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

with the postmaster genera IN penair oil
the fifty-seven postoffice inspe tors In the
| country, and intends to contest tile retro
| active force Of Judge Gresham's decision
fixing the per diem allowance for expenses
| at the actual daily expenditure while trav-
cling. Mr. Furay GAINED that the change
was made In November, and therefore
could not affect the October accounts The
and asked Mr.. Fnray to send In his bill on
the new basis. Mr.. Furay wrote q very
sharp letter to the department, denying
the right TO change the pay of an employe
without his consent after the service had
been rendered. Upon the receipt OF this
letter he was removed. Mr.. Furdy intends
to bring the matter to an issue by an APP
peal To the courts.
THE REVENUE MARINE SERVICE.
In his annual report Maj. CLARK, chief of
the rev nue. marine, says, in part: This
service continues To perform satisfactory
work. Its vessels, which now number IS,
cruised an aggregate of 3 0, so miles and
boarded and examined *, 5SS vessels. of
which nun Der 30 were seized or report
ed for violating the law. In relief work
they have been particularly efficient, hav-
ing assisted 22f vessels i'm distress, which
with their cargoeS aggregated in value 81
$50, 175, and on board which were 2,407
persons. Sixty people have been picked
out of the water aud saved from drowning.
One revenue steamer alone assisted severn
ty-Six merchantmen, valued with their
cargoes al 81, 4g2, 90 Under the vlgilant
cruising of the revenue cutters i'll Alaskan
waters the Illicit selling To the natives of
firearms and rum by the masters of lawless
trading Schooners has fallen off greatly,
these operations being confined now prin-
cipally to the Siberian coast The expenses
OF the service for the year were $S5S, 552.
FACTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.
In the next two years the charters of
"a banks, having capital Of S215, 54S, 0OJ
and circulation of SlSd, 335, 0O, expire.
The average rate of interest now paid by
the United States on bonds deposited as
security for circulating notes Is about .
Oh par value, but is equal to liz per
cent. only on the current market value.
More than half the bonds now held by the
national banks are 3 per cents. which are
all likely TO be called within the next
three years. Those lower numbers which
it Is safe to estimate will not be call in
the next two years can not be puschaSed
for q premium much less than 2 per cent,
and at that price there will be loss upon
the circulation based on this class of bonds
IL redeemed within three years. The total
amount of bonds held by national. state,
and savings banks on Nov l was 1921, 229,-
259, or nearly half the Understanding
debt Of the country. The comptroller says
the section of the revised statutes which
places restrictions upon loans should be so
amended as to exclude from the limita-
ton mentioned legitimate loans upon pro-
duce or warehouse receipts, and some 9TH
er classes of collateral security, as well as
loans upon United States bonds.
SENATE RULES.
The senate committee on rules has con-
sidered the subject of the previous Ques
ton, but reached no conclusion. Senator
Frye is the only member who favors the
previous question just as 1t exists in the
house. The other members may consent
to circuitous method Of curtailing de-
bates, but even this Is doubtful. Another
question that will excite much debate is
the proposed rule to prevent the assign.
ment of one senator to several important
committees. Mr.. Frye favors the rule, but
the other members of the committee do
not. The reason urged for the change Is
that year after year little cOterie has de-
termined the assignment of members to
committees, and has given certain favor
ties places on two or three leading commit
tees. The senate committees are small,
and it Is often impossible to get q quorum
for committee because so many of the
members are on other committees. Take,
for example, on appropriations. Allison,
chairman, Is also on finance committee,
Logan Is on military aft Iirs and judiciary,
being chairman of the former; Dawes Is
chairman of the Indian committees; Plumb
Is OH agriculture and Is chairman of public
lands; Hale is on manufactures and naval
affairs; Beck Is on finance; Ransom Is on
commerce, and Cockrell Is on military af-
fairs. These are not all the committees
these gentlemen are On--they are the i'm
pOrtant ones. On the other hand, the gem
tlemen who want places on two or more of
the important committees say that the
proposed changes are merely intended to
give more important committee places to
new men. Mr.. Frye, by the way, is one Of
the junior senators. lie is member OF
the committee on privileges and elections,
claims, Mississippi river, and is chairman
of the committee OIL rules, none of which
committees has very important relations to
legislation. Following are the proposed
changes:
/. In the absence of the president the
senate shall choose a president pro tenn.
q In the absence of the vice president,
and pending the election of president
pro tenn. the secretary of the senate, or,
in his absence, the chief clerk, shall per-
form the duties of the chair.
3. The president pro TEN. shall have the
right to to name, in open senate, or, IL alb
sent, in writing, a senator to perform the
duties of the chair, and the senator so
designated may discharge such duties for
a period not exceeding three days, unless
the senate otherwise. orders.
FOREIGN.