The Portland daily press., 1884-04-28
WASHINGTON.
The Supreme Court.

WASHINGTON, April 26.
The Supreme Court has ended its hearing of cases
for this term Its last and only session for the re-
mainder of the term will be on Monday, May 9th,
when it will announce decisions in large number
of cases and adjourn until October. The ensuing
week will be spent in consultation upon the cases
now on hand, and decisions will be rendered in
most of them. The court has, accomplished an un-
usually good seasons work. Over 400 cases have
been considered, and when the decisions are an
nounced ON Monday more than 400 Will have beer
acted upon, or in some way gotten on the uOcKet'
The average seasons work heretofore has been
about 300 cases. Already the cases disposed OF
amount to some $780, and it is expected that at
least 80 more will be disposed of on Monday, May
9th. This leaves the docket of the court with
about 800 cases, or a little over two years work
The close of this term finds the docket slightly less
than it was year ago, which is quite remarkable
fact as the docket has been, heretofore, steadlly
increasing, year by year. Possibly the fae6 that at
least two of the jus ices of the court nave pres-
dental aspirations may have something to do with
their very good behavior during this term. The
cases standing on the docket range from one to
four years in age, most of them having Deen DOCK
eted since the beginning of the year 1882.
Icing Sessions of Congress.
Since the ST. teenth Congress every regular ses-
sion has began in December, and since that time
the sessions have run as late as August. The
twenty-seventh Congress, In which the father of
Congressman While of Kentucky, was Speaker OF
the House, sat until the last day of August; the
29th Congress sat until Aug. 10th the thirtieth
Congress until Aug 14th; the thirty first Congress
until Sept. 30th the thirty-second congress until
Aug 30th the thirty-third Congress until Aug. tn
and the thirtyfourth Congress until Aug. 18th.
The fortieth Congress- which saw the closing events
of the war and Andrew Johnson's administration
continued its session with occasional recesses up to
Nov. 10TH little being accomplished, however. after
the months of July and August The forty fourth
Congress sat until Aug 18th, and the forty sew
enth until Aug Sth. There are people who thinl
AuUuSt.
cies of the presidential campaign are likely t.
bring it to earlier end. Probably the distinction
of this Congress will be that it accomplished les
than any other ever known.
ITO the Associated Pressl
Operations OF tIae Tariff Act of March ),
fSS3..
WASHINGTON, April 26.-Mr. Nimms, chief IF
the Bureau of Statistics today handed to the Sece-
tary of the Treasury mis- report in regard to the O.
erations of the tariff act of March g, 1883. IT p-
pears that that caused reduction of about six er
cent in the average ad valorem rate of duty on M
ports. In detail the changes were as follows; iu-
gar and moIssses a reduction of 8 32-100 per cet;
iron and steal, and manufactures thereof, rede-
ton OF 15-100 per cent, clothing, wool, redac-
ton of $500 per cent? combing WOOL a redlc-
ton of II 28-lGO per cent carpet wool, redlc-
ton of 1-1O0 per cent; manufactures of WOO, q
reduction of 52-l00 per cent; manufacture of
cotton, an increase of 92-100 per cent; manuac-
lures Of silk, reduction OF S2-100 per cent;
earlhen and china ware, an increase of ID 11-lO0
per cent glass and glass ware, an lncrease Of Of
Is 78-l00 per cent; and malt liquors, a reduction
of 50 HOO per cent.
Consular and Diplomatic Service.
The House committee appropriations today
completed the bill making appropriate ions Tor the
consular and diplomatic service. and a1ter
ported It to the House. The amour. i tue esti-
for the previous year. The measure reduces the
contingent expenses Of legations $6950 of eonsu-
lates $26 900, the allowance for clerk hire at COP
sulates is reduced $40, 0o0 the annual salaries II
the ministers to Austria and Italy reduced tom
1000 to $4,000, the office of agent and consult
general at Cairo is made consulate at an annual
salary OF 81. SOB, office of minister to Roumania
Serv1a and Greece is abolished, and cOnsuls are pro-
vided for Greece and Roumanis. A similar ,hSnge
is made in the office of minister to Bolivia tie CON
sul-generalship at Madrid and consulship atEono-
lulu are abolished, as are q number of unimprtant
consulates at other places. No provisions aremade
in the bill for charge daffares ad interim nr for
salaries Of consuls not of the United States TIE sal
airy of the minister to Columbia is increased from
$500 to $4,000 and of the consul-generll at
Hong Kong from $4,000 to Sc, 900. The billp pro-
yides that the proposed changes shall take effect
July list, 1884.
The SUtiOnal Republican Changes Hands
The National Republican of this city changed
haLds last week. and today the new management
took possession Frank Hatton retires from the ed
itora control of the paper but retains his interest
and Clinton III. Snowden, who has secured an inter-
est, assumes the entire editorial management.
The American Medical Association.
The 35th annual session of the American Medical
Association of the United States will be held in mis-
city, beginning May 9Th. and lasting three days
All permanently organized State medical societies
in the United States and the comfy and district
medical societies recognized by the State medical
societies are entitled to send delegates, and Tho
medical departments of The army and navy and ma.
Tine hospital service OF the United States will also
pc represented. 1t is expected that 500 to 2 900
delegates will be present.
Facts and FsumOrs.
Representative Reagans condition is improving
and his friends are hopeful of his recovery.