Omaha daily bee., 1883-02-05
The Higher Level Of 0f8sial
Life DemOliShing Late
Dinners.
Logan Comes to the Rescue OF
the Heirs Of Colored
Soldiers.
Review Of the Present Pc 81
ton of General Appropria-
ton Bills.
The Senate Decides 60 SIC Down ta
Another Week OF Tariff Talk.
CAPITAL NOTES.

CAPITAL NOTES
Special Dispatches to The BHs.
PUBLIC RECEPTION.
WASHINGTON, February 4.--Mra.
MoElroy, the presidents sister, xavea
public reception In the executiv o man
sion last evening. She was assisted
by Mrs. Brewster, Nc, Freling-
huysen, Miss Phelps, and Mrs. Knew
ais. 1t was a brilliant AFFAIR nnd war
Largely attended.
THE TEsT or o#FtoE.
The terms of Office of the naval Of
| foers end surveyor Of the port OF New
York will soon expire, but the present
incumbent will hold over until the ap-
pointment of the civil service commits.
sion by the president. Members OF
the commission will be announced at
an eatiy day.
TWO pySNssBg.
The. Japanese minister gave . din.
ner lass evening 10 tho diplomatic
corps. Among the guests were Secre.
taries Eolger, Teller and Ginooln.
A dinner was also given BY Henry
Watterson, of The Louisville Courier.
Journal, to his friends The guests
we're Senators Voorhees,, Williams,
Bsyard and Beck, ex-senator McDon-
aid, Representatives Carlisle, Black
burn and Knott, Mr.. Henry Waiter
son, ST., and David A. Wells, of New
York.
THE PosToFFfcE BILL.
The committee on conference,
which has been appointed to consider
the postotice appropriation bill, 1t is
expected will meet to-day. This COM
mittee Is 30 decide upon q tlne for the
2-cent postage law to 60 into Eject
and to determine whether or not
money shall be appropriated for the
fast.mail E~ervice. Indications are
that . compromise will DC eff
fected, and that the now law
will 60 In effect October l,
1888, instead of January l,
1884, az proposed by the
house, and July l, 1888, as amended
by the senate. One of the reprt cent.
atiy es upon this committe has salt that
they would be satisfied with October
L, and thought that the remain, tuo
members Of this committee fro t.4a
house woald coincide with his lew,
He claims az all Objection to /.
that the following three months con-
stibate the poorest quarter Of q fiscal
year for poste flee business. Conse-
queKtly, with the reduction of 2 cents
there would be a great deficiency.
Then the activity expected on
2 CENT T
will not begin before fall, and this will
tend to increase the deficiency, The
posto flee department is also opposed
to the bill taking effect ON July L.
but cay that October l will be salts
factory, though January l, 1884 is
desired. The department dsslres
more time for arranging accounts
than would be given should July l,
1883, be determined upon. The ques-
tions of salaries for fourth
class Postmasters, the depart
mont claims, will require some
time for settling. A bill is now be-
fore congress concerning the payment
of this class of Off ciais. They are
now paid q per cen on the sale of 3
cent stamps. II is proposed their
salaries shall be determined by the
number of 2 cent postage stamps can
celed in their eff les. An effort will
be made to pass this bill this session.
A senator who Is a member of the
conference committee will strongly in
sist that the new law go into effect
July l. 1t is thought that the amend
ment offered in the senate concerning
the fast mail service will be passed by
the committee on conference.
Ketchem was confirmed at Now
York.
PENSIONS o coLORED SOLDIERS.
Senator Logan has informed the
senate he would offer an amendment
to the sundry civil appropriation bill,
that the act which placed colored
soldiers on the same footing as other
soldiers as to bounty and pensions be
30 constructed as to extend to and in
clude the heirs of such soldiers In their
claims for military service, and that
the accounting officer Of the treasury
be directed to read ust the claims of
such heirs as would be entitled to and
may have been denied the benefit
Of such act.
THE PENSION BILL.
The recent pension appropriation
bill reported to the senate by Sena.
tor Logan contains but n amend
ment by the senate committee on pen.
sions, a provision relative to tina item
of $4,000 for contingent expenses,
by which one.half Is made immedi-
ately available. The bill appropriates
S86, 575, 900, and rea%ppropriates $l6,-
800, coo of unexpended balances now
in the treasury of the former appro-
priation.
ANOTHER WEEK OF TARIFP.
The programme of business for the
senate this week Is extremely simple,
the intention Of the majority being to
press consideration of The finance
committees tariff measure, lasting
generally until a late hour in the
evening, to the exclusion Of all other
than formal legislative business. Some
Il