The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1880-05-15
OAPITAL CHATTER.

Richmond show the friends Of Judge
Field, as-a presidential candidate,
carried the Richmond democratic
elections, yesterday, against eombi-
nation ticket of the friends OF all
other democratic candidates. The
contest was spirited. and heavy vote
polled. and the Field party elected 81
out OF 20 delegates to the state con-
vention. Henry County elected
solid Field delegation Of 16.
Colonel Ordway, ex-sergeant-at
arms of the House of Representatives
was to-day nominated as Governor of
Dakota. The President rendered the
position to Delegate Bennett, but he
positively declined it, and made a
hard and persistent effort to obtain |
the appointment for Geo. II. Hand,
present territorial secretary and act
ing-goverDor. Hand was supported
by endorsements from all portions of
the the territory, and his appointment
strongly urged, but from some reason
the President chose to make the Sc
lection from the outside.
The House engaged in fight over
the bill providing for the introduction
of free salt, and createda lively
debate. It will be resumed en- Mon
day.
at a cabinet meeting to-day, Sher-
man laid before the cabinet state-
ment showing that the daily receipts
OF government for the present month
had averaged mere than 81 ,000, 900.
The Grow Indians agreed to sell
to government 100000 acres of
their reservation in Montana, at
$4,000 per year for twenty
five years. and the Shoshone and
Bannock Indians at Fort Hall (Idaho)
Reservation signed an agreement
disposing of 100000 acres of their
reservation at $4,000 a year for
twenty years. The Indians remain
on certain portions OF the reserves
ton.
During debate in the House. to-
day, on the free Legislature bill, Page
offered an amendment implying that
frauds had been prscticed in the
mints, and locking to their exposure.
Atkins, autagonizing the amend
ment, said if fraud had been
pTacaced in the conduct of
these minis, and if it be true, it
should be ferreted out. Butt am not
prepared to say the gentlemsn's
amendment would at all facilitate
the exposure of these frauds. l do
not think it would; besides, the COM
mittee on appropriation, In preparing
this portion of the bill, has been
guided by the counsel Of the
director of the mint, and l am
warranted in saying the committee
do not feel at liberty to accept the
amendment in references 10 the al
ministration of the minis, which
would net be acceptable to the direc-
cor of the mint himself.
Page-Ha7ing accomplished all the
purposes [ intended, will withdraw
the amendment and leave the chair
man of the committee on appropTia-
tons 20 be responsible ia future for
the maladministrstion of affairs 10
the San Francisco mint.
Atkins-Do not make me response
bic for the republican party.
PGge-Tne responsibility hereafter
shall not be on me or on the party l
represent. If the gentleman chcoIes
to stand here as the head of the az
propositions committee and say that
fsyoritism shall be practiced in the
obtaining OF large quantities OF ma
terial for the United States minis,
and that they shall be obtained from
the favorites of the superintendent Of
the mint, he can do SO, and he may
defend it; I withdraw the amendment
Atkins Immediately renewed it for
the purpose of saying that he opposed
it simply because it would not mate
rally change the existing law. The
law already covered the case. He
Indignantly repealed the idea that he
would try to favor monopoly or cover
up misconduct. In conclusion, be
eulogized Director Burchard's integ-
rity and intelligence. and repudisted
the statement that Burohard gave
him the information which be hal
related 10 the House.
Some further colloquy ensued, in
the course OF which Atkins said he had
no doubt that after this discussion the
director of the mint will himself
see to the enforcement of the law on
! the part of his suboTdinates in San
Francisco, and that both will per.
ceive 1t to be necessary to comply
with the law by requiring bids for
mint supplies.
Psge-That is the only object had
in view.
Hawley, of Connecticut, Lhereupon
came to the defense of Superintendent
Dodge, and ssnt to the clerks desk
al official letter from him to Director
Burchsrd, written on the LIST instant
with reference to some complaint Of
]. y. Plummer & Co., of Alameda,
which Burchard had brought to his
attention. The letter was read. In
it Superintendent Dodge simply says
| be has, at various times, purchased
considerable salt from the San Fran
cisco agents of Plummer & Co., but
that Of late other parties have been
furnishing a better article at lower
prices. He continues: During my
term of Office no one has
ever been reiused an opportur ity
to compete for our trade in any
line whatever. Samples submitted, of
whatever nature" have always been
tested by purchases have been dis
tributed among all respectable dealers
in the various lines of goods, covered
By wants Of the service, and the offer
of the most favorable in point of
price and in quality has invariably |
been accepted.
Representative Page rejoined |
merely that If he had known that an
attempt at defence would be made, he
would have brought TO the House
some letters bearing on the subiec:
and had them read. The matter
was then dropped.
Representative Davis being occu,
pied with committee work was not
present while these proceedings took
place and consequently did not par
ticipate in them.
Senator Farley to day. presented q
memorial from the Los Angeles Odd
Fellows Building Association, Offering
to sell to government for $40. 900,
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