Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1878-03-20
WaS!lin @tOn.
THE SILVER CERTIFICATES.

Associated press telegrams from Wash
ington of the 10th inst, state that the
committee on banking and currency, this
morning agreed upon a bill providing
for the issuing of silver bullion certifi-
Gates. The bullion is to be counted at
It's equivalent in coin, less mint charges
and cost of transportation. The certlfi-
Gates are to be issued by any silver
coming mint or assay Official, and to be
redeemable at the assay office III New
York and the mint in San Francisco,
and are to be a legal tender IN payment
for all government dues.
DEATH OF JUDGE LEONARD, NJ. c., OF
LOUISIANA.
Secretary Evarts. this afternoon tele-
graphed from the state department, the
following. addressed to Hon. Sam'l ].
Randall, speaker of the house of repre-
sentatives: GA Geographic commune
cation has just been received from the
United States consul-general at Havana,
stating that Hon. John Edwards Leon
ard, representative from Louisiana, died
this morning Of yellow fever. The
consulgeneral states he had ordered
his remains to be em5almed, and re-
quests the family or friends of deceased
TO be informed. He also requests in
structions." Speaker Randall i'm
mediately telegraphed the Sc
cretary requesting him to ask
the consul general to show all
proper respect to the memory of the
deceased, take charge Of the remains
and forward them to New Orleans, and
the house of Representatives would COW
er all necessary expenses. Intelligence
of the death of Mr.. Leonard came sud-
denly on the members of the house and
caused general sorrow. He had been
absent from Washington only about
three weeks
NEW POSTAL BILL.
The committee on Dostoffices and
post-roads, Of the house, has nearly
completed the bill for the classification
of mail matter and rates of postage
thereon. Mail matter is divided into
four classes: LIST, written matter; I'd,
printed matter of two kinds, privileged
and ordinary; Sd, other printed mat
ter; 4th, merchandise. The rate now
existing will probably not be changed.
but the classification is simplifed. The
bill will prohibit carrying mail matter
outside of the mails and authorize the
postmaster general to use return postal
cards and combined letter sheets and
envelopes. The committee is divided
as to whether any distinction should
be made on the rate on second class
matter.
POSTAL SAVINGS BANKS.
An associated press dispatch from
Washington, under date Of March Is,
says in the house. Mr.. Robbins from
the committee on ways and means, re-
ported a substitute for the bill to pro-
mote the deposit of savings in the
treasury and refunding of the national
debt, which was referred to the COM
mittee of the whole. The bill provides
that for the purpose of refunding out
standing per cent. bonds into bonds
person may deposit at any postal
money order Office lawful money of the
United States in sums not less than one
dollar, and shall be entitled to receive
therefor postal money orders on the
Treasury, and that when such money
orders shall be presented to the Treas
ury at Washington, they shall be enter
ed to the credit of the depositor, and
when such deposits amount to fifty dol
lars, they shall, ut the option of the de-
position, be convertible into 4 per cent
bonds.
sCHURZs sELF-DEFENCE.
Associated press dispatches from
Washington under date of March 10TH
state that in reply to congressional
criticism Secretary Schurz said he
secuted settlers and miners who wanted
a little wood and timber for their stores
and mines, while he really had only
prosecuted spectators who had depre-
dated upon public lands on a large scale
for the sake of personal profit Under
instructions from this department, not
a settler nor miner has been touched,
except where persons had cut timber
under cover of fraudulent pre-emption
or homestead claims, when these spec
ulators obtained from five to eight dol
lars per cord for wood, and from twenty
to sixty dollars per thousand feet for
manufactured lumber, which they
have taken from the public lands.
L notice our method Of doing this has
been called un-American [ never
thought it was un-American to prevent
stealing; we are bound to execute the
laws as they are as we'll as we can If
these laws are not as they should be it
IS the business of congress to make
them SO. The operations Of the depart
ment for the prevention of timber de-
vastation apply only in a very limited
extent to territories. The principal
field Of operations is in the timber
growing states, such as Minnesota, Mich
igan, Wisconsin, Florida, Louisiana,
Mississippi and others.
THE TEXAS PACIFIC RAILROAD ENDORSED.
The senate committee in charge OF
various bills concerning trans-continen-
tai railway communication on or near
the 32d parallel, reported favorably on
the Texas Pacific project, and submitted
to the full committee copy of the bill
agreed upon by the house Pacific rail
road company. The full committee be-
gun discussion Of the measure, and adj
i I L l