The Portland daily press., 1886-03-18
Liability of the Government for Pay
nent of French SpoIiation Claims,
The Government Telephone Suit to
be Brought at Columbus, Ohio.
A Bill Presented Looking Toward a
Raiiroadsto Alaska.
Especial to the PRESS ]


WASHINGTON, March 1.-THE proposed
change of time of the Inauguration cere-
monies from the 4th day of March to the
Both of April would seem to be worthy of
consideration for several reasons. In the
first place the historical connections with
the latter day make it extremely fitting that
the Tooth Inauguration of our first President
should take place upon the same day of the
month that Washington was inaugurated.
But the main reason in its favor would be
the time it would give to the short session OF
Congress. At present the short session is
but three months in length and it is won
der to many how Congressiever succeeds IN
accomplishing the absolutely necessary bus
mess in that time. The present session has
already held for nearly two weeks longer
than short session, and yet it has not yet
passed a single one of the necessary appro-
priation bills. The urgent deficiency bill
has, it is true, passed both the Senate and
House, but it was amended by the Senate in
several ways, and these amendments must
be concurred in by the House before the
bill becomes law, and as there is an incli-
nation manifest in that body not to concur
in some of the amendments, the bill may not
become law for some time yet. 1t would
greatly facilitate business if both the resolu-
ton offered by Senator Ingalls, aad the one
offered early in the session by Senator Hoar,
changing the time of meeting of Congress to
the first Monday in November on the Presi-
Dental election year, and the first Monday
in October in the other years, should be
passed. The passage of both bills would
double the length of the short session, and
the Congressman would have eight months
of the year to earn their $1,000 year, instead
of six months
French Spoliation Claims.
The question of the general liability of
the United States under the treaties with
France for the payment of what is known
as the French spoliation claims have been
argued before the Court of Claims for the
past week, the closing argument being made
on Wednesday in behalf of the claimants.
This is preliminary question and must be
decided before any specific cases can be
brought up for trial before the court. There
has not been for long time any question
before any American court involving more
money and greater number of interesting
points of international law or more compli-
Gated questions of evidence than this. A
very careful and painstaking study of the
question in all its phases has been made by
the judges of the court, and they will doubt
less be able to furnish Congress with all tie
information asked for.
The Tariff.
The committee on ways and means having
closed the public hearings ON the tariff bill
proposed by Mr.. Morrison, began its con-
sideration on Tuesday 1t is expected that
the bill will be greatly modified by the com
mittee, but will nevertheless considerably
reduce the duties on articles of general use.
A Blow at the Louisiana Lottery
The appointment of Civil Service Commits
sioner Trenholm as comptroller, of the cur
Louisiana lottery. He was strongly sup
ported for the place by both the South Caro-
lima Senators and by the entire delegation of
that State in Congress. 1t is well known
that Senator Hampton is strongly opposed to
the lottery. He was it is said, offered the
a salary OF $4,000 per year, and was told
that he would only be required to preside at
the drawings ana permit the use OF his
name. He fatty refused, and used rather
strong language about it, to the effect that it
was not exactly the sort of business for a
gentleman to engage in. Some time ago
the Post Office Department refused to trans
nit money for the lottery people, and
ordered the postmaster at New Orleans not
to pay any orders made payable to the CEN
cern. To avoid this order, the lottery makes
use of three or four of the leading national
banks at New Orleans, and advertises that
post Office orders should be made payable to
the banks. The attention of the President
was some time ago called to the incOnsist-
ency of permitting the national banks to do
what the post Office had been forbidden to
do. Certain legal objections were urged
against any action in regard to the banks,
but is believed the new comptroller will find
some.way to put stop to the business. 1t is
estimated that more money goes from Wash.
ington to the lottery than from any other
city of the same population. Nearly all the
papers in this city print advertisements Of
the drawings.
The Telephone Suit,
1t has been finally settled that the govern
ment suit against the Bell Telephone Com
pany to test the validity of the patents, shall
be brought at Columbus, Ohio, and the
United States attorney for that district has
been instructed accordingly.
Railroad to Alaska.
Among the bills introduced in the Senate
taday was one by Senator Hoar (by request
to facilitate the settlement and development
of Alaska. 1t provides for the exploration
and survey of a line of railroad from the
northern boundary of the United States
through British Columbia to a desirable
harbor on the southern coast of the Alaskan
peninsula or on Behring sea.
GRANT & WARD.
po<o.oo NoIoye noo1x% ;.a Eauos 80 d.