, 1888-01-20
Washington Notes.

WASHINGTON, Jan. l9.-The house in
committee Of the whole accepted the in
v~ltation to the United States to partlci-
pate in the Melbourne Exposition.
The subject of revising and amending
the land laws was before the house com,
mittee on public lands to-day. Delegate
Smith of Arizona urged the committee
not to reduce the size of the desert land
entry to less than $40 acres, contending
that nothing less would induce men to
bear the Ihardshipsf and expense of irri
eating and improving the arid lands.
The committee has formerly agreed upon
a classification of public lands, and a spe-
cal committee, composed of Chairman
Holman, Messrs. Stone and Payson, has
been charged with the preparation of q
bill which is expected to be ready for ac.
ton OF the full committee by next Mon
day.
The executive committee of the Ma
tional Railway Conductors Association
was before tho house committee on labor
this morning and requested a hearing up
on the bill 10 license railway conductors.
The committee assigned Monday next for
arguments.
The first skirmish of the opposing lines
on the subject of revenue reform took
place to-day in the ways and means com
mlttee. McMillin made q formal motion
to refer to the appropriation committee
the various bills referred to the committee
which had been received from the public
printer, which was adopted. Mckinley
then moved to lake up and consider his
bill repeating the tobacco tax. Some dis.
cussion ensued, from which it appeared
that the Democratic majority was averse
TO considering any specific tax reduction
bill at this time, preferring to take up that
class of bills in connection with general
tariff reduction bills, which it is the inten-
ton of the committee to present to the
house. Finally Breckenridge of Arkan-
sas moved to defer consideration of Nc.
KInley's bill until the general subject of
revenue reduction is taken up by the
committee, and this motion prevailed by
a strict party vote to T.. The subject
Is expected TO come up again at the
meeting of the committee next Tues.
day.
The committee on appropriations made
ready this morning the regular annual
pension bill for report to the house. The
bill appropriates $50, 275, 500. The est
mates originally made aggregated S76,-
2l2,400. q subsequent letter from the
commissioner of pen sions brought the
sum up to the amount of the bills.
Speaker Carlisle passed a comfortable
night and is much improved this morn
ing.
The senate committee on mines and
mining this morning perfected an amend
ment to the alien land law, excepting
mining property from its operation
that is, allowing foreigners to purchase
and own mines in this country.
Belmont IF New York introlunad q
Joint resolution in the house accepting the
invitation of the French republic to take
part in the international exposition to be
held in Paris in 1889.
In pursuance of a previous order of the
house, the ceremony of the presentation
by the state of Massachusetts, tc the
house of the portraits of Theodore Sedg-
wick, Joseph b. Varnum and Nathaniel
=. Banks, distinguished citizens of Massa-
chusetts who have occupied the speakers
chair in the national house of representa-
tives, was proceeded with. The portraits,
handsomely framed, were ranged side by
side in front of the clerks desk and at
trActed much attention. Long of Massa-
chusetts made the presentation speech.
Randall made a graceful speech of ac.
ceptance and offered appropriate resolu-
tons. These were seconded by Brecken-
ridge Of Kentucky and adopted by the
house
Senator Hear introduced a bill to grant
a pension to all survivors Of the late war.
1t provides that all officers and enlisted
men who served in the army, navy or
marine corps, including regulars and vol
unteers, subsequent to March 4, 1861, and
prior to July |, 1866, shall be entitled to
a pension at the rate of one cent for each
days service, this sun to be in addition
to any pension granted for disability.
COntirmations-E. Semple. governor of
Washington Territory; w. G. Hall, secre.
tary of Utah Territory; S. d. Shannon,
secretary of Wyoming; James Sheakley,
commissioner for Alaska. To be receivers
of public moneys-B. +. Burch at Ore
gon City, Ogn |. H. Polk at Los An
geles, Gala T. w. Slusser at The Dalles,
Ogn. Col. Wesley Merritt of the 9Th
caval. y to be brlgadier general, and a long
list OF army and navy promotions.
Representative Belmont, chairman of
the house committee foreign affairs, said
to-day he did not believe fish would be
put on the free list in any tariff bill to be
introduced at the present session of con-
grcss, and that certainly any proposition
to admit fish free or to reduce the duty
upon it would be unlavorably regarded by
the foreign affairs committee. A number
of gentlemen headed by Senator Beck and
Representative Buttcrworth, called on the
presideny to-day to invite him to open the
centennial exposition of the Ohio valley
at Cincinnati next summer. President
Goodalo of Cincinnati the chamber ofcom-
mercc presented the matter, and in reply
the president said he would go unless
public duties, which he could not neglect,
should prevent. The invitation was also
extended to Mrs. Cleveland, whose wishes
the president promised to consent
A Short Fight.