The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1884-03-28
WASHINGTON.

The pension bill appropriates $40, 6S4, 400,
and provides for the appropriation of the
unexpended balance Of about $50, 100000.
The treasury department is considering a
proposition to allow the transit of Canadian
goods through portions of the United States
without the usual customs forInalities.
The Chinese indemnity fund bill agreed
upon by the house committee on foreign at
fairs provides for the return to China of the
balance of that fund now In the United
States treasury.
Representatives of the wrecked Pacific
National bank of Boston appeared before
the house banking committee at Washing
ton, and charged that the directors had been
guilty of fraud, which was made possible by
the dishonesty or incompetency OF COmptrol-
Ter Knox and Examiner Needham.
Senator Vance, in minority report on
the exclusion of American pork from Ger
many, contends that hog product may be
barred out by foreign nations If deemed I'M
wholesome, and that such course Is manly
when cOntrasted with the American method
of imposing prohibitory import duties to
effect the same purpose.t
Mr.. John G. Dore says that the friends Of
the Hennepin Canal have made q thorough
canvass of the house of representatives and
are now convinced that the bill will be pass
ed by a considerable majority. They could
discount their estimates 20 per cent and still
have majority in the house. In two weeks
a resolution will be offered by Murphy, of
Iowa, to fix day for the consideration of
the bill.
A gentleman who Is very near to the pres
ident says that the FitZ John Porter bill will
be vetoed. The reason assigned Is that the
president, in pardOning him, merely re-
stored him to his civil rights and that he
has seen nothing in the new evidence to con-
vince him that he should be restored to the
army. This statement comes from gem
tleman who Is entirely trustworthy, who
has no interest i'm the case, and who says he
heard 1t from the presidents own lips.
The house committee on public lands has
unanimously agreed to report favOrably q
bill providing for the adjustment of the land
grants to railroads in Kansas. The bill ali-
thorizes the attorney general to institute
suit to determine the proper construction of
the law in the cases in question. The rail-
road companies admit that they have be-
tween fifteen TO twenty thousand acres
which does not belong to them. The COM
missioner general of the land-Office estimates
the amount from $1,000 to 100000 acres and
the agent of the state of Kansas estimates
about 100000 acres.
George ID. Roberts made an argument be-
fore the house committee on postoffices in
support of the proposition Of the postal tel
egraph company to enter into u contract
with the government. Mr.. Budd, of Cali
fOrnia, appeared in opposition to the pr0po-
stion, which he declared q trick OF the
Mackay company introduced for the sole pur-
pose of preventing the establishment of a
government system. In conclusion he de
nounced the measure as job which should
be strangled in its incipiency, and declared
that nothing but postal telegraph system
would satisfy the people.
The house committee on commerce has
considered the bill authorizing the president
to prohibit by proclamation the importation
of articles of food or drink when satisfied
that the same are adsltrated in manner
injurious to health, and to prohibit the inn
portation of such articles as he may deem
proper from any foreign country which ex-
ercises unjust discrimination agains Ameri-
can products. 1t was decided to report to
the house bill substantially of this char
acter. Instead however, of limiting the
operation of the act until the year 1887 the
committee will recommend that there be no
limit.
Mr. Dorsheimer was defeated In an at