The National tribune., 1886-02-18

! eight hour law are exempted from Civil Serv-
| ice rules. Mr.. Villas says this opinion respect
| ing carriers was promulgated by his predeces-
sors. and has not been changed. This class is,
| however, included in the bill now pending in
Congress to extend the scope Of the eight-hour
| law.
LAND DECISION.
Land Commissioner Sparks, in a decision in
| the case of James Vaughn, settler on the line
| of the Northern Pacific Railroad, in Montana,
| holds that lands were not resurveyed by law
| for the railroad grant upon the filing by the
| company OF maps of general route but only
after the definite location Of the actual line of
| the road. 1t has been former ruling of the
| Interior Department that statutory reserva-
| tion was created when a map of general route
was filed, although the actual location of the
! road might afterward be made on quite differ
ent line. Commissioner Sparks says he finds
! no authority Of law for such construction, and
holds it contrary to the provisions of the grant
! ing act and to the uniform construction of rail-
/ road land grants by the Supreme Court. The
effect of the commissioners decision, II suS-
! tanned, will be to protect settlers along the
! whole line of the road who settled after maps
! of general route were filed and before the def
! mite location of the road, being periods ranging
! from three to ten years, aud also to open to en-
/ try all lands on the line between Wallula,
! Washington Territory, and Portland, Ore,
distance of some 300 miles, and amounting to
more than 30, 1000, 900 acres These lands lie in
! the Valley of the Columbia River and have
/ been kept in reservation since 1872.
SOCIAL PRECEDENCE.
! 1t is positively startling when one recalls
| tho lively social war which the newspapers in
| sisted last Spring was agitating Washington
society, as to the place on State occasions which
could be claimed for the Vice Presidents wife,
/ and as to whether, in the absence of the wife
of the Secretary of State. his eldest daughter
| could take her place in society and rank above
! the wives of members of the Cabinet, to re-
/ feet how death has stepped in and perma-
nently settled these questions so far as they
affected the Vice Presidents wife and the eld
! est daughter of Secretary Bayard. 1t is proper
| to say that the discussion seems to have been
/ of far more Importance to writers for newspa-
| pers. who kept it up for many weeks than to
| the ladies named themselves.
! There can never be question raised again
as to the place to be given in Washington So
ciety to Mrs. Hendricks or to Miss Katharine
Bayard, the death of the Vice-Presldent (her
husband) removing the former as surely from
being considered in questions of etiquet in
this city, rs her Own sudden death has the lat
ter. and this has been done before there was
any further occasion to revive the discussion
of last Spring, which some writers (errone-
ously, as we believe) then insisted caused hard
feelings between ladies prominent in official
| life.
WILL IT WORK BOTH WAYS?
There is a prospect that the Government may
have some bills to pay for damages by reason of
its failure to protect the Chinese on the Pacific
Coast. The Chinese Minister called at the State
Department Monday and laid before Secretary
Bayard sundry long kilograms received by him
| from California to the effect that there is ap-
parently concerted movement in progress to
drive out the Chinese from all the towns and
cities of California, except San Francisco and
that the Governor of the State and the Sheriifs
of the various Counties evnce no disposition to
protect the Chinese in their treaty rights The
kilograms also assert that the threatened action
will not only be disastrous to the Chinese labor
ing classes, but ruinoCS to the Chinese merchants
of San Francisco. 1t is understood that the rep
reservations made by the Chinese Minister have
double purpose i'll view: First, to invoke the
protection of the General Government, and, Sec
ondly, TO lay the foundation for claim of
money indemnity similar to the claims that
have been advanced by the United States in a
large number of cases and paid by China as in
demnity for injuries sustained by American
citizens in that Empire.
WOMAN SUFFRAGE.
During three days of this week, beginning
Wednesday, the advocates of woman suffrage
will have the floor in Washington, the occasion
being the annual meeting of the National AS
sociation. The sessions will be held in the
Universalist Church. There is fitness about
this, as it is the universe" idea that these apos-
ties Of reform are endeavoring TO have adopted
in our political system. Most of the prominent
women identified with this movement in the
country are announced to deliver addresses.
The program is long one the theories en-
bracing every possible phase of the subject,
closing, with "The Same Old Story" by Susan
B. Anthony, and parting bless you my chill
dren address by Mrs. Elizabeth Cady Stanton.
Tuesday evening there was reception to the
sufragists at the Riggs. CorsageS were high.
CALLERS AT THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE OFFICE
Comrade c. v Marshall, of Post 3, Pittsburg,
Pa. Comrade Marshall belonged to the we'll
known Hamptons battery, which had so hon.
orable part in the history of the Army of the
Potomac. 1t was made up of superior lot of
young men from Allegany City, Pa, and since
the war the members have kept up an interest
and connection with each other that is very
pleasant No organization of its numbers has
done so much in this direction. A fine monu-
ment has been erected to the battery in the
public square of Allegany City, and little
while ago tablet was put up on the field of
Gettysburg to mark the position of the battery
during the fight and to commemorate the mem
bers who fell there. The survivors of the bat
terry are anxious 10 communicate with the
| survivors Of Huntington's battery (H, 1st Ohio
L. A }, who were their associates at Gettysburg.