The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1883-02-16

signal service 10 the interior department Ior
the reason that the chief of the service must
have power to punish neglect; the work Is
done more cheaply than under a civil Du-
reau, and the observers must be held by en-
listment I'm order to repay their instructor
Tor the time spent In educating them.
THE SIGNAL SERVICE.
In reply to certain criticisms of the signal
service, based upon its failure to predict
the present severe winter, Gen. Hazen says
the weather can't be predicted for a whole
season In advance, and he has made no pre-
dictions whatever of the character. The
prediction that the winter would be "a me-
dunn rather than severe one" was not
made by him, but rather by another per-
son-namely, IL. A. uazen. The meteoro-
logical reports show that current daily
storms and weather predictions have been
verified as usual-viz 81 per cent.
CIvIL-sERvIcE COMMISSION.
The president will soon give the matter
of the appointment of the civil-service com.
mission attention, as 1t Is his desire to have
the senate pass upon the nominations be-
fore adjournment. According to present
indications he is not disposed to give these
places to professional civil-service reform
ers, like DOrman b. Eaton, but rather choose
practical men, who can get at the available
ity and adaptabiity of candidates for cler-
cal positions without testing their ability to
cid. Being the putative father of the bill,
Senator PendletOn Is daily In receipt OF let
tiers from those who seek the place on the
commission which is to be given to DEM
oocrat. Most Of these applications hail from
New England.
FEE BILL.
A bill was introduced by request in the
senate 10y Mr. Cameron of Wisconsin,, to
regulate the fees of pension agents. 1t pro-
vides that claimants and agents living in
the same or contiguous counties may sign
contracts allowing agents $25 in an original
case, or a reopened case where new DISABLE
ity Is proven, and 10 for other causes of
increase of pension, in all cases filed since
June 20, 1878. The bill further provides
that no fee shall be paid in advance of the
allowance of the claims filed after tho bill
becomes law. Mr.. Cameron says the OBJ
pension business in the hands of local agents
and prevent its absorption by Washington
agencies.
LAND DECISION.
In the case of Collins VS.. The Sioux City
and Pacific Railroad Company, the secre-
tary of the interior holds that failure on
the part of the company to carry out the
proviso in its land grant that such land as
was not sold within three years after the
completion of the road should be opened to
preemption, the price realized to be return
ed to the company does not derogate from
the grant, nor can it operate to defeat the
same, or cause its lands to revert to the
United States. In this case the company
sold lands, and, although not within the
three years limit 1t is held that this sale
must be regarded as disposal of the lands
such as the statute contemplated. The Sec
rotary says, even Ii 1t were intended that
the land should be disposed of as public land
the purpose of the act is defeated through
its failure to provide adequate machinery
for the use of the executive department.
THE CORK EXHIBITION.
The United States consul at Cork, Ireland
has written an interesting dispatch to the
department of state In regard to the indus
trial exhibition of art products, manufac-
lures, and machinery to be held in that city
during the summer and autumn OF 1883. The
former exhibitions Of this character which
have been held i'm Ireland have failed to
produce the h0ped-fOr satisfactory results,
owing to discussions OF political character
among their promoters. fronting by form
er experience, however, those having the
present scheme in hand have decided upon
ignoring all questions of patronage and
politics, and the indications are that the
forthcoming exhibition will be grand sue
cass. In connection with the disnlav ut
Irish products, there will be held the annual
agricultural horse, and dairy show, the
principal exhibition Of the kind held in the
south of Ireland.
A HOMESTEAD ENTRY.
The secretary of the interior has decided
In the case of Julia ID. Graham VS. The
Hastings and Dakota Railroad Company
that homestead entry made by soldier
In the service Of the United States pursu-
ant to the provisions of the act of March
81, 1854, Of lands within the granted limits
of railroad grant, such entry having been
extant both at the date Of the grant and
when the cOmpany's right hereunder was
attacked and subsequently Cancelled for
-, t.ax.
prima facie valid lalthough alleged by the
company to be void alb initiO), and excerpts
such lands from tho operation of railroad
grants. 1t Is also held that in the admins.
tration of the homestead laws as amended
by the act of June, 1872, the soldiers SER
vices should be construed as equivalent to
all intents and purposes to residence for
the same period upon the tracts so entered.
HAWAII.
The senate finance committee has unanl-
mously agreed to report resolution au-
thorizing the abrogatiOn Of tho Hawaiian
treaty. Senator Morrill, says he shall bring
soon as the tariff bill is out of the way. A
prominent member Of the finance committee
was asked Friday what the house had to do
with the abrOgation of the Hawaiian treaty
and why the house was meddling III the
nothing to do with making or unmaking the
the house, he said, thought it ought to be
consulted in all treaties which affect tho
revenues. This Hawaiian treaty, he said,
affected the revenues by providing for the
free importation of sugar. The house holds
thai the president and the senate transcend
their power when they make treaties which
affect the revenues. 1t Is this position or
the house which makes It NEEDLE in the
Hawaiian treaty business. For the same
reason, the senator said, the house may in
terfere with regard to the prODOSed McXi-
can commercial treaty.