Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-06-22


rentals: Rents for Treasury department. S., 625
rents Tor War department., $43, $40; rents fol
Navy department. S4,2O0; rents for interior
department. SSs,616: rents for Post Office de
partment, $40, $50; total S113,4o1. This In
cludes all the buildings rented by the govern
ment in this city.
Capitol Topics.
FOUNDED ON PRECEDENTS DEEMED SUFFICIENT
The Secretary of the Interior to-day sent to
the Senate q reply to the recent resolution Of
that body directing him to inform the Senate
whether the commissioner of the land office
nad, with the approval of the Secretary OF the
Interior, issued the circular suspending appli.
cations for entries under the presumption, tim.
Der culture and desert land laws. The Secretary
recites the fact of the PRONUNCIATION of the order
long communication on the subject from Com
missioner Sparks: Mr.. Sparks says: "The au-
thority to issue such circular was founded upon
precedents deemed to be sufficient, Of more
than forty years standing, sanctioned by judi
clal decisions and by congressional recogni-
ton" He makes reference to the statutes
which are supposed to confer the authority in
question, and cites decisions OF the Supreme
Court bearing upon the subject as applied to
individual cases.
PROPOSED NEW GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT.
Representative King yesterday introduced .
bill to consolidate twenty-five of the govern.
ment bureaus, including the scientific bureaus,
those OF the surveys and lighthouse and life
saving service, the bureau of engraving and
printing and the public printing Office under
Inc control Of an additional cabinet officer.
The new department is to have charge of river
and harb0r improvements and public build
lnss, In ADDITION TO numerous other functions.
CIVIL SERVICE IN THE SENATE.
In the Senate to-day Mr.. George submitted a
resolution to inquire into the powers of receiv.
ers Of insolvent railroads. The clerk, in at
tempting to read the resolution, hesitated and
staggered, and finally had to give itup. "Send
1t here and I'll read it, said Mr.. George. "You
couldn't pass the civil service examination"
remarked Senator Beck to Mr.. George.
THE CAUCUS OF TARIFF REFoRMERS.
The caucus Of democratic tariff reformers OF
the House, held last night, was without imme-
diate results. The idea of accepting the vote of
last Thursday as the verdict of the House, under
the control of present combinations, prevailed
and the chairman of the caucus, Gen. Bragg,
was directed to appoint q committee composed
OF member from each state, to draw up an ad-
issue OF the next election. Speaker Carlisle
made speech reminding the party of their
pledges. A resolution offered by Mr.. Cox, di-
recting Mr.. Morrison to cali up the tariff la the
House again was adopted, but the vote was
afterwards RECONSTRUCTED. A full caucus of the
party will be calico for tomorrow evening.
LIEUTENANTs OF THE SIGNAL CORPS.
In the Senate to-day q communication was
read from the Secretary of War, transmitting a
request from the iieutenants of the signal corps
that they be allowed the same privileges en-
joyed by officers of the ordna bureau of the
engineer corps. Referred to military commit
tee.
NOMINATIONS CONFIRMED.
The Senate yesterday confirmed the nomi.
nation of w. B. McMaster, to be consul at Car
thagena, Colombia; also, q number of nominal
tions Of receivers Of public money, postmasters,
etc.
NOTES.
Senator Logan says that the statement going
the rounds that he said ''Mr. Blaine was rum
ming the politics of this country and also trying
70 run the politics Of Europe" is without
foundation.
Senator Dawes leaves tonight for his home in
Massachusetts, to spend several days.
The senate in executive session has confirmed
the nomination of Mr.. II. Shepherd as internal
revenue collector of the Alexandria (Va.) dis
trlcf. and OF Mr.. Culiingsworth as postmaster at
Richmond.
The ways and means committee to-day in
structed Mr.. Hewitt to report favorably his bill
authorizing consignees to enter salvage goods.