Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-02-29
WASHINGTON.
Crafn's Constitutional Amendment
Changing the OffieisI Terms OF the
President and CODgressmen.S
rae Texas Delegation Meets to DiEcuss
the Question Of Deep Water and
Tries to sGrse Upon = Place.

live Grain of Texas whose constitutional
amendment TO have each Congress begin
and end on the 3lst of December and to
have the new Congress meet in the JAnu-
sry after election, has been before the
House and the country for some time,
mas now amended it by an addition which
will change the Inauguration day from
March to April 30. He introduced
into the House IT solution proposing the
following amendment to the consti ution:
The term Ct cfice Of the President shall
continue until the 30th of April, 1889, at
noon, and the 3Uth Of April at noon shall
thereafter be substituted for thu 4th Of
March as the commencement and terni-
nation of the official terms of the Presi.
dent and Vice President The 3Ist OF
December at noon is substituted for the
An of March as the commenceme Mt and
termination of official terms of Senators
snd of the members of the House of Rep
resentative. The Congress Ia ex-
Isfance when the members
of the first House of Representatives
] are elected after the ratification of this
amendment, shall hold no annual ses-
sious after such election. and lis term Of
cffi3e shall expire on the 2lst day OF the
following December. The Senators
whose existing term would otherwise ex-
pire on the n Of March next, succeeding
the day on which the term Of the first
Congress shall commence after the rstin
cation Of this amendment, shall continue
In office until their successors are APP
pointed or elected. Congress shall as
semble at least once in each year, and
such meeting shall be on the first Monday
IN January until Congress shall by law
appoint different day.
DEEP WATER MEETING.
Special to the Gazette.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 2S.-The Texas
delegation had q meeting last night at
Senator Coke's rooms to discuss the
question Of deep water and tried to agree
upon place to give Texas much needed
harbor facilities, but they came to no
conclusion and adjourned without action.
Nothing will be accomplished this session
outside the regular river and har-
Dor appropriations. Congressman
Ssyers thinks Texas will
get 81 900, 900 this year and his views
may be SAID to be somewhat significant.
The river and harbor committee will
make up the bill, but of course 1t would
receive with respect any considerations
from member Of the appropriation COM
Inittee.
PUBLIC LAND BILL.
Special TO the Gazette.
WASHING ON, Feb. 2s-The bill pro-
posed by the committee on public lands
70 regulate the disposal of public lands
has been so amended in the committee
stage Of the bill that all public lands,
whether mineral or other, shall be SUBJ
iact to entry under the present home
stead laws, provided that one-hslf of the
vNrrrnood bNpnayFa.d dhSn hn
cepAole of cultivation. The proposed
minimum price of mineral lands has been
reducsd to $40 per acre, and the mini
mum price of $40 per acre for the timber
on timber lAnos mss been removed.
AN PROCUREMENT OFFICIAL HELD FOR
SMUGGLING
WASHINGTON, Feb. ga sensational
story reaches here from the Pacific coast.
It is to the effect that Gardner, the al
Legged opium smuggler, now in conhne-
ment st Ogteusburg, N T., has been In
constant r.legrap6ic correspondence with
Captain Beecher, special agent Of the
Treasury Department at San Francisco
The first dispatch was sent by Gardner
Immediately after his arrest. Il, like all
the others sent subsequently, WAS in
cipher. 1t read as follows: II am ar
rested. Telegraph the Secretary, also
the Collector at Ogdensourg that / an
employed as a special under you"
CApEain Beecher lost no time
IN doing as he was instructed.
He telegraphed the Department the
next day asking for permission to attend
Gsrdner's trial, claiming tnat the rela-
tons between them would enable him TO
get more information from Gardner than
any other official of the government could.
A number If other cipher dispatches have
passed between the two parties. These,
too, have been quietly interc pied, and
their translation will probably be re-
ceived within few days through the
private channels by which the present in
formation comes. Garduer, 1t seems, left
the service Of the government
IasE September. Prior to that
time ne had been employed In
Washington territory as Inspector OF
Customs. II he has been scting in collu-
sion with the opium smugeIers along the
Canadian border, it has not en- with the
concurrence # the Treasury Depar .ment
Captain Beecher has evidtntly exceeded
any authority he might have had in the
premises. TIE action Of the Senate in
rejecting CaptSin Beecber's nomination
as collector Of customs st Port 10 Wnsend
several years ego will, it is feared, be
justified by develc pments which are'hkely
to be made public in connection with this
matter.
TKxAs PENSIONS.
Special 10 the Gazette.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 2s.-The following
Texas pensions were issued to-day:
Mexican survivors; John A Buckholtz,
Bryan; Simpson P Compton, Canton.
MEXICAN Widows: Matilda. widow Of
Alfred Morris, Cameron; Msrgeret, wild
ow of Lewis a. Sweet, kyle; Martha,
widow of Reubin P. hyde, Dufiau; Sarah
E., widow of Willism d. Crouch, San
Au Justine; Harriet, widow Of William
NJ Rushing, Bremond; Mary E., widow
Of Thomas E. Therp, Dallas.