Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-02-24
General Capital Meas.
NOMINATIONS ADVERSELY REPORTED

naval affairs this morning voted to reject the
nominations of Watmaugh 10 be paymaster
general of the navy, and Stevenson to be pay
director. Some days ago the committee agreed
to an adverse report on Watmaugh, but held
1t back in order to give the president time to
withdraw the nomination if he saw fit.
Several members OF the committee waited on
the president and officially advised him of this
action. The committee waited until to. day,
and not receiving any intimation from the
president as to his purpose, formally adopted
an adverse report, and ordered it to be pre-
sented to the senate. The nomination of
Stevenson was then taken up, and a motion to
report adversely adopted.
TAXING UNPATENTED RAILROAD LANDS.
Senator Van Wyck has introduced bill in
the senate, the object of which is to compel
railroads to pay state taxes on unpatented
lands donated them by the government. A
condition of land grants is that railroads shall
pay all costs of surveying lands. The rail-
road companies hold lands throughout the
west. which they have not yet surveyed and
patented, and the courts held that states can't
tax these lands because the United States still
hold an interest in equity in them by reason of
the fact that under the condition imposed by
the grant, the lands might revert to the gov.
eminent through failure of the railroads to
comply with these conditions. 1t is claimed
that the railroads have left the lands impatient
ed to avoid taxation and VanWyck' g bill releases
and quit claims to any state that proceeds
against these lands for collection of taxes all
interest in equity of the general government
1t is thought that this will encourage the
states to collect these taxes.
SETTLING REVENUE CASES
A dc of In of
commerce appeared before the senate finance
committee, in opposition to the Sherman bill
to facilitate the decision of controverted
questions In revenue cases, by referring such
question to the court of claims, with the
right OF appeal to the supreme court. The
delegation claimed the transfer of such suits
to the court of claims wonld deprive import
ers of the right of trial by jury, and would
be attended by as long delay in the recovery of
| occurs uuder existing law. They urged the
adoption OF measure providing for the es-
Enlistment of courts of arbitration, at such
points as may be necessary, the courts to have
jurisdiction of all suits for the recovery of
duties improperly exacted. Senator Sherman
disclamed authorship Of the bill and said it
had been prepared at the treasury department,
remedying existing evils, still he had no de-
sire to antagOnize the interests of importers
| ard would join them heartily in advocating
any other revenue which would better accom-
plish the desired purposes.
INTER STATE COMMERCE.
An influential deputation appeared before
| the house committee on commerce to-day, and
argued in favor OF regulation by congress of
Interstate commerce generally. Among the
speakers were Q. w. Long, Minneapolis, and
D. B. Henderson, Dubuque. The argument
against the proposed legislation was made by
Hughes, of Grand Rapids, representing the
Southern Michigan d Northern Indiana Rail-
road company. He took the ground that the
effect of the legislation desired would be to
discourage and hamper transportation between
states, and give advantages to Canadian rail-
roads.
SUPREME COURT VACANCY.
1t is rumored that a nomination for the
supreme court vacancy will be made to day or
to- morrow, and it will be New York man.
1t is said that the president had at one time
decided to nominate Senator Edmunds, but
that pressure from New York has been SO
great he cannot resist It.
BREvITIEs.
Gen. Rucker, lately appointed quartermaster
general, U. s. A., was placed on the retired
list to-day and Gen. Rufus Ingalls, appointed
| to the vacancy.
The senate naval committee agreed to fa-
| vorable report on the nomination of Theodore
| Wilson, of New York, for chief of the bureau
of naval construction.
! The house naval committee to-day appointed
| Harris, Thomas and Talbot, sub Committee
to draft a bin for the reorganization Of the
| navy, incorporating provisions hitherto dis
| cussed by the committee and the advisory
| board. 1t is agreed the bill will appropriate
about 50, 500 600 for construction of seven or
eight frat class war vessels of different styles
I The president nominated Col. Rufus Ingalls,
| assistant quarter-master general, to be briga-
der general and quartermaster general. Post
masters: Thos. Cartin, Pierce City, Mo-; Sam
uel L. Grosvener, Marietta, O.; BENZ. Burial,
Geneva, ILL.,; Ernest Funk, Oconto, Wis.
Invitations to the heads of the executive
| departments to the Garfield memorial services
at the capital Monday next have been distri-
buted. The card is a companion piece to the
Garfield inaugural invitation.
| The house committee on private claims will
report for passage bill providing for the H.
suance of landscript to Myra Clark Gaines,
in lieu of about 3,700 acres of land in LOUISE
ana, the title of which has been judicially con-
firmed to other parties.
were heard to-day by the house committee in
favor of congress confirming the title to Dear
b. rn Park.
The treasury department to-day purchased
$50 600 ounces of fine silver for the minis.
The National Homeopathic hospital man
agement have made a beginning by renting a
building for present use.
Postmaster General Howe decides "stamp
| frank" is not illegal frank and the written
name congressman must be unbranded matter.