Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1882-03-30
WASHINGTON LETTER.


WASHINGTON, March, 1892,
The Senate Committee on the Improvement
OF the Mississippi River and its Trbutarie.
have agreed upon bill approprating $500,
! 600 70" the Improvement OF the Mississippi Riv-
er, and 81 100000 for the Missouri River. TO be
| expended under the direction OF the Secretary
| OF War, in accordance with the plans OF the
Mississippi River Improvement Commission.
A part of the appropriation for the Mississippi
is to be made Immediately available, in order
TO repair as quickly aSI possible some OF the
| damages caused by the recent foods.
The action OF the Senate In confirming Samuel
Blatchford rs Judge of the United States Su.
preme Cotrt gives that body u fall bench for
the first time in nearly five years. The latter
appointment has notably strengthened II, and
1t will now be able to do work which has here
tofore been neglected from sheer inability to
perform 1t. 1t Is. too, very respectable judi
cial body as now constituted, although II does
not come up TO the standard It has reached
during some periods Of the history Of the coun :
try
The President having signed the anti.polyga-
my bill the suppression OF the crime which has
50 long flauntcd itself in Utah will now begin
In earnest. No differences have existed as to
the desirability of legislation which would re-
move this rank offense from the soil OF the
United States, though there have been disagree
ments concerning the policy which ought TO be
pursued 10 make il effective. Now that the bill
has passed into law there will be general ac-
quIesccnce in the desire that it should be exc
cuted with the simple intent of removing the
evil. With wise management 1t is not improb-
able that polygamy will in two years have be-
come a thing of the past.
Doubts ~ to the efficacy of the Anti Chinese
bill are already being expressed. Mr.. Colby.
one Of the employees of the House, who has
spent some time in China, called the attention
OF the writer to an easy way Tor Cinnamon to
eyade the restrictions placed upon their cmigra-
ton to the United States. Said he The is
land OF Hong Kong is a British colony, and
large numbers OF Chinese go there and become
naturalized. Mongolians wishing to como to
this country can so to Hong Kong and become
British subjects, ana then come here without
violating this new prohibitOry Eaw, l under
stand that the Six Companies are fully aware
OF this fact, and have made arrangements with
British Companies who were previously inter-
ested In the Coolie trade, to Import Cinnamon
into Hong Kong, have them naturalized there
in due season. and send them in large numbers
to the United States.
All the papers received by the President bear
ing on the case Of Sergeant Mason have been
referred to the Secretary of War, who has plac-
ed them in the hands of Judge Advocate Gcner-
al Swain for report. 1t has leaked out that
sufficient irregularities have been discovered In
the proceedings of the court-mlrtial to nullify
the verdict While declining to 9iyulge In aG-
vance the nature Of the report he should make
the General yesterday remarked significantly
that he 'would be heard from.
1t was estimated from advices received up TO
10 o'clock last evening that the contributions
already received at Philadelphia and Washing
ton for the benefit OF Sergt. Mason's wife and
child would amount to at least hve thousand
dollars Evidently tho "Am arlcan people" so
often quoted by Guteau as his firm supporters
have transferred their sympathes to q more de-
serving object, and thus have driven another
nail in the coffin OF his egotsm.
WILLIS.