The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1885-12-11
GENERAL NEWS.

The Oregon Railway & Navigation com.
pany has decl; red a regular dividend of II
per cent, and an extra dividend of ! per
cent, making the present dividend per
cent, payable January I'd.
Representative Randall is strongly op-
posed to the scheme to change the rules of
the house. He thinks the public interests
demand that the appropriation bills be con-
sidered by the appropriation committee.
A call has been issued by the secl etary of
the International Cattle and Horse Growers
association for delegates to the first annual
meeting at Denver, January 9th next. The
representation allowed Is one delegate for
So, 900 cattle and horses. All range men
are invited, whether delegates or not.
For speaker Of the house the democratic
caucus nominated Representative Bayard,
and the republicans named Representative
Reed of Mine, The lav.er caucus passed
the following resolutions: ''That it is the
sense If this caucus that immediate steps be
taken by the forty-ninth congress to provide
for the presidential succession.
The republican caucus OF senators nomina-
ted Senator Sherman for president pro tem-
Senator Sherman made brief speech, ac-
cepting the nomination. 1t was then deter
mined that the bills relating to the presi-
Dental election and also to presidential sue
cession which has passed the senate during
the last Congress should be introduced as
soon as practicable, and after Proper refer
ence and consideration should be promptly
passed. The democratic caucus nominated
Senator Harris of Tennessee.
Land Commissioner Sparks has weakened
slightly, and will issue patents where ex-
amipations have been made by government
detectives and no frauds found. There are
now about tw enty agents and detectives ex-
amining claims, and they manage to get
thro aah about four a week, at which rate 1t
will take them something like l50 years to
complete what Sparks has given them. He
will certify to homestead entries where
residence, improvement and cultivation have
been made according t. law. In other
words, he will issue patents to those who
haYe lived five years upon their homestead
and Ii I'VE IN I'll legal Improvements and the
amount of cultivation required.
A long letter from Samuel j. Tilden to
Representative Carlisle has been given to
tae press. 1t is a suggestion to congress,
and advises the expenditure of the su,p.us
now in the treasury for the construction of
coast and harbor defenses. The letter says:
IF we do not make the expenditure neces-
sary to provide for our sea coast defenses
when we have surplus and have no need
to levy new taxes, we certainly will make
these expenditures when We have no longer
a surplus in the treasury. To leave onr
vast interests defenseless in order to reduce
the cost of whisky to its consumers would
he a solecism" Also: 'tThe best guarantee
against aggression, the best assurances that
our diplomacy will be successful and pacific,
and our rights and honor respected by other
nations, is in their knowledge that we are
in situation to vindicate our reputati, n
and interests. While we may afford to q
deficient in means of offense we cannot af-
ford to be defenseless. The noteriety of
| the fact that we have neglected the ordinary
precautions of defense invites want of
! consideration in our diplomacy, and in
Justice, arrogance and insult at the hands of
foreign nations.