The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1883-01-26


WASHINGTON. Jan. ~. 1853. The past
week has been very busy one IN WASH
ingion. Congress has been busy IN The.
House and in The Senate; The lobby has
been husy IN and about Congress and
society has been busy IN hundreds Of
drawing rooms. Congress has thirty
seven working days yet remaining, and
III has about -four months work on hand.
mostly Ia the shape III business that
should have been closed out during the
last session. a pension bill appropriate
ing $50, 100 600 fnr the Army. and ST.
100000 for the Navy, has been passed by
the House; also bill appropriating
S325OOO for Notifications. The Ways
land Means Committee Of the liouse has
lcompletcd its revision Of The tariff bill
without making any impor'sni changes.
lThe bill will be presented 10 the House
lat the earliest opportunity. and this SUBJ
irct will come up in the Senate AS unfin-
;i~hed business to-day II il the opinion,
however, Of wei informed prognosiica-
tors that no tariff bill will DO passed this
IseSsion.
The IIouse committee on education
land lahor will ask to-day. on the call oi
|cnmmiitccs. for consideration OF its bill
a. reported By Mr.. sherman, granting
national aid 10 the common schools ot
1.-THE States and Territories on the basis
|of iIlitcracy This bill has the unani-
Inous support of each member Of the
Icommittec. and proposes % aid 10 the
lamount of Sl0.OOo,UOO per annum for five
lycars. II is patriotic. non-partisaI
lncasnre Of the most vital importance &
1.-THE whQerountry No other Till before
| Congress touches interests so broad, e
vital, Or Immediately needing attention
ias Ills.
| Iii said that the Naval bill, which vii
be reported this week, contains some
VERY important clauses striking AZ ths
top-keayiness Of the Naval personnel
1 III Is well known that there i, in th'
United States Navy. a great disprp
portion Of highly paid officers 70 pocll,
paid scamen, and that, while the Nava
Academy at Annapolis i turning on
In,riad~ or ornate lieutenants 70 navigate
1.-The ball-tooms Of the world. common
sca a-soakcd sailors are obsolete or obso
descent. Admirals. Cnnmodores, Cap
lsains. Commanders. Licutenants. ans
IMiashipmen we have always with u II
lha,tallions. but where. Oh! where, !
lack Tar, once 50 daunticss in love on'
lin war. lie has been killed BY clever
dollars mouth, and the tyranny Of th
|lnlorrsaid official batfaions whose over
bearing cruelty j. incomprehcnsible 4
lanyone unused 10 the sea on an Jnifc'
States Government vessel. al the las
session. ii will bc remembered, ihcr
was contest over the proposition 4
abolish the grade Of commodore, anil
WAS finally defeated The same ciuus
Liza III the present bill. aud il will yer
likely 70 through. This mrans tIaatmo-
|, 'ul ihr ..lilcer- now holding the rank y
Icaptain IL the Navy viii never ge' abnv
III II Is also proposed that no officer !
time VI peace shall be promoted 70 ~
grade oi lieutenant until after he ha
\ served four years AZ sea; no lieutenant \
lieutenant commander until after 81
. wears sea service as lieutenant; n
lieutenant commander 70 commande
until after four years sen service; 4
lcommander 70 captain until after thre
, years Sea service. Mcritofious scrvic
land marked ability are to be taken int
account ia regulating promotions. Ihcs
!. are very important propositions. an
i Twill. ii adopted, alter the lives and ~
tunes ofall but the older officers VII
have reached the grade Of rear admire
\ or COMMODORE. This year there Is Gu
.iting down Of the personnel in order
make il easier 10 secure appropriation
for new ships. The total amount
money proposed 10 be appropriated
lthc bin il over $lC.O00OoO. There i
'itcm Of $4,000 for moveable torpedos
N lof the latest construction. An apprs
y lpriation oil Sl.0o0,O00 Is recommends
for The completion Of the double 'urrete
monitors. The contracts for the comps
Y ton Of the monitors must be approve
NV board consisting Of one line office
lone naval constructor, and one cneinee
who shall consider only snch con'rac
las mny be fair and reasonable from r
Isponsiblc bidders. The bill further pr
Iviaes FOR beginning the construction
live new vcsscls-oi-war, MS sfollows: ~
: steel cruiser or not less than 4,OCu tom
y three steel cruisers OF about $500 ton
and one cruising torpedo boat, and nI
y. propriatcs 81 800, 600 therefor.