The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1881-02-10
WASHINGTON BRIEFS.

TIE Democrats have strong hopes Of passing
the Morgan Joint Rule.
SENATOR LOGAN does not think the vote Of
Georgia can be counted, because it was not cast
on the day prescribed by law. s6
The Sundry Civil Service and General Def
fciency bills are the only appropriation bills
now remaining to be considered by Committee.
BUT nine persons have been discharged from
the Postofice Department since Postmaster
General Maynard took charge.
A ooRREsPoSDENT says one-half the mem-
bers of Congress do not know what is meant
by the Monroe doctrine. Sad. Gag s++E -
1T is probable whaling vessel will be pur
chased by the Government, instead of detach-
ing man-of-waF, to make . cruise in search OF
the exploring steamer Jeanette 5 =, Ar
The Interstate Commerce Bill. it il prob
able, will drop out of sight. Free passes have
been rained down on members quite literally,
and it seems, has had the effect to change their
opinion in this matter. -- c II
SENATOR EAToN's Tariff Commission Bill will
probably be acted favorably upon. Prominent
members of both Houses are in favor of q
Commission, to be composed largely of Senators
and members who will belong to the next
Congress.
PETITION signed by 5000 persons has
caused Gen. Young to introduce a bill asking
the enactment of a law giving ex-soldiers and
sailors of the late war, their surviving wild
ows and children, land warrant out of the
public lands without the requirement Of actual
settlement. f a.
DELEGATE CANNON having learned from Salt
Lake that it was reported there that President
Hayes was at the bottom of Murrays action in
giving the certificate of election to Campbell,
the defeated candidate, Mr.. Cannon called
upon the President to learn the truth of these
reports. The President told Delegate Cannon
that he had nothing to do with the action of
Murray in this matter, and knew nothing of it
mt ba in Ha
advised Murray to take any such step. Mr..
Cannon says that the President intimated that
Murray had exceeded his authority in taking
this action. The general opinion in Washing
ton is that Cannon will hold the fort.
THERE is but little doubt now that Captain
Eads will obtain favorable report upon his
bill, with certain amendments from the Com
mitteeon Inter-oceanic Canals. The committee
will probably require the ships, with which the
test of the proposed road is to be made, to be
of 4, 600 tons, instead of q 900 tons burden, and
will reduce the limit of the time upon which
the Government is to guarantee the payment
of the interest on $50, 900, 900 Of stock from
thirty to fifteen years. If the bill is finally
ported favorably, in this form, it will be by q
very small majority of the Committee. 1t is
unlikely, however, that bill to incorporate
Captain Eads' Company or any Inter-oceanio
Canal Company, can be passed before the 4th
of March. If anything is done upon the subject
of the Canal at all, it will probably be to pass
fullest sense.
THE Washington National Republican cred
its the following assertion to Senator whose
word it asserts is good the gold: 1t Is
a perfect farce to talk about any outraged dig
nifty in connection with the executive sessions.
They are the very antipodes of anything digni-
fed. Senators smoke, spit, and swear rs
freely as if they were at ward meetings.
They put their heels on the desks, yell and
chaff at each other like all night men at some
Il L. --k~.-~
Senators enjoy executive sessions is because Of
the freedom it gives them for this kind Of
horse play. You would be surprised to see who
are the principal ones in this coarse fun. Sem
ators who are masquerading under the SEM
blance OF solemn dullness, and aping pro-
fundity in the open sessions, are oftenest the
worst and coarest of the buffoons Of the secret
sessions"
THE pension figures are getting to be enor-
nous. And what is more, the pension officials,
who base their opinion upon what data be-
fore them, express the belief that although the
expenditure on account of pensions will reach
fifty million of dollars during the next fiscal
year, that the year following it will be probably
$75, ,000, 600, or fifty per cent. more than the
total expenditures of the Government in 1850.
At the end of the year 1861 there was A. ,337 in,
valid pensioners on the rolls, all of them
drawing pensions on the Mexican War, the
various Indian wars, and the war of 1912, and
not including any of the results of the civil
1S65-the year the war closed-there were
$4,000 invalid pensioners on the rolls. This
does not include widows, or wounded, or any
other class but invalids. Since that time A, 500
have been dropped from the rolls, mainly by
death, yet the increase of new names of late
years has been SO great that at the end of the
year 1880 there were on the rolls and drawing
pensions no less than 1876, 272 men under the
head of invalid pensioners, or about four times
as many as at the end of 1865. 91.-z5-s pt.a
O,o~ Col, 1ofxI xI,aT Tx,ko
sponse to q Senate resolution adopted January
27, has transmitted to the Senate a copy Of the
report of the Ute Commission and copies Of all
correspondence between the Interior Depart
ment and the Governor Of Colorado, concern
ing the Ute Indians, since the 18th OF June,
1880. Secretary Schurz, in his letter Of trans
initial, says: 81 am informed that during the
debate on the Severalty Bill in the Senate, the
25th ult., the remark was made that the In
terror Department had voluntarily and wilifully
withheld the report of the Ute Commission
from the knowledge of the Senate. I beg to
say that the report WAS not called for by the
Senate until Thursday, the 9th of January.
On the 2Sth and 29th ult. the criticism was re-
peated, while the Senate resolution calling for
the report did not reach the Department until
the 2Sth. The volume of the, report will con-
vince the Senate that it was impossible to
make the necessary copies with all the available
force the Department has for such purpose, in
less time than has been consumed upon it. I
did not transmit the report without call from
the Senate for the simple reason that it con-
tains nothing concerning the statement of the
Utes in severalty, except what was contained
in the letter addressed by me to Hon. Richard
Coke, dated the 18th ult., which was COM
municated by him to the Senate in the debate
ON the first day of the discussion on the pend
ing bill, and the statement of the Ute Com
mission as to delays which prevented them from
proceeding with the allotment Of lands to diff
ferent bands of Utes in compliance with the
act of June Is, $780, --