINGTON, Wednesday, March ls, 1874.
Some of the Republican members are cOnsidera-
bly, exercised the prospect of having Mr. Kelley
for Chairman of the Committee of Ways and Means
and ex-offcio leader of the House. result which
appears inevitable in case Mr. Dawes is sent to the
Senate. Mr.. Kelley Is the ranking member of the
Committee and under all the precedents in like
cases. would be entitled to the Craftsmanship. The
objections TO his holding this important position are
that he entertains the most extreme views on the
subject of a high protective Tariff winch
he advocates with earnestness ana
persistency that might be called bigotry;
and that he has of late supplemented this
one idea that has governed all his legislative ac-
ton, by another in favor of unlimited greenback
expansion and intro convertible 3-65 bonds To
give man of such extreme opinions the leadership
of the House in these uncertain times might result
in serious mischief to the Administration party, but
there seems to be no way to escape from the dll-
Guilty. Mr. Kelley is so sanguine that his particular
| views would greatly benefit the country If carried
| INTO practice that he could not be expected
to decline TO avail himoof Of tho sroot
opportunity of advancing them which the
Craftsmanship of Ways and Means would
| afford him. The fact that most of the MEM
hers of his own party would look upon his promotion
70 the place as a misfortune, would not deter HIM
from acting on hls convictions of duty; besides he
| might well think he had earned the promotion by
his long service in Congress and on the Committee
and his diligent study of financial questions III Mr
| Dawes goes to the Senate, the House must make up
l their appears 90 be no other alternative. He Will
have one qualification for the post which Mr.. Dawes
| has often been accused of lacking, namely, fOsl
| tive convictions on all questions"
| THE UTAH PERSECUTION BILL
A minority of the members of the House Com
m,ttee on Territories strongly oppose the Utah Per
| secution bill recently reported by the Chairman
| Mr.. Mckee. They are satisfied from the evidence
| before the Committee that the bill would confer
| dangerous and tyrannical powers upon few FED
eral ofice-hoders and would place the personal lib
ertv and property of majority of all the citizens
of the Territory in the hands of few
persons hostile to them. They suspect that
hidden beneath the avowed purpose OF the Dill 10
| extermipate polygamy, is a scheme on the part
| of Gentle" Ring to backmall all the wealthy
Mormons. The bill gives the Governor. Marshal
and Attorney and their deputies power so to
oroanize the courts throughout the Territory as TO
| conyict all the pOygamst MOrmons whom they
wish 10 convict to imprisOn them in military prls-
ons and to confscate their property by means OF
fines or divide il among il their socalled wives. III
the bill were not liable to be made the instrument OF
! cruel and unwarrantabe persecution, the minority
hold that il is Objectionable because it takes away
from the people of Utah all privileges of selfgovern
ment. The minority bnl prepared by Judge
Crouuse of Nebraska provides more efiiclent Judi
| cial system for the Territory by increasing the
number of Federal judges from three 10 nve, anu
providing for the division of the Territory into hve
ndIcal districts in each of which Judge shal re-
| side No power TO pack juries is given TO these
district courts bat they are designed 10 perform
| many of the functions whcn the Mormon PROBATE
Courts have exercised. and 1t IS alleged abused "A
court TO try Federal is TO be held at at Lake
| City and the bill contains a provision toI iHpan-
Melting ures for this court which Is opposed by TWO
of the minority Messrs. Crouuse and Mills, as open
to the same objection as the jury section oil the
THE EXAMINATION OF PENSIONERS
The usefulness of pension examining surgeons is
beinp seriously questioned by certain members OF
tbe Pension Committees of Congress, and 1t is prob
able that a bill will be introduced reforming the
| nlan now In existence Of biennial examinations OF
pensIoners 1t is shown in reports before Congress
that not less than 100000 is expended biennaly IN
| fees to examining surgeons, beside many mel
dental charges Against this sum are the reductions
Of nensions from previous rates, which Will not eX-
coed $4,000 1t held that if ithe law requiring bl-
ennial examinations should be repealed some OF the
nyalids on the rolls would receive higher rate OF
nension than at present and perhaps more than they
are entitled to- but that it Is bad economy 10 spehu
nearly $4,000 to guard against possible loss OF
| stoooo In addition TO the direct pecuniary saving
which would be effected by the repeal OF
the law, the adjustment of the accounts
of the disbursing pension agents wou'd thereby
be facilitated, much time and labor beng
| now snent i'm verifying reductions made during
period Tor which the accounts have been settled ana
subsequently, called up on appeal. The aggregate
ANIMAL sum paid to pensio-agent for compensation
alone amounts to more than half million dollars
to say nothing Of contingent expenditures, the
keeping of accounts between the Assistant treasurer
and nearly 60 agences, the TRANSMISSION, monthly
| to the Treasury, by express OF unwleldy packages
and other similar items Pensioners, since July 8
1870 have all been paid by check directly, payments
| to attorneys being prohibited.
BILL TO ENFORCE THE ENATURALIZATION LAWS
A sub committee of the House Judiciary Com
|, mittee. consisting Of Messrs Tremain and White
gave hearing to-day TO Mr. S. j. Classy of New
, York who appeared on behalf of the Liberal Re
, publican Committee of that city to oppose bill
said to have been prepared by Commissioner Daycn
port amendatory of the Enforcement act Ih'