The Portland daily press., 1886-06-22
FROM WASHINGTON.
Col. Morton at Last to Receive a
Government Appointment.
A Chinese Palace to be Constructed
at Washington.
Mr.. Randall crieved to Think He Is to
Divide His Party.
a Number of Bills Vetoed by the
President.
Especial to the PRESS. {

| has been promised the position of Commits
| sioner of Navigation in the Treasury Depart
| ment, vice Jarvis Patten, to be removed and
| the appointment is soon to be made. Messrs.
| Clifford and McGillicuddy, when here last
| week are said to have interviewed President
| Cleveland in behalf of Morton, with the re-
suit stated. Morton is reported to have dis
posed of his interest in the New Age, in or
der to accept the position.
Personal.
| Percival Bonney, Judge of the Cumber-
| land County Superior Court, was in Wash
ington over Sunday. He left this afternoon
for San Francisco.
C.J. Higgins of Hallowell is here.
Senator Morrill, is better this morning.
The unusually cool weather is favorable to
him. The cause of his illness is inflamma-
| tion of the bowels.
A Chinese Headquarters
WASHINGTON, June 2O.-Considerable in
| terest is developing in dlplomatlc circles
| over the announcement that has been made
| to a select. number that the new Cnlnese s
| Minister is.intending to construct mansion
| for the legation and residence OF the repre-
| sentatiyeS of the celestial empire In Wash
| ington. There are now 26 persons connect
| ed with the legation here, besides servants.
| The building will be located in the fashion
| able northwest portion of the city, and
| whole block will be purchased, at an eX-
pense of not less than $250,000. The build
| ing will be after the exact fashion Of man
DARN palace, and will cost $250,O more.
| The whole block will be surrounded by
wall. Carpenters and masons will be in i'm
ported from China to do the work. The
| building will be only one story high, but
that story will be higher than the ordinary
American story. The expenses and board OF
| all the people connected with the Chinese le-
CATION here are paid by that government, and
| the minister is paid $4,000 per year besides,
making his entire compensation as mucn as
| 100000 annually The construction OF this
| legation building settles the TACT that the
| ington the headquarters for all the diplomat
| ic business of this part of the world. 1t is
already the headquarters for Spain and Peru
| as well as the United States
Veto Messages from the President.
| The President today sent to Congress ff-
| teen veto messages, six to the Senate and
| nine to the House. In his message on the
| bill granting a pension to Elizabeth ;. DE
| Kraft the President says his objection is
| that it is of no possible advantage to the
| beneficiary; that the present pension laws
| give her all the advantages which she would
| receive under special law. The President
| adds l am so thoroughly tired OF dlsap-
proving glILS OF puDHc lHoHey W nluiNiuudls,
| who, in my view, have no right or claim to
| the same, notwithstanding apparent con-
| gressional sanction, that interpose, with
| feeling of relief. in a case where l ind 1t un-
| necessary to determine the merits OF the ap-
| plication. In speaking of prom1scuous and
| ill-adyised grants of pensions, which lately
| have been presented to me for approval, l
| have spoken of their apparent congressional
| sanction, in recognition OF the fact that
| large proportion of these bills have never
Tod n
| of Congress, but are the result of nominal
/ sessions held for the express purpose of
| their consideration, and attended by small
| minority of the members of the respective
/ houses of the legislative branch of the gov
| ernment Thus, in considering these bills, l
| have not felt was aided by the deliberate
| Judgment of Congress, and when | have
| deemed it my duty to disapprove of many of
the bills presented nave hardly regarded
/ my action as a dissent from the conclusions
| of the peoples representatives. | have not
/ been insensible to suggestion which should
| influence every citizen, either in private
/ station or official place, to exhibit not only
/ just, but a generous appreciation OF the
| services of our country's defenders. In re-
| viewing the pension legislation presented to
/ me- many bills have been approved upon the
| theory that every doubt should be resolved
| in favor of the proposed beneficiary; have
| not, however, been able to entirely divest
| myself of the idea that public money appro-
| priated for pensions Is the soldiers fund,
| which should be devoted to the indemniica-
| ton of those, who, in defence of the Union,
and in the nation service, have Worthlly de-
| served and who in the day of their depen-
| dence, resulting from such suffering, ar enti-
| tied to the benefactions of their government.
