San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1878-04-06

Morgan, Democrats. Messrs. Cooh'
Cravens, Garth and Henry, Democrats
join in minority report, which, while
admitting numerous mistakes on the
part of Col. Polk, claims that prece'
dents existed for his action, and denies
that he is guilty of any fragrant viola
ton of law sufficient to justify his re,
moval.
SECRETARY SCHURZ's scheme to abol-
ish the pension Offices through the
country has been Endorsed by the House
Committee on Appropriations. The
Pension Appropriation bill agreed upon
provides that all pensions shall hereafter
be paid by the Secretary of the Treasury.
This will result in large annual saving
to the Government. The total amount
appropriated by the bill is 500, $50, 600.
Of this sum million and q half is made
necessary by the second act restoring to
the pension rolls the survivors of the
War of 1872.
The Senate Committee on Railroads
have reported favorably on the Texas
Pacific Railroad scheme, the bill report
ed being substantially the same as the
one agreed upon by the House Commit
tee. The Committee at the same time
reported the Southern Pacific bill with
out recommendation. 1t is understood
that the friends of the latter measure
agreed not to make minority report
on the Texas-Pacific bill, in considera-
ton of the majority of the committee
consenting to withhold an adverse re-
port upon the Southern Pacific bill.
THE House Committee on Banking
and Currency have agreed to report
Hardenburgh's bill to allow national
banks to use United States per cent.
bonds for their reserves instead of legal
tenders. The reserves now amount to
SS0,OO0,0O0, and the intention of the bill
is to allow them to 60 into active circu-
lation.
The House Committee on Judiciary
have agreed to report bill for the re-
peal of the Bankrupt law.
SECRETARY SHERMAN appeared be-
fore the Senate Committee on Finance,
on the 10Th, and gave his reasons for
opposing the repeal of the Specie
resumption act. The questions discuss
ed related to the practicability of specie
payments, the effect of the Silver
bill on resumption, and whether the
bill assisted or retarded resumption,
the amount of gold and silver in
the Treasury and the country,
and cognate questions. Members
made inquiries, and the Secretary re-
piled, taking the ground that the re-
monetization of silver was an aid to re-
sumption. The Silver bill did some
good and some harm. One way in
which it was harmful was in the return
of bonds from abroad, but it pro-
duced good by increasing foreign
confidence in our bonds, by
reason of the fact that our own
people took them up in large quantities.
He stated that the resumption of specie
payments could not be permanently
without retaining the legal
tender function for about $500, 100000
of United States notes-in other words,
that legal-tender notes, after reaching
par, should be paid out again for Gov
eminent disbursements.
1t is said that the difference in the
cost of mail service in the far West ac
cording to the terms of existing con-
tracts and according to contracts award
ed at former lettings will be more than
a million dollars. This reduction in
the cost of the service will enable the
Contract Department TO reduce IFS an