The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-02-24
NATIONAL NOTES.
Gossip NJ the eCapitaI-currentC Comment
and News.


WASnISGroS, February 23.-Mr. Van
W'ycE has t1trod uced bill in the Senate,
the object OF which is to compel railroads
10 pay, State taxes on unpatented lands
donated to them by the government One
condition OF the land grants is that rail-
roads shall pay all costs ot surveying lands.
Railroad companies hold lands throughout
the west which they have not yet surveyed
and patented, and the courts have held
that States can not tax these lands because
tho United STATES still holds nm interest in
equity in them by reason Of the fact that
under the condition imposed by the grant
the lands might revert TO the government
through failure Of the railroads to comply
with these conditions. 1t is claimed that
railroads leave lands unpatented to avoid
taxation and Mr.. Van Wyck's bill releases
quit claims to any State that proceeds
against these lands Tor the collection oil
all taxes and interest in equity OF the gen;
eral government 1t is thought this will
encourage the States to collect the7e taxes.
The House Naval Committee o:day ap-
pointed MeSSsfs. liarfls, IhomaS and talbot
u suo:cohnlttee 10 dra't DliI Tor the re-
organization OF the navy, and incorporating
provision hltherto discussed by the com.
mlttee anu ADVISORY Board and agreed
upon. me pill Will appropriate about
nlne ana halt million dollars ior the con-
stF0ctioa OF seVea or eight hEst'class war
vessels OF different styles.
The President nominated Colonel Rufus
ingalls,, Assistant Quarter.Master General,
70 be Brlgadier General and Quarter. Master
General Postmasters: Thomas Carlisle,
Fierce City, Mo; Samuel l.. Grosvenor,
Marietta, u; Benjamin Burton, Geneva,
LIS; Ernest funke, Otonto, Wis.
The Senate Naval Committee agreed to
Iavor9Dly report on the nomination OF
tneouote wilson, ot New YORK, for Chief
OF the bureau Of Naval Construction.
House Committee on Naval Affairs has
agreed to recommend the immediate ap-
preparation oil SlO UQ0,OOO TO begin the con-
stractlon oi new Navy.
senate committee on Naval Affairs this
morning voted 10 reject to nominations oi
Watmough to be Paymaster General OF the
navy ana stevenson TO be ray Director.
some days ago the Committee agreed to
an adverse report on WatmanSh but held
It back IN order to give the PRESIDENT time
70 Withdraw the nomination Il he saw tit.
several members oil the Committee waited
on the President and officially advised him
oil TINS action. The Committee waited until
to-day, and not receiving any Information
from the President as to his purposes, for
nally adopted the adverse report and or
dered 1t to be presented to the Senate. The
nomination ot Stevenson was then taken up
and the motion to report adversely was
adopted.
Invitations to the heads Of the Executive
departments to the Garfield memorial SER
vices at the Capitol on Monday next have
been distributed: The card is compan-
ion piece to the Garfield Inaugural invita-
ton.
The House Committee on private land
claims will report for passage bill pro-
vidiug for the issuance Of land scrip to Mrs.
Myra Clark Gaines, IN lieu oi about s., 900
acres Of land in Louisiana, the title 10 which
has been Judicially confirmed to other par
ties.
A delegation from the New York Cham
Der Of Commerce appeared before the SEN
ate Finance Committee in relation to the
so-called Sherman bill to facilitate the de-
cisious OF controyerted questions in revenue
cases by referring such questions to the
Court Of Claims, with the right to appeal