The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-01-26
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL
Visited by Some Maine Democrats
with Axes to Grind.
Another Bill introduced Providing
Statehood for Dakota.
Senator PIumb's Discovery OF an
Alteration in the Journals.
fsnecial to the Press.l

WAsuINeToN, Jan. 25. Chairman Brown,
of Maine, is here devoting himself to ingrati
ating himself into the favor of the new Post
master General, who does not know him and
getting his SON promoted from clerkship in
the railway mail service to examining clerk.
Collector Anderson, Of Portland, is here
and finds bad job before him in straighten-
ing out the difficulty he has made by his dis
charge and consequent hiring of employees
Ben. Bunker, of the K nnebec Democrat.
is overseeing the greasing of the govern
mental machinery.
Collector Mason, of Waldoboro, had an in
teryiew with Judge Maynard yesterday and
feels hopeful of having more discretion in
making reductions in his force.
The Harraseekit River.
In the House to-day, Congressman Reed
presented the petition fzom Freeport for the
Improvement of the Harraseekit river.
VAN.
Maine Matters.
The following Maine postmasters were ap-
pointed to-day:
Alex. Leyille, Kingham, Penobscot county, vice
Henry A. Smith resigned;
Harley S. M0utOn, Wells, York county, vice
Daniel Clark, removed.
The following pensions were granted to
Maine residents today:
ORIGINAL.
Ann, widow Of Francis Lightbody, Bath.
Ann, widow of Robert Morton, 1912, Damaris-
Gotta.
Randall Humphrey, Round Pond.
Benz. N Fish, Whites Corner
ThOs Musson, National Military Home.
John +. Lamb, Livermore Falls.
INCREASE.
John A. Lowe Eastport.
John Sayin, deceased, Biddeford.
Isaac ii. Freese, Bangor.
REISSUE.
Benj c. Roby, New Sharon.
Senator Plumb's Discovery.
The resolution introduced by Senator
Plumb, asking an investigation Of facts as
to the passage, engrossment and enrolment
of the funding act under which over $780,
900 of four per cent bonds were issued
will probably have hearing. When Sena-
tor Plumb found that the journals OF the
House and Senate showed that the bill as
passed provided that the government might
redeem these bonds at pleasure for 30
years" instead of "after 80 years" as the
published law puts it, he examined the en-
crossed bill and found the word "f0r" had
been erased all but the If, which was left
in the same ink as the rest of the Dill; and
er ink indicated clear case Of tampering by
which 1t is estimated the government loses
large sum. Senator Plumb called the atten-
tion of Senator EdmnndS to the matter and
after looking into it carefully, he said that 1t
seemed the bonds issued under the act were
invalid or else were redeemable by the
government at will.
Dakota's Statehood.
Senator Butler, in behalf Of the minority
a ~ A koIa
ported a substitute for the bill reported by
Senator Platt for the division Of Dakota land
the admission of the southern half as State
Buffers bill is, in its nature, an enabling act
to allow the people of the whole Territory to
form State government and provides for
holding an election on the Tuesday after the
first Monday in June, 1888. at which all per-
sons who have resided in the State go days,
and are otherwise qualified, shall have the
right to choose delegates to CONSTITUTIONAL
convention to meet on the third Tuesday OF
July. The constitution adopted by this con-
vention, shall not be incompatible with the
Constitution of the United States, and shall
be submitted to the people for ratification the
first Tuesday after the first Monday in No
vember, 1888.
Professor BaIrd's Successor.
The New England representatives, so far
as known, all indorse the selection of
Marshall Macdonald of the district as com
missioner of fish and fisheries as good one.
He is not, of course the scholar ori scientist
Professor Baird was, but is an able and eff
cient man. The new commissioner has a
vast amount of work on his hands in re-
deeming promises made during the last
dozen years as to the successful restoring OF
exhausted fisheries all over the country. Col
Macdonald at the of 10 DpQaD tine Sfl0V
of natural history under Professor Baird
Since 1879 he has been connected with the
fish commission, and was given the charge OF
the distribution Of young fishes. he has
rendered his resignation of the Virginia fish
commission to Gov. Lee, who has accepted
it.
The Grand Army Bill.
Senator Davis, from the committee on pen
sions, to-day reported favorably bill in
troduced by Senator Manderson, known as
the Grand Army bill, to pension ex-soldiers
and sailors incapacitated for manual labor,
and provide pensions for dependent relatives
of deceased soldiers The bill has the same
objects in view as contemplated by the de-
pendent pension bill vetoed by the President
during the last Congress. 1t is believed the
new bill, by the more explicit manner in
which its purpose is stated, obviateS the
principal objection raised in the Presidents
veto.
Notes.
D.N. White, of New Hampshire. has been
confirmed as United States Consul at Sher-
brooke.
The hearing ia the car load cases was con-
tinued before the Interstate Commissioners
yesterday.
Senator Hale introduced a bill today for
the erection of public building at Bar Har-
Dor, Maine, to cost $4,000.