Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-01-20

PROTEST FROM WEST PoIST.-A pro-
test has been received from the professors at
West Point which shows wherein the MILL
tary academy bill as agreed upon by the
committee will materially cripple West
Point the cadets now receive fifty dollars
monthly. Out of thfs they have 10 pay for
clothes and ratiOns and other expenses. It
is very scanty allowance. There are few
cadets who live on IL now. lit Is reduce to
forty dollars the professors claim tina, iJ VIII
drive from the academy the poorer cadets
who have been appointed by competitive
examinations, and who do not have other
means OF support. Toe military COMMITTEES
VIII make determined opposition 10 this
action OF the appropriation committee.
POSTAL TELEGRAPH.-Mr. Sargent intro
duced bill in the Senate 10 day, which was
referred 10 the Committee on Post Offices
Ond Post Roads, providing for the establish
ment of a postal telegraph. The bill gives
the Postmaster General authority to estab-
liSh the tariff for messages sent from post
offices, provided the rate for ten word mess
ages shall not exceed for any distance within
two hundred and fifty miles, ten cents; for
any distance over two hundred and fifty
miles and less than five hundred miles, fif-
teen cents; for any distance more than five
hundred and less than one thousand miles,
twenty-five cents; and for all distances over
one thousand miles, fifty cents; and for any
excess beyond ten words the rates shall be
IN ike proportion
OKLAHoMA.--The House Committee on
Territories agreed this morning to have 9
special meeting on Saturday night to con
slider the bill of Mr.. Franklin, of Missouri,
10 establish territory, to be known as Ok
lahoma. They did this because it was rged
that there are 10000 citizens of the United
states in that country among the Indians,
with no law To protect them; 900 freedmen,
former slaves of the Indians, and 40 900 CIV
iliZed Indians; that there is no punishment
for crime, and that disorder reigns. Charges
OF enormous expenditures at the United
States court at Fort Smith are made-s!lid
to be as high as 100000 year; and The
committee proposes thorough investilsa-
ton. The Committee on Indian Affairs OF
the House are inyes tigating the same thing.
PoLYGAMOUs DISQUALIFICATION Mr.
Christiancy introduced a bill in the Senate
to-day providing that In all prosecutions Tor
bigamy or poly gamy in Utah, il shall De
Suiilclent cause OF challenge, aud for the re-
lection OF any juror, first that he has more
IMAM one Wife living and residing In said ter
rltOry, whether married to any Of them by
the ordinary rites or by the rites known as
sealing, or any other ceremony claimed
or understood by bigamistS or pOlygamistS
of said territory, to create either an ordin-
airy, a merely temporal, or a spiritual mar
rage; provided they cOhabit together as bus
band and wife usually do in that territory:
and second, that he believes il morally or
legally right for man to have more than
one living and III divorced wife at the same
time Referred TO the Committee on Terri
tories.
NEW HUNORIsT IN THE HoUsE-Sun-
look 10 their lauTels as Congressional hu-
mOrists. To-day in the course of the can-
tennial debate, there appeared new comic
star in the person of Martin L. Townsend, of
New York. His address was a sarcastic
analysis of the rights Of a state under the
constitution, intended as an answer to the
strict constrUctiOnists. His style is pecu-
liar in gesture, ii being principally confined
To the raising of the right leg at the night
time, by way OF emphasis Mr.. Townsend
mas broad, CHEEKY face, perfectly smooth.
his hair is snow white and covers the whole
expense OF well rounded Uranium. His
volubility Of tongue, added TO a keen appre-
cation OF the ludlcIOus, as cleverly expressed
on the occasion, certainly will make for
ann place among legislative humOrsts.
HELIoUoR TRAFFIC.-The Senate Gem
mlttee on Finance to-day held meeting
and considered Mr.. HOwes bill providing
for the appointment of n commission to in
vestigate the alcoholic liquor traffic. 1t was
finally agreed TO authorize the chairman
DIT. sherman TO report as substitute the
bill which passed the Senate at the first ses-
sion OF the Forty-thiTd Congress, which pro-
Vldes FOR the appointment by the President
OF i've persons (rone OF whom shall hold
Office under the general or a state govern
ment), who shall be selected on the sole
ground of personal fitness. They shall serve
without salary, ana shall have a secretary,
who shall receive a salary of 2,00O. The bill
appTopriates SO, 900 to defray the expeu ses
OF The commission. The duty of the commiy-
sion will be TO investigate the alcoh OIic
liquor traffic in its economic, criminal
moIal, and scientific aspects, in connection
with pauperism, crime, social vice, the pub
lie health. and general welfare Of the people;
ana also inquire and take testimony as TO
the practical results OF license and restric-
tive legislation for the prevention OF intem-
perance in the several states.
THE PACIFIC RAILROAD COMMITTEE of
the House met last evening 10 hear the
statements Of the Texas Pacific railway on
the one hand and the Central and Southern
Pacific company OF California, on the other
On bills now before the committee pr1vid.
ing for the completion of the thirty second
Scott, Major Frank s. Bond, and ex-Goyer-
nor John &. Brown, of Tennessee, appeared
for the Texas Pacific, and C. p. Huntington
and Z. ID. Sheriff. for the Central and Sou b.
ern Pacific. COL Scott presented the advan-
tageS OF competing trans continental line
to the govern ment and the people. He called
attention TO the fact that the constant border
troubles with Mexico made ii imperative
that the government should have prompt
facilities for moving troops and supplies,
and that the military defence OF the entire
Pacific coast now rested solely upon single
line liable 10 serious Interruption during the
winter months OF the year. Major Bond, the
vice president of the Texas and Pacific road
presented an array OF figures showing that
the net earnings of the present Pacific road
were ten times the amount 10 protect the
governments guarantee of interest on the
Texas and Pacific bonds, and that the gov
eminent would save from five TO seven mil
lions of dollars per year by the building of
the road. Mr.. Huntington, who appeared
for the Central and Southern Pacific, pre-
scented the claims of the Southern Pacific to
build the line from Port Yuma east until it
shall meet the Texas and Pacific building
west. He asked that the land grant hereto.
fore made to the Texas and Pacific should be
bestowed upon the Southern Pacific OF Cali
fornia for the number OF miles 1t should
build.
hoBSER1ES BY TRAMP5 IN NEW JER-
sEY.-No less than FIVE bold robberl es a re re-
ported TO have been perpetrated in the north
ern part of Hudson county, New Jersey.
during the past two days by tramps Tna
residences Of George Miller and Geo. Hart
mann, in Gutenberg, were entered from the
rear windows, which were broken open, and
robbed OF clothing, &c, worth 500. Michael
Moores house in Weehawken was entered
and robbed OF goods worth $50. The barn of