Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-01-12
AT THE NATIONS CAPITAL
A LIVELY DAY IN THE FIGHT
FOR THE JUDGESHIP.

run
! Farrow and Cunningham Still Almost
Neck and Neck-The 81, 900 900 Mis-.
sissiDpi River Appropriation Going
ThrOugh-The Pension Appropriation
Bill to be Reported without Delay.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 11.-At a Cabinet
meeting this afternoon the Georgia Judge
ship was simply referred to. Secretary
1 Folger told me tonight that the refer
ence to the matter was only casual. anC
that there was no discussion OF it or any
talk that was of the least significance
There has been a good deal of inside work
to-day about the successor to Erskine
There has been put to the President
from sources of influence a good
many reasons why Farrow should
not be appointed. Influence from
! Savannah OF no mistakable character to-
/ day was brought to bear on the President
/ 1t was all against FarrOw. That appli.
! cant had the place practically in hands
/ last night. This was well known amona
/ men of influence with the President and
/ the result was to bring the telling work
/ Of to-day against him. The first thing
! gained was delay. That the President
readily promised. Every days delay
in this as in all other fights
| is against the man who is
in the lead. Farrow is that man. He is
/ still in the lead tonight, but his vantage
has fallen off a good deal The President
4 is fully alive to the Importance of getting
a good man for the place. This is shown
/ by the fact that he gave "a midnight audi
ence last night to gentleman who is op-
| posed to FarrOw, and who was about con-
Yinced that FarrOw would be nOm-
I fno4a1 n -
son to believe that the President will
endeavOr to carry out his promise to APP
point man acceptable to the people of
Georgia. The fight is more than ever
narrowed down to FarrOw and Cunning
ham. The latter had a very satisfactory
! interview with the President, and to-
night, does not think that Farrow will be
appointed. Mr.. Saussy,O of Savannah, stands
but very little chance, and no Democrat
stands any. The change in the outlook
to-day was very decided, but very
acceptable to those who want the best
Judge it is possible to get. The influences
against Farrow cannot be given to the
public Just now, but they represent men
of high standing, whose opinions the
| President would never ignore. Mr.. Brews-
ster is holding off. He is taking no hand
whatever in the contest except TO open
the letters received by him on the subject
and send them over to the President.
PENSION APPROPRIATIONS.
The pension appropriation bill will. in
all probability, be the first of the regular
appropriation bills reported to the House.
The subcommittee of the Appropriation
| Committee, consisting of Messrs. Hol-
man, of Indiana, and FOllett, of Ohio
met to-day and prepared a bill which
they VIII report to the fun committee on
Monday, and which they think will reach
the House the same day. The bill agreed
upon provides for a reapprOpriation of the
uneXpended balance of the appropriation
for the fiscal year ended June 80 1888,
amounting, III round numbers, to $50 ,00O-
600; of the balance of the appropriation
for the present fiscal year, which
will remain uneXpended at the
close of the year, estimated at $26, ,000 900,
and fresh appropriation Of $4,000, 900,
making in all $50 000, 600 in round num-
bers. The bill also provides for an appro-
priatiOn of 100000 for the expenses Of
special agents of the Pension Bureau. and
for other appropriations for the fees of
boards Of examining surgeons, expenses
Of pension agencies and salaries of agents.
for which estimates have not vet been
perfected, the whole falling within 81, ,000,-
600. Mr.. Holman said tonight that the
committee, in going below the Commits
sioners estimates, had been gov
erned by the idea that the appro-
priatiOn of large sums of money for
the payment of pensions III excess
OF the requirements was injudicious, as it
dooeivod tho country 40 ~ the real cOndi
ton OF the government expenditures.
The Commission had asked for $50 900, 600
in addition to the uneXpended balance of
the former appropriations, which, If ac-
ceded to, would, according to the Com
miSsiOner's estimate, bring the amount
placed at his disposal up to $105, 900, 900.
The payments on account of pensions
during the fiscal year ended June 80.
1855, had amounted to $61, ,O00,O ,O00 and for
the first six months of the present year to
about $50, 100000 With this showing be-
fore them, and in view of the fact that
the Commissioner was himself authority
for the statement that the heaviest de-
mands on the Treasury for the payment
Of arrearages would fall upon it during
the present fiscal year, the subcommittee
had reached the conclusion that $50, 000,-
600 would be amply sufficient to meet
all demands during the coming fiscal
year. The Commissioner of Pensions
asked for the increase in the number of
boards of examining surgeons to be 400,
there being now about 265. The sub
committee have agreed to this, but
have also amended the law in re-
latiOn to the fees to be
paid such examining surgeons, so that
instead of receiving 81 each, as under the
present law for examinations. they will
receive that fee only for the first five
examinations made in any one day and
81 for each additional examination. The
subcommittee will propose an amend
ment of the law in respect to fees to pen
sion agents, so as to provide that such
fees shall only be paid when pension is
allowed, the Commissioner of Pensions to
make the payment, deducting it from the
amount of pension award. They will also
propose a reduction of the present number
of pension agencies from Is to u, and
make such provisions for the forwarding
of vouchers to the Pension Bureau and of
drafts to pensioners as will be necessary
consequent upon such reduction of agen-
cies.
THE PUBLIC LAND FORFEITURES.
The subcommittee of the House Com
mittee on Public lands. to whom was re-
ferred the question of the order in which
the land grant forfeiture bills should be
considered, reported at a meeting Of the
committee this morning that cOnsidera-
ton should be begun Immediately and in
the following order; Texas Pacific, Ore
gOn Central, 0ntonagon and State Line,
California and Oregon, Oregon and Cali
fOrnia, Northern Pacific, Atlantic and
Pacific, Southern Pacific of California,
New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Vicks-
burg, Atlantic, Gulf and West India
Telegraph, Pensacola and Georgia, Flor
ida, Atlantic and Gulf Central, Mobile
and Girard. Selma, Rome and Dalton,
Nicksburg, Shreveport and Texas, Sioux
City and st. Paul, Chicago, st. Paul
and Minneapolis, Chicago, st. Paul
and Omaha, and the Wisconsin
Central. The report was adopted by
the committee, and the clerk was
directed to give copy to the press signed
| by Chairman T. Il. Cobb and attested by
the clerk, II. A. Peed. The Texas Pacific
grant, which is to be considered first, was
originally made to the Texas Pacific Rail-
road Company, and is now claimed by the
Southern Pacific. The land amounts to
100000 -aeres, and is estimated to be
worth $4,000, ,0O0.
THE JEANETTE RELIEF BILL.
The bill which was introduced by Sena-
| tor Edmunds to-day, providing for the re-
/ lief of the survivors of the Jeanette eX-
/ pedition and the crew and of the heirs of
! the deceased members, was prepared at
/ the Navy Department. 1t authorizes the
! Secretary of the Treasury to pay to Chief
! Engineer Melville and Lieut.. DanenhOwer
| 81, 600 each; to Raymond l.. NewcOmb,
| thei naturalist; John Cole, acting boat
| swain; W. +. c. Ninderman, a seaman.
/ and James II. Bartlett, a seaman, 5000
/ each, and to the remaining survivors $500
| each. 1t also authorizes the payment of
/ a sum equal to one years salary OF each
/ of the deceased members of the Jeanette
! expedition, and the crew, to their respec-
! tive heirs. The bill was accompanied by
/ a letter from the Secretary of the Navy
recommending its passage.
! The bill introduced by Senator Call to-
| day providing for the establishment of
] Doctoi aoviuOC hanks rpo1irpc tho POST