Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-12-19
AT THE NATIONS CAPITAL
THE EREPUBLICAN SENATOR'S ELECT
THEIR OFFICERS.

THEIR OFFICERS.
civil Service Reform Not Taken Into
Consideration-A Railroad to Key
west One of Senator Calls Projects
Emory Speer Not to ReaD Big
Bonanza.
W AsHINGToN, Dec. 1S.-Mr. Call in
troduced to-day a bill providing for the
survey Of new railroad from the main
land to Key West, starting from the near
est practicable point to get over the KEYS
ana reefs. The railroad is to be con-
structed and owned by the United States
Tor the benefit of the commerce of the Gulf
of Mexico. The bill also provided that
the survey shall be extended along Indian
river to st. Augustine, or elsewhere to
the st. Johns river, in order to ascer-
tain the cost of making an inland route
for large steamers from the st. Johns
river through the Indian river to the
western terminus of the proposed railroad.
Zen thousand dollars are to be appropri-
ated for the proposed surveys. Mr.. Call
also introduced a bill providing for the
purchase of the Mallory lot in Key West
for naval purposes.
Mr.. Willis, of Kentucky, said to-day
that 1t was evident that the railroad cor
porations and other monopOlies will not
attempt to do anything with the present
House. He says ''there are no men in the
House for them to handle, and besides,
the railroads and monOpolies have got ali
the legislation they want or at least all they
expect to receive. What they are work
ing for now is to retain what they have.
They want a check upon what the House
may do, so they are turning their atten-
tion to the Senate. There are fewer men,
bers there. They expect to use that body
to head off any legislation contrary to
their interest that may get through the
House. They are going to let the House
run Wild"
THE SENATE OFFICERS.
The Republican caucus nominees for
Senate officers were elected to-day, with
out any hitch. Mr.. Salisbury. of Della
ware, derided the Republicans for even
going so far as to demand a Chaplain of
their faith. He said that the Democratic
Chaplain had prayed as earnestly and
fervently for the Senators as any man
could, but his prayers evidently had had
no effect upon the Republican Senators.
Mr.. Beck read some remarks made by va
riOus Republican Senators when the DEM
Ocrats in 1879 put in a few Democratic
officers. He said that nothing could show
palmer the fraudulent character of the
Republican prOtestatiOns for civil SER
vice reform, and that every OppOrtunitv
they had would be used in trampling un-
der foot such reform. He quoted eX-Sena-
tor Conkling on the subject of retaining
the efficient officers of the Senate and
said that Mr.. COnkling was an ADLER man
than any one on the Republican side of
the Senate to-day. At this remark
Nv Oodpulp" Miller, who is Conkling's
successor, gave "a visible start in his chair
and then tried to look as if he had done
nothing of the kind.
THE HOUSE COMMITTEES.
The Committee on Rules of the House
of Representatives met this morning. 1t
was determined to recommend that two
committees be made out of the old Edu-
cation and Labor Committee, to consider
the two subjects separately, one to be
called the Committee on Education and
the other the Committee on Labor, 1t
was also decided to recommend the crea-
tion Of a committee on rivers and harbors.
The question of submitting the improve
ment of the Mississippi river to the River
and Harbor Committee wasAd discussed,
but decision of the matter Was left to
the House. 1t was determined to
recommend the retention of all
the select committees OF the last
House except such as related to
personal subjects. The Census Commit
tee was dropped, as was also the Commit
tee on Accommodation for the Congress
siOnal Library. EX-Speaker Keifer was
instructed to report a resolution, without
recommending its adoption for the ap-
pOintment of a committee of nine on
woman suffrage. The request of the cor
respondents that they be admitted to the
House lobby was unanimously agreed to.
ARTHUR's APPOINTMENTS.
The Senate Finance Committee this
bn f.ha
Internal Revenue Commissioner Evans
and agreed to report his nomination favor
ably to the Senate. President Arthur
to-day sent another large installment of
appointments made during the recess to
the Senate for approval. They are under
the Department of Justice and the Post
Office Department, and all of the officers
have been for some time discharging their
functions.
The Senate confirmed the nomination of
Lawrence Weeden, of Illinois, to be Judge
of the Court of Claims; Col. Halabird to
be Brigadier General and Quartermaster
General, and several Northern and West
ern officials under the Department of
Justice and the Interior Department.
TOBACCO REBATES.
A great deal of interest is taken, both in
the House and Senate, in the prompt pas
sage of an appropriation bill to pay the
tobacco rebate claims. 1t is practically
assured that an appropriation for that
purpose will be an early act of the new
year. The total amount of those claims
is about So, ,500,0 600.
CORRESPONDENT HONORED.
The Democratic vote for Secretary of
the Senate to-day was cast for Col. L. Q.
Washington, the veteran correspondent
of the New Orleans Picayune. His nomi-
nation in the Democratic caucus, though
entirely unsolicited, was unanimous.
sPEER'S FEES.
District Attorney Emery Speer, who
has just failed in the South Carolina cleo
tiOn cases, will not get the fancy fee- that
the other special government counsel have
received. He will receive about $1,000.
SENATE PROCEEDINGS.