The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-03-15
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON March @

WASHINGTON, March g.
To the Editor of The Statesman:
Congress failed to make any appro-
to pay the rebate on the to-
bacco tax provided for by the internal
revenue bill, and it is stated that four
million dollars will be necessary for
the purpose. Fully 100000 claims will
he filed and nearly year will required
to make the investigation as to their
merits. Claims for rebate must be-
for sums not less than $40, and to
make up this amount it will require
300 cigars in boxes as they came
from the mandatory, 125 pounds of
tobacco or 5000 cigarettes. Cigars,
cigarettes and tobacco may make up
the amount, and the LIST of May own
ers will be required to make an in
ventoTy of stock upon which rebate
may be claimed. They will be
required to make aflidavits that all
of the stock is in their possession
at that time; that the United States
tax has been paid, and that the inven-
tory is correct. These claims must
be supported by two affidavits of dis
interested persons, to the effect that
they have examined the stock person
ally, and have compared it to the in
ventory; that they know the stock to
have been of possession of the claim
ant May l, and the inventory is cor
rect. Claims will be forwarded to a
deputy collector of internal revenue,
who will be required to make inqui-
ries in regard to the integrity of the
claimants and witnesses, He will
certify the result to collector, who
will schedule the claims and certify
to their correctness, and forward them
to the commissioner of internal reve-
nue.. The payment of the claims
will probably not be delayed
after they have been found correct, as
congress will be asked to make the
necessary appropriations as soon as it
reaSsembles.
a delegation of
CHIPPEWA INDIANS
From the Red Lake agency, Mime
sofa, headed by the renowned Igna-
thus Tomasin, has just come to Wash
ington for the purpose of making
complaint to the secretary of the inte-
rior with regard to the unauthorized
cutting of timber by white men on
their reservation. They represent
that these depredatiOns are becoming
more and more serious and extensive,
and if not stopped will utterly ruin
that portion of their reservation
which is still wooded. They also in
formed the venerable Mr.. Price, the
Indian commissioner, that they were
perfectly satisfied with their pres.
ent land and did not wish to
be removed. Another delegation
consisting of one Chickasaw and two
Choctaw Indians, from the Indian
Territory, have also arrived in the
federal capital, with a volume of
grievances to annoy the wise men OF
the interior department. The latter
gang have not as yet laid bare their
trouble, but there is no dou 0t but
what it relates to the encroachments
of the pale. face upon their sacred
soil.
1t is extremely amusing to see an
Indian delegation at the interior de-
partment. They are invariably clad
in the raiment of their native haunts
in the west, and their wild and lu-
dicrous appearance, as they move
through the corridors of the building
towards Commissioner Prices Office,
always attracts large crowd of
clerks, visitors and wOrkmen about
the department. The red men object
to the curiosity of the crowd and
act as if they feared an attack would
be made upon them. On several oc-
caSions, while on visit to Price, deS-
perate young bloOds in a delegation,
have showed their arms and made it
necessary to dispense with the white
hangers-on and call in assistance to
guard against a savage outbreak.
Sometimes the Indians become unruly
in their conduct to Mr.. Price, and de-
clare through the interpreter that the
white man has driven them from this
part of the country, and now want to
drive them off the small territory
sioner Price always quiets them by
stating that if they had built large
cities like Washington the white man
would not have lnterfered with
them. While in Washing
ton the Indian delegations generally
stop at one of the down town hotels.
Frequently before they leave they
adopt the ways of civilization and APP
pear on the streets in the full costume
of the white man. Now that congress
has adjourned activity has COM
menced in the various great
DEPARTMENTS OF THE GOVERNMENT.
The working machinery has to be adj
iusted to the legislation lately enact
ed. This is especially the case with
the treasury department. The changes
in the tariff is giving Folger and his
SubOrdinates much trouble, and there
is little time for the fancy clerk in the
great treasury buildiag to fool away.
1t is thought by some that an extra
force of clerks will be put to work in
the treasury; if not, the boys now in
harness will have to put in
many extra hours and probably be
deprived of their summer one month
with full pay holiday. Folger is eX-
tremely slow and deliberate in all of
his decisions; matter that the two
preceding secretaries would decide in
a day, will cause him weeks of labor
searching through various authori-
ties. But the decisions rendered by
the Judge are noted for their exhaust
iveness and mastery ability and ele-
gance of diction.
The refusal of congress to appro-
pirate any more money for the
POTOMAC FLATS
Until that already appropriated shall
be expended has caused much diScon-
tent in Washington where the COM
mon expectation was that $4,000
would be voted for MeSSrs. Ross and
Sanford. Nothing causes theDistrict of
Columbia people so much satisfaction
as liberal vote of money for the
avenues streets and cutters of
Washington. When congress fails to
grant what filthy lucre they think the
city is entitled to there is a general
howl in the local press.
The last congress has done well by
Washington, but the refusal of the
solons to give any money to the
river froIa Improvement has caused
the city papers to call the members
an extremely narrow minded set of
men.
A new publication, called the
American Inventor, has been started
in Washington. The paper contains
much invention news, and as the
price is extremely low it would be
well for Texas inventors to send for
sample copies.
TEXAS POSTAL MATTERS.
From March 81 special mail service
will be discontinued to Horn, Texas.
On route 1881, after April 1, star
mail service will be established from
GroeSbeck to Frosa, embracing Horn ;
the increased distance will be IL
miles. Route 1880, from Paris to
Ben Franklin, will be decreased to
end at Raxton after April 1. After