The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1875-01-22
Washington News and Gossip.


A. T. Goshorn, Director General of the Ma
tional Centennial, is here, and filed with the
Secretary of the Interior, the anual report of
the Centennial Commission as required by act
of Congress. Mr.. Goshorn reports that the en-
terprse is moving forward with encouraging
rapidity. The buildings are all under contract,
and will be fully completed by Feb. 1, 1876.
The work of preparation is so well advanced
that the failure which marked the opening day
at the Vienna Exposition cannot occur at Phil
a delpha 1t is not the purpose of the Com
mission to apply to Congress for an appropria-
tion to aid in the erection of buildings or other
work of preparation. This has been amply
provided for, and while an appropriation would
give additional success to the enterprise, the
Commission feel that the Exhibition is guaran-
teed without regard to aid from Congress. In
the report filed the Commission will ask Con-
gress to make an appropriation to provide for
the premiums to be offered contributors. The
amount of the appropriation asked for will not
exceed four hundred thousand dollars. The
Commission will also ask Congress to author
ize the President to detail at least one regi-
ment of United States troops for guard duty
during the continuance of the Exhibition. The
report will be accompanied by tables and
drawings, showing the extent of the buildings,
their cost, and purposes to which each will be
devoted. Mr.. Goshorn is convinced that every
Exhibition on the 1st day of May, 1876.
THE PRESIDENTS LAST MESSAGE.
The Presidents message on coast defences
which was read in the house Wednesday after
noon, did not produce the impression on the
house, as a whole, that it did on those mem
bers who noted its language with care, and
who Observed that its tone could scarcely have
been more urgent if the country were really
threatened with a naval conflict with some
foreign power at an early power at an early
period. Indeed, the President seems to regard
It as a certainty that future wars must be
provided against by the present congress, and
to this end be wishes the 1914 Rodman guns
converted into ri1ed ordnance at the earliest
moment, and the means provided for the con-
struction of still larger guns. The message
derives its significance from the fact that the
President is known to tavor hostile policy
toward Spain.
THE CHoCTAw CLAIM.
The Choctaw claim came up again in the
committee of the whole Wednesday, and MIR.
Harris withdrew his amendment requiring
payment of money to the treasurer of the
Choctaw nation and its disbursements under
the supervision of the Secretary of the Treas
ury. This action, it is safe to say, weakened
the case of the claimants, since the fact is well
understood that the strictest precauton is
necessary to prevent the diversion of large
amount of this money into the possession of
the harples who hover about the Capitol. Mr.
Comingo's plan, it was thought, did not suffi
ciently guard against this danger; and, al
though the amendment was saddled upon the
Indian bill IN committee of the whole, and
then sustained by the house,-l3g to 9S.-tLe
bill itself was refused a third reading by q vote
of Ill to 120.