The Portland daily press., 1886-12-24

appearance, and the report is not yet made.
The Mormons have the aid of the very
ablest counsel, Georee Ticknor Curtis of
New York being the leading one, and have
money in abundance which they are able
and willing to use. The shortness of the
session is an advantage for them also, but
the anti-Mormons do not despair, but will
make lively fight for the passage of the bill
after the recess, and with fair prospects of
success. As with the interstate commerce
bill, delay is the only thing which can defeat
it, as it will prove if brought to vote.
Pensions Granted to Maine Veterans
Pensions have been granted to the follow
ing Maine veterans:
Hiram r. Stearns, Orono.
Henry Curtis, Guilford.
q. Ii. Pine, Vanceboro.
Loren q Mariner, South Gardiner.
The following have been granted an in
crease of pension:
j. ID. FOss. Augusta.
). V. Hartford, Brewer.
Michael Mcmahon, TOgus.
q. U. Haskell, East North Yarmouth.
John Skelton Augusta.
julius q. Chandler, Mapleton.
The Destructive Rabbit.
james NJ. Morgan, United States Consul
General at Melbourne, in report to the De-
partment of State on the rabbit Pest in
Victoria" says: while it would be diff
cult to ascertain the actual damage by rab-
bits, it may be safely stated that during the
last ten years the loss caused by this pest
through decrease in crops, loss of rents,
ETC., would amount to at least e3000,O0O
sterling. The rabbit which has caused all
this damage is the common gray variety of.
wild rabbit, introduced into Victoria in 1860
for the purpose of sport. 1t has been SO
prolific in the propagation of its kind as to
literally overrun great portion of Victoria.
In speech in the Colonial Parliament it
was shown that one section of about L, ,000,-
600 acres. where few years ago smiling
h0mesteads, fine orchards and all the evi-
dences Of prosperity were to be seen, had
been rendered almost useless and uninl abit-
able. Large sums of money had been ex-
pended by private citizens, municipal and
district authorities to exterminate the pest,
butwith only partial success. The chief
methods employed have been trapping and
spreading of phosphorized oats and wheat
and arsenic. Trapping is reported slow and
expensive, while the rabbits in many in
stances will not eat poisoned food or are un-
affected by It, About 500 miles of rabbit
proof wire net fencing also have been erect
ed in Victoria at cost of about $500 per
mile. Rewards have been offered by coun-
ellis for rabbit skins and payments have
been made for about 157, 900 dozen of skins.
In one district from 100000 to 100000 rab-
per Dozen"
As to the remarkable fecundity of rabbits.
Mr.. Morgan says; 1T can be asserted on
good grounds that one pair of rabbits will,
under the most favorable circumstances,
chat is in country consisting of sand hills,
pine ridges and scrub increase in two and
Ealf years to the enormous number of two
millions A similar condition of affairs is
said to exist In some of the other Australian
colonies
A Valuable Piece of Land.
J. K. Reddington, as attorney for Lester
| A. Bartlett of Washington, today made ap-
| plication to Commissioner Sparks of the
General Land Office, as ex-officio register
and receiver of the State of Illinois, to locate
with Gerard Scrip about 80 acres of land in
the city of Chicago, lying on the lake south
OF chicago river, being the land covered by
what is known as the Talc0tt survey, in sec
tion TO-, also all land between that survey
and the lake in section 10, as well as all land
| lying between Wabash and Michigan ave-
| nues and Washington and Madison streets.
In explanation, Mr.. Redington today said
the Gerard Scrip filed as part of the appli-
cation with Commissioner Sparks. was is
sued originally in payment of services by
one Stephen Gerard to President Washing
ton, In opening communication with hostile
Indians in the Northwest Territory, and as
appears upon its face, is locatable upon any
public lands of the United States. 1t Is
claimed that these lands belong to the Unit
ed States, and are therefore subject to entry
with this scrip. The Commissioner received
the application ana the scrip, and holds the
matter of allowance or rejection of location
under advisement. The argument sin sup
| port of the application will shortly be heard.
It'll represented that the land in controversy
is worth about $15,000,000.
The Tariff Situation.
A Republican member of the Ways and
means committee says: McAdoo and the
Randall Democrats are anxious that some
| thing shall be done to reduce the surplus
| They have their scheme formulated 1t con-
| sists of Q) an enlarged free list and ~ re-
| duction of internal revenue They have not
| yet perfected the details, and of course they
| do not expect 1t will meet the approval of
| the Democratic majority of the ways and
means committee. 1t is difficult to see how
| they can get consideration of such bill ex-
| cept by suspension of the rules, and it
| seems impossible to obtain tw0-thirds vote
| for that. Nothing will come from the ways
| and means committee except the Hewitt ad-
| ministration bill, which is nothing any why
| but another tariff commission. Morrison
means his own bill or nothing"
Congressman Reed, with his usual bluff
| frankness, scouts the idea that any RESPONSE
| bility rests upon Republican members of the
| House at this time in connection with tariff
| reduction. He says while the Demo-
| Gratis held an impregnabe negative, when
| they can absolutely bar the way, why should
| we DC dohcu W nldhe Jue lHlIldbiNe (. we nave
| not the power to act; why should we be
asked to assume a responsibility which we
have no power to put into an act of Con-
gress? SO long as the protection Democrats
go into a caucus which puts a Free Trade
| Democrat into the chair to appoint Free
Trade Committee of Ways and Means to alb
soutely bar our way of reducing the sur
| plus. how can we reduce it? IL the people
of this country will put the Republican par
ty in power in the House we will do the
work the Democracy fails to do. In 1888 the
country demanded reduction of more than
forty millions, and the Republican House,
though it had less than half dozen majori-
ty, and although fought at every point. UNI
der the skillful leadership of Mr.. Carlisle,
by the powerful majority, passed the law OF
1883, which revised the tariff and reduced
the surplus revenue nearly S50,O00,00O."
Steamer Tennessee Condemned.
The naval board Of inspectors which in
spected the United States steamer Tenpes
see, has reported that the vessel cannot be