Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-01-21

AAS AAouSC AtsuOC SOIuQlltUe6 ana the COJuIult.
tee on agriculture have agreed to unite upon a
bill to establish q department of agriculture
and labor, the head OF which shall be a cabinet
ofhcer. At their meeting to-day the labor COM
messrs WssSsr
amendments to the bill for the establishment of
a department of agriculture, which has been
aaoptea 6y the agricultural committee, so as to
THE CONSULAR SERVICE.
The House committee on foreign affairs to
day had before it o rough draft OF the consular
and diplomatic appropriation bill. Mr.. Bel
mont submitted a plan for consolidating the
minor diplomatic offices, SO as to increase the
emclency OF the more important missions with
out adding to their cost.
THE GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE.
The House Committee on labor to-day exam
ined Public Printer Rounds in regard to the
hours OF labor, rates Of pay and other matters
IeiatlnS 10 the government printing office.
THE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE
to-day succeeded in the following sub-commit-
tees: On public debt, funding and payment
thereof-Messrs. Morrison, Breckenridge, Of
Kentucky, and Kelly. On revenue provisions
OF commercial treates-Messrs. Mills, Maybury
-Messrs: Hewitt, Breckenridge, of Arkansas,
and Mckinley. On relief bills and claims
Messrs: Mcmillan. Maybury and Reid. On
Harris, Breckinridge, OF Kentucky, and Browne.
On importation OF fish, etc.--Messrs. Breckln-
IluSc, Ol ARKANSAS; MayDury ana hel0.
THE EADS' SHIP CANAL PROJECT.
The parties interested in the Eads project for
the construction of a ship railway scross the
lsthmus of Tehuantepec, for the conveyance of
ships between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans,
appeared before joint meeting of the two COM
mites on commerce to-day In behalf of that
enterprise. MIR. Cochran, attorney for Capt
Eads, explained the project In considerable de-
tail, contending for its feasibility and for the
passage Of the pending bill, which proposes
terest on S5O,OOO,OOO OF bonds to aid in carry
Ing out the enterprise. Capt. Eads, ex-Secretary
Wers ana q me snip railway com n
time.
UNIFORM BANKRUPTCY Law.
The judiciary committee of the House con.
tinued to-day the hearing ofargument favoring
the passage of a national bankruptcy bill. Mr..
Fraley, of Philadelphia, president Of the
National board OF trade, opened with a long
speech supporting the Lowell bill. He was fol-
lowed lowe by John I: Gano. Of the Cincinnati
waukee; ]. +. Supplee, of the Baltimore beard
of trade; Henry A. Corbett, of Portland, Oregon;
sae Se Of e
board OF trade, land D. NJ. Bradbury, of the
Indianapolis board Of trade. The general tenor
OF the arguments we're strongly in support of q
uniform BANKRUPTCY law.
OPPOSED BY MEMBERS OF HIS OWN PARTY.
Mr.. J. B. McCulloch, editor of the Globe-D DEM
0crot, and Mr.. Whitney, ex-coilector at that
point, have addressed letters to the Senate
commerce committee saying they had just as
soon see Mr. r. D. Lancaster confirmed as COL
lector Of the port at st. Louis as any other DEM
ocrat. 1t appears that an attempt has been
made to prevent the confirmation Of Mr.. Lam
caster by members of his own party.
THE RIGHT TO TAX DRUMMERS
The decision rendered on Monday last by the
United States Supreme Court in relation to the
taxation OF commercial travellers did not touch
the question OF the right Of q stats or munich
paiity to impose such q license. It declared
against the right of a state to impose discrim-
mating tax; that Michigan could not impose a
license tax upon commercial travellers of other
states, which did not apply to the citizens of
that state also. 30 that the question OF dis
elimination has been settled, but the right of
states and municipalities to impose such tax,
provided it is general in Its application, has
not been determined, but will shortly come be-
fore the court in q case from Tennessee.
MILITARY ATTACHES TO AMERICAN LEGATIONS.
The bill introduced by Mr.. Breckenridge, of
Kentucky, in the House Monday provides that
army officers be assigned as military attaches to
the American legations at London, at Paris, at
Berlin, at Madrid, at Rome, at St Petersburg,
at Vienna, and at Constantinople, their duty
being to secure most accurate information con-
corning foreign armies and military affairs
generally.
The Senate today agreed to adjourn from
this afternoon until Monday.
In the Senate to-day a resolution, submitted
by Mr.. Morrill,, directing that hereafter 16, 900
extra copies of the annual reports of the Smith
be printed, was referred to the committee on
printing.
The elections committee of the House have
begun the consideration of the contested-elec-
ton case of Kidd vs. Steele, of Indiana.
The House committee on railways and canals
gave q hearing to-day to Messrs Ray and Miller,
representing the st. Paul and Kansas City
water ways conventions in favor of the
Murphy Hennepin canal bill.