The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1883-12-28
WASHINGTON.

WASHlNGION.
Speaker Carlisle expects to announce
the house committees next Friday, when
the holiday recess will commence.
Dudley e. Haskell, member of congress
from the Lawrence district of Kansas, died
Sunday In Washington, after prolonged
suffering.
On account of the feeble condition of
Senator Anthony, the senate republican
caucus resolved not to elect him president
pro tenn. until after the holiday recess.
When Secretary Folger returns to his
duty he will be waited upon by q delega-
ton of congressman and urged not to force
the collection of the tax on bonded whisky
until action has been taken by congress.
John C. bore, Of Chicago, is in Wash
ington. In the interest or the Hennepln
canal, and hopes to form an alliance with
the friends OF Mississippi levees which
will secure q victory for both.
The supreme court of the United States
has decided that the district court of Da-
kota had no jurisdiction In the case of
Crow Dog, the Indian chief who was sem
fenced to death for the murder of Spotted
Tail, and the prisoner will be released.
Speaker Carlisle desires to give to Mr..
MOulton, of Illinois, the craftsmanship of
the committe OH elections. Ambrose Hoe
YER, once u member or the Illinois senate,
has been apDointed messenger OF the
matte gallery.
The house committee on rules has agreed
to report in favor of amending the rules SO
as to create n committee OH rivers and
harbors. 1t was also agreed by the COM
mittee to recommend the creation OF
committee on labor, thus dividing the du-
ties of the committee OH education and
labor.
The commissioner of internal revenue
has allowed A. go claims for rebate on to-
baccO and cigars, amounting to SIS, SOC, 900.
Representative Deuster has learned that
spectators in Washington are Offering. to
purchase these claims ut a discount OF 10
per cent, and has therefore taken steps to
have special appropriation made in the
interest of t0bacconists.
Bills are about to be introduced in each
house of congress to send back to China
the indemnity fund Of $3.50, 0C0 paid years
ago OH account of damages to American
residents during the instruction in Can
ton. The Chinese government has never
made request for the return OF the mon
ey, but Minister Young states that there
is deep feeling over the matter In the
Flowery Kingdom.
State department officials are very. reti..
cent concerning the probability OF and
future action by the department in refer
ence to the refusal of the British govern
ment to grant a respite to ODonnell. In
response to inquiries 1t was merely stated
that the correspondence between the gov
ernments had already been given to the
press, and the future action of this govern
ment could not now be announced.
Malone was present ut the republican
senatorial caucus Thursday. General An
son G.. McCook received 10 votes for secre-
tary of the senate, George G.; Gorham IL,
and Major ID. w. Ramsdell 5. McCoOk
was then declared the nominee. Chas. w.
Johnson, of Minnesota, was selected for
chief clerk; James IL. Young, of PennSyl-
yania,a executive clerk; Rev. f. u. Hunt
ley for chaplain, and Colonel w. L. Cana
day as sergeant-at-arms.
The joint special committee on shipping
will be continued in this congress- and it is
probable that Mr.. Cox will be its chairman.
Cox has made thorough study of the
question of shipping. lie Is industrious
and pertinacious, and with him as chair
man Of the committee and leader in the
| house OH this very important question
really good bill for free ships will un-
doubleday be prepared. Mr.. Cox, it will
! be remembered, was Il member OF the
shipping committee III the last congress,
and by the ability with which he handled
to enlighten his fellow members and the
| country OH the measures needed for the re-
! vival of American shipping.
FoURTH-CLAss MATTER.
! NJ. Rumsey, in behalf of the l.. NJ. Rum
| Sey manufacturing company, writes TO Con-
gresham O'Neill, calling his attention to
| the fact that about two years ago the rate
of postage on fOurth-clasS matter was rails
ed nealy double 10 what IL was before.
'This bill" say they, was put through,
we suppose, by the express companies. Ii
forces merchants to send catalogues by eX-
press instead of by mail. Take for exam
| pie any large illustrated catalogue-it
costs AZ cents by mail, whereas we can
send it by express anywhere in the United
States for SO cents and to n great many
| points for 25 cents Such high rates are
| out Of all proportion to the rates of sealed
| letters, and have driven business from the
| postotiice to the express companies. We
| have sent out from $4,000 to %, COO large
catalogues in the last year, and have had
to send them all by express"
POSTAL TELEGRAPH.
There has already been much quiet talk
| in congressional circles regarding the vari
Gus postal telegraph projects which have
been brought forward. All of the bills eX-
! cept one, that of Congressman Sumner OF
! California, have been Introduced by repub-
| licans. Inquiry tlevelo : the fact that the
| prevailing opinion amunE the democrats Is
| decidedly hostile To the proposed leglSla-
| ton, AMI that there will be among The re-
| publcanS active and formidable opposi-
| ton TO all of the schemes for the establish
ment of a government telegraph, either by
| leasing the service ~ constructing new
| lines. 1t Is not improbable, however, that
| the senate pOSt0ce committee VIII report
to the senate bill relating to the subject,
| which will be made the basis Of an elabOr-
ate debate. The indications are that none
OF the bills proposed, or those which will
| be introduced, will receive the favorable
consideration of the house.
THE DRIVE WELL. PATENT.
The farmers of the country who have had
to pay damages for infringement on the
drive well patents, and all who have ever
had well driven, will be interested in
knowing that no less than ten or twelve
bills have already been introduced in con-
gress to cover their grievances, If they
have any, and to guard them against loss
| in the future from suits for damage. Rep
resentative Morey, of Ohio, is one of the
many authors of these bills, and he says
there Is general determination among the
members from Michigan, Indiana, Ohio
and Illinois, and some other states whose
farmers are interested largely, to have q
bill passed at once that will stop eXtortions
from innocent purchasers of the diamond
points to drive wells. The bill which he
has introduced provides that If any person