The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1888-03-01
News from Washington.
.SDeciul to Nears and Courier.

WASHINGTON, February 27.-TheHouse
committee on education does not appear
inclined to act promptly on the Blair ed
ucational bill, which was referred to it
over two weeks ago. Among some Of the
members of the House the opinion pre-
walls that the Simmons bill, to loan the
States S65,OO0OOO for educational pur-
poses, will be substituted by the COM
mittee for the Blair bill Such propo-
sition is hardly acceptable to the real
friends of the original bill and they real
ize that such movement would ultl-
mately defeat the measure. On the other
hand it is alleged that majority OF the
educational committee, as well as Speaker
Carlisle, are opposed to the Blair bill and
it stands but poor chance of receiving
consideration by the House, unless its
friends resort to strategy.
THE PORTER ACADEMY BILL.
Mr.. Dargan is extremely anxious to Sc
cure action by the House on the Porter
Academy bill. AS is well known, it has
passed the Senate, and has been reported
favorably from the military committee
during the present session, and is now on
the House Calendar. To-day MI. Oar
gan made an effort to secure unanimous
consent with view to taking up and
passing the bill After consulting the act
ing Speaker, he found that be could not
succeed, as several OTHER requests for re-
cognition preceded his. Favorable action
may be expected at an early day.
STRENGTH OF THE MILITIA.
Should an emergency arise in South
Carolina there are 115,00O men there
available for militia duty, although they
are unorganized. This fact is brought
out in a statement of Adjt. Gen. Drum,
transmitted to. Congress to-day by the
secretary of war, showing the number OF
officers and privates in the militia ser
vice throughout the various States. South
Carolina is credited WITH general Off
GERS, 7S general staff officers, 48 regimen
tai and field staff officers, 319 company
officers, 664 non on-commissioned and J, ,344l
privates, aggregating 4,457. The number
of availables IS as above stated. Georgia
has "a general staff officers, Al regimental
and field officers, 314 company and $50
non-commissioned officers, 20 musicians,
3,216 privates, aggregating 1905, with
100000 available for militia duty unor-
ganized.
LIVE STOCK AT THE SOUTH.
In the February report of the commits
sioner of agriculture considerable atten-
ton is devoted to the subject of farm
animals in the various States. The State
agent in South Carolina reports that live
stock are in a normal condition, and there
is a marked improvement in their care
and keep. The season has been mild and
no disease is reported Of an epidemic
character. In North Carolina stock-rais-
ing is beginning to attract the attention OF
progressive farmers, and the result has
been the importation OF some fine stock,
which have furnished blooded breeders to
number of counties adapted to the in
dustry. The cattle, horses and mules are
better fed and housed than formerly. In
Georgia there is tendency to Increased
care in the breeding and general care OF
stock of all kinds. A number OF coun-
ties report quite an interest developed in
the breeding of horses and mules. There
is an advance in the values of these ami
mails per head, which would be greater
were it not for the introduction of an in
creasing number of inferior Texas ponies,
which has the effect of rating them low in
the scale OF prices. Owing to the effect
of the adoption of what is known as the
local option stock law, there has been an
absolute reduction of the number of cat
tie, but complementary to this result the
value has been increased.