Omaha daily bee., 1889-09-24
FRED DOUGLASS INSULTED.
Travelling Accommodations Re-
fused Him in the South.
UNCLE SAM TO THE RESCUE.
The Dispatch Will Garry Him to Nor
folk-More Pension Commis-
sioner Talk-An Interest,"
ing Land Decision.
WAsHrNGroN BUREAU THE OMAHA BEE,
ria EpuuTrrNTu STREET

WASHINGTON, ID. q, sept. %. J
No surprise was created in Washington
when IL was learned here to-day that the
Hon. Fred. Douglas, our new minister to
Hayti was experiencing some discontinue
from iudignities at the hands of steamboat
and railroad men in getting to Norfolk, Va,
whence he sails on next Saturday on the
United States man-of-war Osspee for Port
au-Prince.
For many years colored men have been re-
fused staterooms on the Potomac & Chesa-
peake Bay steam boats, and have been con-
signed to "Jim Crow couches on the rail-
roads south of the national capital.
1t was nothing unusual, therefore, to learn
that even a man of Fred Douglass standing
before the world could not get first class ac-
commodations on n steamboat going south,
because his skin was black. The civil
rights law is not enforced there, either
through the lndisposition of the authorities,
or because 1t is not possible to make case
in court on account of the unwillingness of
witnesses to testify to the truth. Mr., Doug
las would not care, personally, If he were
compelled to sleep on a lounge through one
night going down the Potomac to Norfolk. or
to ride in a smoking car six hours IL he went
by rail, but he saw that the fact would be
caught up by the press and be
heralded to Hayti and that he would not be
received at his post of duty with the same
respect that he would if ho were respectfully
treated in his own country. The depart
meut heard of Mr.. Douglass predicament to-
day and relieved him by having the United
States ship Dispatch ordered here to carry
hin to Norfolk.
THE PENSION CoMMISSIoNERsHIP.
The vacant tommissionership of pensions
received some more comment today in the use
Of n Rnnrnspntatiyp n
Kansas and General Nathan Goff of West
Virginia for the position. The dispatches
from Kansas to-day announced that Mr..
Morrill,, who has stood at the head of the
republican side of the house committee on
invalid pensions during the past six years
and who is unanimously accorded the chair
manshlp Of that committee in the Fifty-tirst
congress, was asked by his colleague,
Representative Anderson, to consider the
question of accepting the commlssionershlp
and that he promptly declined. The friends
of Morrill, say that it Is altogether out of the
question for him to take the place, as he
secured his reelection to congress by
acclamatlon, and has climbed up to q posi-
tion in the house which takes first rank
This is for him much more pleasant than any
position within the gift of the government,
requiring manual as well as mental labor.
General Goff is now in Washington, and
when asked by your correspondent this
afternoon if he would accept the commits
sionershlp of pensions if it were
rendered to him, replied ~ would
not accept an appointment of any kind while
my title to the governorship of West Vir-
ginia IS in dispute. was fairly elected, and
although the men who made up the returns,
and the legislature have counted me out,
believe will yet win. l have no taste for a
position like that of the commissonership of
pensions ana even though / had not the gov
ernorship on hand l could not consider
proposition to accept the position if it were
rendered to me. l have no idea that 1 will
be asked to accept the place, and am sure
that could not be induced to accept It,"
AN INTERESTING LAND DECISION.
Secretary Noble made decision in Min
nesota land case to-day which established a
precedent of great interest to settlers on the
public domain His decision is to the effect
that where settler locates on railroad land
before the definite charts and maps of the
railroad company setting forth its entries,
reach the general land office and he re-
linqushes his claim to the land for any
reason whatever, even on the advice of the
local land Office, he cannot again renew the
claim or have his entry transmitted In other
words, the settler must pursue his claim and
take an appeal from the local TO the general
land Office in order TO succeed. A number of
decisions have been rendered by local land
Offices giving priority TO railroads in locating
their lands and shutting OUT claims of set
lers, which the secretary declares erroneous.
ROOSEVELT RETURNS.
Civil Service Commissioner Roosevelt re-
turned To-day from bear hunt in Montana
and visit to his ranch in North Dakota.
Concerning the political outlook in these
two territories he SAID, this afternoons 81
am confident that Carter will be elected to
congress in Montana by good round major
ity, and | think that we have at least an even
chance for the entire state ticket and legis-
lature. | know nothing of my candidacy for
the United States senate in North Dakota
except what have seen in the newspapers. /
don't know how the report got started, and
take no interest in 1t whatever"
MISCELLANEOUS.
1t was stated at the war department to-day
that no action would be taken on the court
martial finding in the Fletcher case until
President Harrison returns.
The appointment of Lieutenant Calkins to
be storekeeper for Nebraska was announced
by the commissioner of internal revenue.
Mccarthy & Baldwin, OF this city, have
been awarded the contract for placing
screens in the government building ut
Ottumwa la. They are to receive S2,0l6
Secretary Blaine will be liz Washington
during the latter part of this week. Soon
after he gets settled in his quarters at the
Normandie house he will open the social
season by giving dinner to the diplomatic
corps. II is probable that the event will
take place some time during the first ten
days of October.
Several members Of the cabinet will attend
the wedding of Emmons Blaine and Miss
Mccormick, the Chicago helress, at Richfield
Springs, N. Y, on Thursday of this week.
PERRY S. HEATH.