The Portland daily press., 1881-01-15
WASHINGTON.
The Appropriation Bills.

The Appropriation Bills.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 14.-The subcommittee
of the House committee ON appropriations
made some progress upon the sundry civil ap-
preparation bill today. The naval appropria-
tion bill is delayed on account of the continued
illness of Mr.. Atkins.
Government Control Of the Telegraph.
A.project is in contemplation to introduce
bill to provide for the control of the telegraph
by the government, and so fix an equitable
rate. The recent consolidation has given an
impetus to this movement. Persons acquaint-
ed with telegraphing say that eighteen millions
of dollars would be sufficient for the govern
ment to build new lines which would cover as
large territory as that now occupied by ex-
istng lines, and that reduced cost of materials
would enable the government to do it at this
small sum as compared with the valuations of
the watered stock of the telegraph companies.
The goyernmesn;t,. 1, r, ore1var youldhaye Che
purchase the right of way as it has the power
to declare any road in the country post road,
upon ~hich 1T would have the right to erect
telegraph lines. : ------------
The Whitaker Case.
The charges and specifications against Cadet
Whitaker, growing out of the recent court of
inquiry at West Point which have been COM
piled under the supervision of the Judge Ad-
vocate General have been completed and copies
to-day were sent counsel. Whitaker is charged
first with conduct unbecoming an officer and
gentleman in violation of the regulations of
the United States Military Academy. Specifi-
cation first asserts that with the design and in
tention of exciting public sympathy, of bring
ing discredit upon said military academy, of
obtaining notoriety ands escaping from the ap-
preaching public examination, he did wilfully
and deliberately mutilate himself, tie his hands
together and his feet to the bed post and pre-
tended he had been so assaulted, and wounded
and ill-used by unknown hostile assailants
during the night. Other specifications charge
him with writing pretended letter of warn
ing and false swearing.
Judge Advocate U. S. A. A court martial has
been ordered to convene in New York on the
Goth inst. for the trial of Whitaker.
Nominations by the President.
The President has nominated w. P. Smith
of Indiana, U. S. Consul at Carthagena; Hen
ry P. Dill of Maine, U. S. Consul at Fort Erie,
Canada.
The Civil Service.
Senate committee on civil service heard this
morning Everett P. Wheeler, chairman of the
executive committee of the Civil Service Re-
form Association, of which George William
Curtis is President. Mr.. Wheeler urged the
advantage of competitive examination in the
different branches of the public Scivil service
Illicit Stills Seized.
Internal revenue agent Wilkinson reports
the seizure of three illicitdistilleresand large
amount of beer and whiskey in Edmundson
county, Ky.
Abuse of the Franking Privilege.
Special House investigating committee on
alleged aouse of the franking system in con-
nection with the late Presidential campaign,
sat with closed doors today. Postmaster Ain
ger testified substantially as previously report
ed.
Retired and Retiring Presidents.
The bill introduced to-day by Senator Hoar,
by request, to provide for retired and retiring
Presidents, proposes to pay annually to every
ex-President of the United States sum
equal to one-fourth of the salary paid him
while in office. The petition presented with
the bill is signed by J. NJ. Forbes, Leverett
Saltonstall, E. r. Hoar and ten ether citizens
of Boston. They represent that history has
transmitted to us many sad records of the suf-
ferings OF our earlier chief magistrates from
insufficient pecuniary means during their de-
clining year; that public opinion fully re-
cognizes that it is beneath the dignity of
great nation, after calling upon its best men
for their services during the prime of tneir
lives. to neglect making any provision for
them after their retirement from the chief
office of the nation, and the petitioners there
fore urge that immediate action be taken by
Congress for a suitable provision for our
retired and firing Presidents.