Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-12-19
WASHINGTON NEWS.
Opposed 70 Coaalssioner Sparks Cos.
arnatioa-Bills to be IntroAucea By
Congressman Diagley aad Senator
Frye.


WASHINGTON, Dec. Is.
Inc western Senators are receiving letters
II great numbers, urging them to oppose the
confirmation Of Land Commissioner Spa-ks.
because Of his recent rulings. Sparks vas
confirmed by the Senate ~ commissioner of
the general land Office on the s5th of las,
March.
Inc Senate committee on patents, to which
has been referred the International copvrioht
bill, introduced by Senator Hawley, has di.
rected its chairman to give q public express
sion of its purpose to hear the authors and
others who are interested on the subject. 1,
is hoped BY the committee to have hearing
soon after the holiday recess.
Mr.. DiDgley of Maine. hss prepared the
Following bills which he will introduce in the
House of Representatives at the first oppor.
tunity:
To abolish the fees for official services to
American vessels, and to amend the laws re-
lating to shipping commissioners, ,sesmen and
owners of vessels. (This bill abolishes the
custom house shipping commissioners and the
steamboat inspection fees for services to ves-
sells, and provides that where these officers
shall have been paid wholly or partly by fees
they shall, after July lst, next, be paid from
the treasury. 1t modifes the Cox section of
the shipping act of 1884, so as to allow the
payment of advance wages to seamen under
certain restrictions. 1t extends the liability
of the act of 1884. to all vessels except canal
boats, lighters and barges, and changes GER
tain penalties imposed on vessels from the
forfeiture of vessel to light fnes.)
To grant the consent Of Congress that the
state laws may apply to the sale of imported,
distilled and fermented liquors in the same
manner as to the liquors of the domestic man.
ufacturers. (This Is to obviate the effect of
certain decisions, that under the constitution
the sale of imported liquors in original pack
ages cannot be restricted, to the extent that
the sale of domestic liquors can be without
the consent of Congress.
To prohibit the letting of government work
to contractors employing convict labor.
To reserve the public lands of the United
States for bona6de settlers under the home-
stead laws
joint resolution requiring the printing,
preparing and issuing of United States notes
of small denominations in sufficient amount
to supple the public demand.
To provide for commission on the sub
iect of alcoholic liquor traffic.
To prohibit the establishment of private
lights and private buoys. introduced by
request of the lighthouse board.)
To allow draw backs on articles manufact-
ured wholly or partly of materials imported
equal in amount to duties paid on such ma
terials when such articles are exported.
Relating to pilotage. Ut authorizes the
license of officers of steam vessels and ex-
empts the vessels in tow and the steamer
under charge of licensed pilot from paying
a second pilot.)
Among the measures introduced today were
the following:
By Mr.. Frye-Relating to the bureaus of
the navy department Qt provides that the
chiefs of divisions of the navy department
may be appointed from civil life and that all
chiefs of bureaus Of the navy department
shall personally perform the duties of their
Offices and it prohibits the assignment of any
chief of bureau to any other regular or con-
tinuous duty which will in any way impair
the efficiency of his performances Of the du-
ties of his bureau.)
relating to the department of the army of the
United States. 1t provides that all future
appointees as heads of departments of the
United States army, shall be officers selected
from the army, and nominated by the presi-
dent and confirmed by the Senate, to be such
heads of departments for terms of four years.
1t declares that this provision shall not apply
to the head of any department until that office
shall first become vacant. The President
may in his discretion, however, at any time
place on the retired list any existing head of
q department, and the retired list is enlarged
for that purpose. 1t further provides that
the sdjutant general, quartermaster general,
commissary general of subsistence, surgeon
general, chief of ordinance and paymaster
general shall be appointed by the selection
from the officers of the corps to which they
belong, not below the rank of lieutenant col
onel, and shall have during their term and no
longer, the rank and pay of brigadier general.
A judge advocate general shall be appointed
from the corps of judges and advocates, and
have the rank and pay of brigadier general
during his term only. Chief signal officers
may be appointed from any officers of the
army not below the grade of captain, to rank
as colonel of cavalry, during his incumbency
in that Office.