The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1883-12-07
WASHINGTON.


October, 1885, was Sl5.0SL5S6 Twelve
months ended Oct. 81, sl2s, ftt04i.
The reports of the federal commissioner
of railroads shows that the subsidized Pa
ciiic companies owe the governmsns SlU2,-
S7G, So The sinking fund Is failure, for
want of suitable investments "A premium
of 30 per cent. WAS paid in tsSl for curren-
cy 6,s for the Union Pacific, at which the
company protested. Some extended SO
per cents were purchased for the Central
Pacific ut n premium OF . per cent. The
secretary of the interior. recommends that
3 per cent. per annum be credited to the
roads on all amounts covered into the
treasury.
NEW CONGRESSIONAL RULES.
The senate committee on rules has
adopted the new rules recently agreed up
on by tho sub-committee. No material
changes were made excepting such as SIM
plifying matters of form and phraseology.
A code OF joint rules was agreed upon to
be submitted To The senate, and IL adopted
by that body will be submitted to the
house for its approval. Among the more
important of the joint rules Is one intended
to prevent general legislation on appro-
priation bills. Another defines the duties
and limits the powers of conference COM
mittees. 1t provides that they shall not be
permitted to amend the text or any bill
only upon the subject or thing upon which
there Is disagreement between the two
the committee provides that during the
last ten DAYS of the session in each house
business from the other house shall have
precedence. They also propose joint
rule prohibiting the sale OF liquors of any
kind in the capitol building or on the capt.
t0l grounds.
THE sPEAKER-KIs LIFE AND SERVICES.
Mr.. Carlisle represents the Sixth Ken
lucky District. He was born in Campbell
(now Kenton) County, KY, Sept 5, 1885,
He resides at Covington in the same State.
Like many leading Americans OF this as
we'll as the past generations, he began life
possessed OF no educational advantages
beyond those gained at the common school,
but he worked hard. and at an early age
assumed the duties of public school
teacher. His leisure time wasutilized in
reading law, and when opportunity favored
his aspirations he entered an office at Cow
ington and thoroughly qualified himself for
1858, when % years of age, and has ever
since devoted that portion of his time not
given to the public service to the practice
Of his profession. In Is 8 he was elected
a member of the Kentucky House of Rep
Dental Elector on the Democratic ticket
he declined the honor. In 1865 he was
elected to the Senate of his native State
and again in 1869. He was present as a
delegate-at-large from Kentucky at the
National Democratic Convention held in
New York City in 1865. His nomination
for Lieutenant-G Governor of Kentucky in
1871 caused him TO resign his seat in the
State Senate. He was elected to the
Lieutenant-Governorship in August, 1871,
and served until September, 1919. His fell
lOw-citiZens elected him Presidential Elec-
tOr-at-Large for Kentucky i'll the year 1876.
He was subsequently elected to the House
of Representatives at Washington. Mr..
CarlisIe'S "record" In Congress is that of an
able and diligent man, well-informed and
competent to fill more exalted positions
than those he has been called upon to fill
as yet.
POSTAL TELEGRAPHY.
The postal telegraph bill introduced by
Mr. Edmunds provides that board, con-
sisting OF the secretary of state, secretary
of war, and postmaster general, shall cause
to be located and arranged four trunk lines
of postal telegraph connecting the north
western. northern, western, southwestern,
and southern part OF the United States
with the city OF Washington; that along
such lines offices be established at such
places as will be for the public interest,
Tor the time being; that from time to time
the lines be extended and additional offices
established, as congress- directs; that the
rates for the use of the lines be established
by q board, consisting of the secretary of
state, secretary of the treasury, and post
master general: that the lines be construct
of the secretary of war and through corps
OF engineers.
The secretary of war is authorized and
directed to acquire by purchase, subject to
the approval OF the president, the right of
way for the construction and extension of
lines, and for the purpose of location be
authorized to take and use such lands,
tenements, and Entertainments as may be
necessary, and pay compensation deemed
reasonable.
The clerks, operators, electricians and
other employees are to be selected under the
provisions of the civil service law, after
examination by board appointed for that
purpose. Two million dollars Is appropri-
ated for the fiscal year ending June 80,
1881 The work and operation of the lines
10 be under the direction and charge of the
postmaster general.
Nothing in this act is to be construed as
prohibiting individuals from carrying OH
the business of operating telegraph lines.
SECRETARY FoLGER's VIEWS.
The report of Secretary Folger will
again call the attention of congress to the
fact that the receipts Of the government
are greatly in excess Of its needs. The
dangers of this large surplus to the money
market will be dwelt upon, and the secre-
tary will say that there Is no method of
disbursing this surplus except by payment
of the public debt. Payment of the pub
lie debt, howeyer' is now injurious t1 the
foe'cho. oohhiu3 oJ obOiih " hNh Rth viz
outstanding calls are paid, the per cents
will be reduced to the neighb0rhood of
$3.50, 000, Co., and of this the banks hold
about $500, O0),Ot0. Ii payment Of the pub
tic debt is permitted to go on. even this
year, as it has during the last fiscal year,
the existence of good many national
banks Is threatened, and this means SEN
sibe contraction of the currency. If the
income of the government remains as it Is,
the secretary of the treasury will call at
least $50, 00d, 0O0 more of the bonds before
the end of the fiscal year, and by the end
of the fiscal year 1885 more than half the
banks holding rs as security for circula-
ton would have to replace them with as
at a great premium or retire their circula-
ton, and thus contract the currency.
In discussing the mode of reducing the
revenues, the secretary will oppose the
abolition of the internal revenue tax. 1t
is estimated that this tax will yield under
the present law $40, 600, 600, and this Is at
least 49,, COO, 900 more than the revenue
can be decreased A decrease of the tax
on tobacco and spirits does not necessarily
argue smaller revenue, as experience has
often found. Therefore, the secretary will
recommend still further reduction of
custom duties, after proper inquiry shall
have developed what articles can best
stand tho rpdupfinu SuV1r pacf thp