| This reflection lends to the bestowal OF pen
slams kind of sacredneSs which invites the
| adoption of such principles and regulations
| as will exclude perverSion as well as insure
liberal and generous application OF the
| grateful and benevolent designs. Needless
| ness and disregard of the principle which
| underlies the granting of pensions IS unfair
| to the wounded or crippled soldier who is
| honored in just recognition OF his govern
| ment. Such a man should never find himself
| side by side on the pension roll with those
| who have been tempted to attribute their
natural ills, to which humanity is heir, to
| service in the army. Every relaxation OF
| principle in the granting of pensions invites
| applications without merit and encourages
those who for gain urge honest men to be-
| come dishonest. This is the demoralizlng
lesson taught the people as against the pub
| lie treasury the most questionable eXpeulents
are allowable.
During the present session of Congress 49e
special pension bills have been submitted to
me, and am advised that more have receiv-
| gress and will be presented within day OF
two, making over 600 of these bills which
have passed up to this time during the recent
session nearly three times the number pass
ed at any entire session since the year OF
1865. With the pension bureau fully equip
ped and regulated by the most liberal rule;
in active operation, supplemented in its
work by constant special legislation it GER
tainly is not unreasonable to suppose that il
all the years that have elapsed since the
close of the war a majority of the merltOus
claims for pensions have been presented ant
determined upon. have now more than 1S(
of those bills before me awaiting executive
action. 1t will be impossible to bestow OF
them all the examination they deserve ane
many will probably become operative which
should be rejected. In the meantime I ven
ture to suggest the significance of voting al
increase in this kind Of legislation and con-
sequences involved in its continuance"
Democratic Congressman in Confer
ence.
About one hundred of the Democratic Rep
resentatives, who voted for the consideration
| of the Morrison tariff bill, assembled in thu
hall of the House tonight. Representative
Bragg of Wisconsin was chosen chairman
and Representative McRea of Arkansas
secretary of the conference. Speaker Car
Isle opened the proceedings with a stirring
speech urging the members to stand firm IL
| their purpose for tariff reform, and pointed
| out necessarily united harmony of action
Mr.. Cox of North Carolina, offered a resolu
tion instructing Morrison to renew the mo
tion to consider the tariff bill tomorrow
i
| as Morrison, himself, expressed the desire tC
| be left free to act as seemed best to him. Th,
resolution was finally withdrawn. Morrison
then moved that the tariff reform shoul(
choose one member from each State to con
stitute committee which shall consider thu
advisabillty of issuing an address to tn,
country, explaining the position of that ele
ment, the committee to report to another con
ference to be held later in the present month
| This motion gave rise to considerable dis
cussion, mostly of friendly nature how
| ever. The resolution was adopted, wheI
discussion turned on the present state O.
business in the House, and several took oc
caSi0n to impress upon the meeting tn,
necessity of action upon some of their bills
1t was finally decided to call full Demo
cratic caucus for next Wednesday night t.
agree on future proceedings. 1T is stated OF
the best authority that the Democratic lead
ers regard last Thursdays vote on the Nor
rison bill as finally defeating any tariff legis
lation during the remainder of the session
and that any attempt that may be mad
again to call up the bills only for the purpos
of more strongly emphasizing the principle
of tariff reformerS.
Grand Army Men Excited.
The National Republican asserts thi
morning that the Grand Army of the Repub
lie is excited at the wholesale discharge o
eX-soldiers and the appointment of ex-Con
federates in their places, and that all appeal
to the President have thus far been withou
effect. The bill of particulars which the vet
aranc pracant 10 fornoida abia ono Ac n