The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-02-18
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.
Removing an Undeserved Charge Of
pesertion Against Union Soldiers.
Prospective States and Their
Chances In the Two Houses.
Live Topics Before the Makers Of the
Nations Laws.


records of the army so far as soldiers who
are put down as deserters, and who do not
by any means, deserve the title, are con-
cerned. The House passed, with almost no
debate, the bill which had been pending for
two congresses at least, to extend the provis-
ions of 1884 and 1886, to the navy and marine
corps. This will help out over 100 private
cases in which sailors, as in the case of the
soldiers, at the actual expiration Of hostili-
ties, hurried off home without waiting to get
a discharge and the papers necessarily ac-
companying that Now the military COM
mittee has under consideration another relief
measure. This will probably cover 200 cases.
The bill has reference mostly Ito Union SOL
diers who lived in States that were within
the rebel lines. In some instances, during
the fighting, they were detached from their
regiments, and on getting near other Union
men at once joined other regiments. The
bill is drawn so as to remove the charge of
desertion in case incidents like the one just
cited can be proved to have existed.
The Fight Against Literature.
A strong effort to defeat the bill raising the
postage on serial cheap libraries, which was
rushed through the House plainly under
misapprehension, will be made in the Senate
The House took hold of the bill under the
committees explanation that it was really
first-class thing, and aimed only at the I'M
perial Dictionary, editions de luxe, and
things of that sort. 1t turned out to be
otherwise, and the publishers, such as
Houghton & Mifflin, the Ticknors, and the
rest have plainly shown that it would dam
age their business most seriously.
New States.
One of the liveliest and most interesting
fights of the session will be that of the ad-
mission of the territories. Congressman
Springer of Illinois, is at work by order of
the committee on an omnibus bill admitting
all but Idaho and Utah as States. This may
pass the House. but, of course, In such a
form as not to allow any of the States to
elect Senators until after the national elec-
tion nor to enter the Presidential election as
State. anyway; The great tight will De on
Dako ne Mouse Is pwphoIa bIe the
Senate wants to split it in two. The sugges-
ton of David Dudley Field that the states
should be deserving of better names than
New Mexico, or North and South Dakota
is received with favor.
A Slice all Around.
The public building committee is making
great preparations for its big day in the
House. A stack of bills has been filed upon
the calendar, and the proposition seems to
be to distribute the pork so literally that
every one will have slice. New England
gets fair show at Bar Harbor, Bridgeport,
Lynn, and Lowell, with soldiers monu-
ment at Rockland, all in the first batch But
the fight will be sharp and the pork Darrell
may be tipped clear over.
The Reading Strike.
The Reading strike committee has gone of
to the miners to get testimony. The strikers
are ready to load them with information.
There is never any trouble to get talk from
labor organizations or labor folks. The la
Dor commmittee has discovered this over and
over again. The latest discovery was when
the bill to license railroad conductors was
before them. There was a swarm Of wit
nesses on all sides to talk about the matter,
but the large associations OF consolidared
conductors were all against the bill. This
was sufficient to beat it, But 1t took lots OF
talking to accomplish it.
Civil Service Investigations.
The civil service commissioners are likely
to proceed very slowly in the matter of public
Investigations in the future. The Presidents
positive disapproval Of the rule submitted to
him by thel commission requiring reasons
for removals takes very large plank from
under the feet of the commissioners. The
law gives them no authority to punish those
who disregard it, and now that the President
decides that the appointing power is net re-
nuired to give the commission reasons for
official acts affecting empl Dyes within the
civil service, the commissi0 ners are 10th to
waste their time on investigations that can
have no results. Every mail brings charges
inst off nf
they can all be settled by correspondence
without going to the expense OF public
inquiry. Commissioners Oberly and Ly-
man are inclined towards public lnyestlga-
tions OF at least the grayeT charges preferred.
Commissioner Edgerton, however, has been
disinclined to join his colleagues in these.
affairs. He holds that the right of removal
naturally goes hand in hand with the power
to appoint, and that therefore the commits
sion has no authority whatever to demand
the reasons for dismissal. In his opinion
the labor of the commission is done when
through its machinery it furnishes an ap-
pointing officer with certification OF four
eligibles from which to select required
clerk. He does not consider that the COM
commission is called upon to take care of
those appointed from its list Of eligibles
through all time. Commissioner Edgerton's
views on this subject have practically been
indorsed by the President, and they. are
therefore, likely to guide the actions of the
tionS are concerned.
The Pension List,
Pensions have been granted to Maine
people as follows:
INVALID.
Jonas Reynolds, West Newfeld.
Charles A. Jones, South Hope.
William Calicoon, Hall0well
INCREASE.
John w. Smith. Cary.
Theodore Gerrish, Biddeford
Thos. G. JONES' Marion.
REISSUE.
Jos. A. Cunningham, Monmouth.
James +. Chadbourne, East Bradford.
REISSUE AND INCREASE.
James p. Potter, Brunswick.
ORIGINAL.
1872 Lucy, widow Of William Frost. Norway.
III NANNDECC UIpCT CECCJ0N