Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-05-12

RAILROADS AND COURTS.
Representative Reagan. of Texas, will intro
duce bill in the House and attempt to secure
its passage this session providing that railroads
| shall not be operated by receivers for period
exceeding one year, and defining more mi
nutely what acts shall be construed as con-
tempt of court. The purpose of the bill is to
| the court in the case of the Texas Pacific, where
| 1t was held that all the employees of tho rail-
! road became officers OF the court, and could not
stop work or exercise any other privilege of an
American citizen without being subject to Inn
prisonment for contempt Of court.
MILLIONS PAID TO FOREIGN SHIPS.
An official statement to Congress by Mr.. N. NJ.
Bell, superintendent of foreign mails, shows
that from 1s4s to 1885, inclusive the sum of
$50, 1S4, 05O57 was paid t. vessels carrying
the American flag for ocean transportation Of
y. 5. mails.
GEN. RoSECRANs' DEFENSE.
Gen. Rosecrans has sent to the Senate COM
mlttee on finance q written statement in
| answer to the charge that he was connected
with certain alleged land frauds in California.
he does not deny the transaction, but says he
did nothing which was not, according to the
advice of his lawyers, perfectly legal and that
MS action has since been sustained by the
acres OIL land In the vicinity of Los Angeles.
THE INTERSTATE COMMERCE BILL
occupied the attention of the Senate all of yes
terday without final vote being reached
Several amendments were adopted. A reprint
of the bill containing these was ordered. One
amendment provides that the restrictions Of
the bill as to reduced fares shall not apply to
ministers OF the gospel, members Of agricul-
tural conventions and army and society meet
ings: Another provides that the word unlaw-
tul be applied to Determinations condemned
by the bill SO as to bring breaches of its pro-
VISIONS within the technical meaning Of the
penal clause The amendment to punish strik-
ers for obstructing trains carrying u. ). malls
| and that prohibiting the use OF tree passes by
CONGRESS Officials
rejected.
THE WE'LL AND LA ABRA TREATY.
In his message concerning the We'll and La
Abra treaty, the President calls attention to
the decision of the Supreme Court that the
President has authority to withhold payment
| of the awards pending negotiations, and sug-
gests that to relieve the action of our govern
ment from any ambiguity of legislative express
sion or the Executive from any uncertainty as
to his line of duty In relation to the awards
the attention OF Congress be earnestly invited
to the present status OF the claims and the duty
OF the Executive to carry out the terms of the
existing treaty in case the two Houses adjourn
without further action.
SENATOR MALONE ON PROHIBITION.
Senator Malone. OF Virginia. has written q
letter to the editor of the Blacksburg (Va)
| Southwest Republican, in which the Senator
says: 50 agree with you that our political asso-
ciates ought to stand aside in this contest over
local option, as provided in the ilcontrived bill
of the democratic legislature. = The evil
judgment, Is not TO be removed or arrested by
any attempt al compulsory legislation. If not
IN fact all the s2ffa0, 1t felt that any attempt
to constrain the freedoIfp of individual action
In this respect is trespass on our bill of rights.
The remedy ought to he found, and can there
only be, in my judgment. by an honest enforce
ment of a wise legislative act regulating the
| use OF the license. 1t is there would go, and
would look for the means of restraining the sale
of impure spirits, and that overuse of them that
leads to so many baleful consequences but
never by any act that infringes the right of men
! to use as they may see fit, trade in, or manu-
lacture spirituOus or malt iiquors-aIways
under such regulations as shall not threaten
the health, the good order, the peace and moral
progress of socIety-the health Of society as
applies to the physical person.
NOTES.
Senator Mitchell, of Pennsylvania, has i'm
proved so much IN health that he expects to
return to Wash IngtOn soon.
The international copyright law was again
before the Senate committee on patents yester-
day, and Senator Chase was authorized TO re-
port the bill with some unimportant amend
ments.
Gen. b. F. Butler argued yesterday before the
Senate committee on finance in opposition to
the confirmation of Gen. kOSecrans TO be regis
ter OF the Treasury. Gen. Rosecrans appeared
to refute the charges filed against him.
A party left the 3. 4 q. depot last evening in
President CARROTS private car for Louisville
NY, TO attend the races there The party con-
sisted OF Senators Beck, Hack burn and Hearst,
Representative Mitchell, Commissioner Mont
gOmery and Others