The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1886-01-20
At WASHINGTON.

Miss Kat. Bayard, daughter of the Sec
rotary of State, died suddenly Friday
last
The President has nominated George
II. Nichols as postmaster at Bath. The
present incumbent term has expired.
The Senate in one day confirmed 25
nominations. Among them were r..
Wentworth, Of Maine, surgeon and AL
exander Troup, collector of internal rev.
enue for the district Of Connecticut.
Secretary Lamar has sent to the Attor-
ney General communication expressing
his opinion that suit should be brought
In the name of the United States to test
the validity of Bells original telephone
patent.
Mr.. Dingley's bill to abolish the fees of
Collectors, Shipping Commissioners and
Inspectors of Steamboats, for services to
vessels these officers to be paid from the
Treasury-and for other purposes was re-
ferred to Messrs. Dingley, Mills and Bliss.
The Senate bill fixing the presidential
succession In members of the cabinet, be-
ginning with the Secretary of State, has
passed both branches of Congress and
will become law. The country Is to be
congratulated that one important question
Is settled.
The House committee on public grounds
and rules have adopted rule forbidding
the sale of spirituous liquors In the res
taurants. The same action has been taken
at the last two sessions, but In those In
stances prohibition was contained in
joint rule, while the present rule Is a
simple committee order.
Secretary Manning has decided that
granite shall be used in the proposed pub
lie building at Pittsburg. There has been
an earnest contest over the question rs TO
whether granite or limestone should be
use 1.-THE Indiana men advocating lime
stone and the Pittsburg people and Mr..
Dingley of Maine advocating granite.
Mr.. Milliken of Maine Is very hopeful
that Congress will vote the $l5 900 that
has been asked for the extension of the
public building at Belfast The measure
has been recommended by the Secretary
Of the Treasury, and is in estimates for
the Civil Service bill. The subject Is al
so before the Public Building Committee
in the form of bill by Mr.. Milliken.
1t is ascertained that the Republican
Senators in caucus agreed upon two
points First, That there should be no
reflections except for causes which would
warrant rejection under Republican adj |
The decision on this point
was not unanimous. Secoud, That the in
formation called for in cases of suspen
sion must be furnished, and that, If nee
essary to secure this, the Cabinet officers
should be summoned and served with q
duces tecum. Upon this point the decis-
ion WAS unanimous
Senator Frye is coming to the relief of
American shipping. His bill for the re-
lief of the merchant marine engaged in
the foreign trade has been introduced in
to the Senate and 1t proposes some very
substantial measures of relief. For q
period of ten years he would have the
government pay to each American ,ssel,
whether propelled by steam or sail, 80
cents per registered ton for each thous-
and miles sailed, and pro rata for dis
tances less than a thousand miles. At
theaexpiration Of ten years 8 cents would
be deducted per ton, and for the next |
nine years, the ship owners would have
to make living on ~ cents per ton for
every thousand miles sailed.