The Iola register., 1886-01-08
NATIONAL AFFAIRS.

| Conference ON the Silver Qusstlon>A
Bounty Decision-Of Interest % Pre-
| Emptors.
WASHINGTON, December GA number
Of prominent Democratic Representatives,
among them Speaker Carlisle. have been In
conference for the last few days for the
purpose of devising some way to prevent .
conflict between the President aud Con-
gress on the silver question. They have
reached the conclusion that unless a COM
promise Is agreed upon between the ex-
treme men on both sides Of this question an
interminable conflict with the Administra-
ton will be inevitable. With the view to
prevent this Speaker Carlisle has had sew
eral interviews with the President who he
finds well dispos ed to treat the convictions
Of the extreme silver men with
fair consideration. The Speaker find
ing the President so well disposed,
suggested that compromise Of some
kind be agreed upon. to which the
President is said to have heartily assented.
1t is now thought by many that after the
converting of Congress q call for caucus
of Democratic Senators and Representa-
tives will be issued for the purpose of ad-
justing this matter If possible. Among
the plans proposed Is the passage of the
bill to limit the coinage of silver to $3.50.
600 and SO leave 1t discretionary with the
President whether that amount shall be in
creased or not. Another plea is to issue
certificates of ones, twos and fives based
either on bullion or coined dollars in the
treasury. The idea Of this compromise is
to conci!iate silver men and give them an
opportunity Of preserving their political
status with their constituents. The menu
bers who have this matter in charge are
hopeful that a compromise of this Kind will
be agreed upon.
WASHINGTON, December 29.-The de-
cisiOn of the Second Comptroller relating
to the payment of bounty to soldiers dis
charged for promotion as published. has
been misunderstood. Many letters, based
upon misconception Of the scope of the
decision, are being received at the
Treasury Department. The act of April
%, 1872. provided that every volunteer,
non-commissioned, private and musician,
who enlisted prior to July 90, 1851, under
the proclamation of the President of May
3. 1861 and was actually mustered before
August 6. 1861, should be paid the full
bounty of 500. Prior to this act the pro-
vision of July %, 1861. declared that every
volunteer, nOn-cOmmissiOned officer, pri-
vate, musician, ETC., who entered the SER
vice should be paid, when hOnOrably dis
charged, if he served for period of two
years or during the war, il sooner ended.
the sum of 500. 1t has been uniformly
held under this decision that a discharge
for promotion was charge for bounty pur-
poses, and that soldier who was dis
charged for promotion after serving two
years as an enlisted man is entitled to S1OO
at the time of discharge. Under general Or
der Is, of the army, it has been held that
soldier discharged for promotion is not en-
titled to the bounty of 500. The Acting
Second Comptroller decides that the word
discharged" hasst the same meaning and
should receive the same Interpretation in
the act as in general orders, and that q sol.
dier who was discharged within the mean
ing of the'said general order IL and rule of
the rules and regulations adopted by the
accounting officers, under the act of April
22, 1872. be rescinded.
WASHINGTON. December 29.-Commis-
sioner Sparks, of the Land Office, in view
of the almost universal comment as to his
policy, has felt constrained to issue a new
series Of regulations for registers, recorders
and special agents Of the Land Office,
which has just been promulgated. This
modifies in many important particulars his
recent sweeping orders 1t prescribes that
homestead or presumption claimants who
have made bona fide settlements upon
public land and who are living upon, cuiti-
waiting and improving the same. in accord.
ance with the law, with the intent Of
acquiring title thereto, shall be permitted
to remove from the portion to be cleared
for cultivation so much timber as is actually
necessary for that purpose, o. for buildings.
fences or other improvements on the land
entered. In clearing for cultivation should
there be surplus timber entry, the man
may dispose of such, but is not allowed to
denude the lands of timber for the purpose
of sale or speculation before title has been
conveyed to him by patent.