Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-12-25
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.
TIRE EDUCATION QUESTION.
A Number OF Bills Started on Their Ce.r.s-
MIR. gsir Ceaaaea,- Other Rms.


MIR. Hair Ceaadeat- Other RIM.
From Our Regular Correspondent,
WASHINGTON, d. c., December o.
Five bills, similar to the Blair education
bill, for the encouragement of public-
school education in the States, have al
ready been introduced in the House.
although only about one third of the
State delegations have presented their
patches Of bills. There will certainly
be as many more education hills
presented in January, and the
advocates OF national aid to common
schools express confidence that some
bill having that object in view will he
passed before the present session of Con.
gross closes. Senator Blair has no
doubt that his bill will pass the Senate
III January. At any rate he intends 10
push it, and hopes to get it over to the
House before that body has time 20
send an educational bill to the Senate.
GRABBING FOR THE SURPLUS.
Among the measures already pro-
posed IN the House, more than three
fourths seek to reach the treasury sur
plus in various ways, and in amounts
ranging from few hundred dollars to
several million dollars. Seven bills for
payment Of pensions to veterans of the
Mexican and Indian wars. one for the Tin.
pecanoe campaign, two for Indian wars
OF lsl7-'ls aud '23, two for the Black.
Hawk war, two for the Indian wars
from 1885 to ls41, and one for the War
OF 1919, have been started upon their
course. There is also one to nav pen-
sions to everybody who served thirty
days in the civil war another to re-
peal the limit OF time for filing applica-
lions for pensions, and another that
would practically give arrears of PEN
sions TO everybody who served in
the Federal army between 1861 and
1865. Besides these projects, which
would cost hundreds Of millions.
there are $50 private pension bills.
212 private claims of various kinds
against the Government, most of them
war claims preferred by that super
loyal kind Of people in the border
States who snesked during the war
and were in high favor under the Grant
Administration. Twenty-four towns in
Alabama, Arkansas, Florida. Georgia.
Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana. Iowa.
and Kansas ask for public buildings.
which would cost about two million
dollars. A dozen or more bills pro-
pose to give away thousands Of acres
OF public lands in the West and South
west to railroad companies, and Mis-
sour congressman asks the lGovern-
ment TO build dirt bank along the
riyer.front Of three counties in that
State to keep the Mississippi river from
oyertiowing private property. Then
there are propositions involving the ex-
penditure of great sums OF money in
building canals which would have been
constructed by private enterprise long
ago if there had been reasonable pro-
liability that they would be profitable
undertakings.
With all these schemes presented for
the benefit Of private individuals and
corporations. or for purely local advan-
tage. twenty-four States and all Of the
Territories are vet to he heard from.
Three bills for the regulation OF inter-
State commerce, six relating to sill
yer. six amenCsng the tariff laws, and
nine the internal-Tevenue laws, two re-
lating to civil service. and forty relat-
ing to Immigrants to railroads, have
been entered upon the books OF the
Clerk of the House. About two thirds
Of the Immigrant bills propose to for
eit grants made to aid railroad con-
StructiOD, where the grantees have
failed TO comply with the conditions Of
the grants.
| notice bill 10 increase the duty on
pearl buttons vas inadvertently referred
to the Committee on Invalid Pensions,
probably because the bill was endorsed
- for the relief" Of the owner Of this
infant industry somewhere in New Jer-
sey.
WIND-BROKEN BUGLER.
4 West-Virginia collector of internal
revenue named Mccormick is growing
because he has been supplanted by
Democrat, and wants Logan to take
hold Of his case as one Of those upon
which the selcappOinted friend of the
Union soldier will make issue with the
President. Mccormick claims that he
was disabled by service in the army and
that it is an outrage that he should have
to give up his soft place to a man who
did not have that good fortune. Some
troublesome fellow has looked into there
cord ofthe decapitated collector and finds
that he claimed pension on the ground
of disabilities resulting from army ser
vice. but that his claim was disallOwed.
He has what is called wind-dyspepSia,
or dyspepsia from too vigorous blowing
of the bugle. That kind Of disability is
not recognized as effective for pension
purposes under the law as construed at
the Pension Office. so the wind-brOken
bugier will have to get along without a
pension and withou, an Office.
The Americas Club, OF Philadelphia.
ore of the finest political clubs in the
country, has decided to attend the in
auguration Of Governor Fitzhugh Lee.
Sixty members expect TO take the trip.
With their plu--hats, iaunty. suits, and
small canes. they will make a fine show
on tie streets Of Richmond. If the
club stop long enough in this city they
will be rendered a reception by the
Democratic clubs OF Washington.
Collapse at Business Building.
(By telegraph 10 the Dispatch.l
BALTIMoRE, December 24.-The
top floor of tie three-story brick ware
house No. co Hanover street gave way