Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1889-12-26
NEWS SUMMARY.
BILLS BY THE BUSHEL.
Nearly Eleven Hundred Introduced
in the House in One Day.
Matters of General Interest.

troduced in the house, many OF them be-
ing duplicates, il not in language, at least
in the subject matter OF their provisions.
A dozen or more had reference TO tao
Blair educational bill, and the silver men
came forward with no less than twenty
for the free coinage of silver. Every mem
Der from the tobacco-growing states was
armed with "A bill asking for the repeal OF
the tobacco tax, while many were even
more determined and asked for the total
abolition of the internal revenue system.
In this food of bills Michigan men rode
on the crest of the waves. Gen. Cutcheon
had his pocket full of military bills. Could
the General have his way he would relieve
the regular army of super1uous officers by
sending from the limited to the unlimited
retired list all officers who have reached
the ago Of u. He would also have the Of
flee Of assistant secretary OF war
created Indian lighters; entitled
naval museum at Washington. He wants
all mon who enlisted in 1912, and who
were promoted or discharged for sickness
contracted in the service, to have the re-
manning S75 Of their bounty, and thinks
there is great need Of modifying the pen
sion laws, and that the bills he has intro
duced will bring about al these changes.
Representative Allen believes that when
q soldier underwent a medical examination
at the time of his enlistment and served 70
days that should be primd tdc,e evidence
that he was physically sound when he en-
listed, and be taken Tor granted upon his
application for pension, and his bill is in
tended TO make it so.
Mr.. Brewer was on hand with a score Of
private bills, ard presented bill
asking for one cent post lge, a committee
on the alcoholic liquor traffic, four years
q NAl tor
etc. and a provision for the relief Of the
Michigan military academy for loss or gov
eminent arms by fire.
Representative Allen has introduced
very important pension measure. ltmskes
the fact OF enlistment and service for 90
days afterwGrd conclusive proof as the
physical soundEess OF a soldier at the time
OF enlistment.
The list presented by Representative
Bliss embraces a number OF private bills
~ allow re-rating IN certain pension cuses,
and TO correct certain irregularities in the
pension laws.
O'Donnell's offering consisted almost OK
clusiVely Of private pension bills, and
petition from the commercial travellers OF
Michigan for al amendment TO the inter-
state commerce law.
Congress has been authorized TO offer a
reward OF 5000 for the arrest OF Silcott,
the absconding cashier.
Representative Chapman has introduced
his bill providing for the construction Of a
high bridge across the Detroit river.
The special house committee investigat-
ing the Sicott defalcation has agreed upon
report by the terms OF which an appropri-
alton will be asked to make good the losses
sustained by the members OF the house.
The senate has confirmed determinations
OF David j. Brewer Of Kansas, associate
Judge OF the supreme court; William Wal
ter Phelps minister TO Germany; Thomas
Anderson Of Ohio, minister to Bolivia:
Fred Douglass, minister to Hayti; A. Lou
don Snowden Of Pennsylvania, minister TO
Greece; Warner Il. sutton of Michigan,
consul general at Nuevo Laredo.
The committee appointed TO investigate
the condition of affairs in the office OF the
sergeant alarms in general, and Silcott 8
rascalties in particular, is hard at work.
Considerable testimony has already been
taken, and that of a very damaging charac-
ter.
The notes which Silcott is accused of
having forged and afterwards taken up at
30, the sums named in them aggregating
about $4,000.
The status of the sergeat t-arms is
stumbling block of no mean proportions to
thorough examination. One member OF
the committee says that fit is decided that
the sergeant-at-arms IS dlsbursing officer,
then serious question at once arises as to
how the individual deposits and accumu-
lated aalaring of the tn no a.
garded while If it is held that the ser.
geant- ut arms Is not disbursing officer,
then the extent OF his agency and other
vexatious Ques ions must be at once set
tied. The developments already made
show an astonishing looseness in the finan-
cial transactions OF tho ONCE. The testi-
mony already taken by the committee
shows that Leedom simply neglected the
financial affairs Of the Office, leaving every
thing TO Silcott. The evidence shows that
Mr.. Leodom neglected 10 count his cash
and attend to the financial affairs of the
Office. He is severely criticised for this,
and for the practice he had OF allowing
members to discount notes on their salaries
before they were due, and IN many cases
allowing members to overdraw their sal
aries.
Is is also alleged that both Leedom
and Silcott were fond Of attending the races
habit OF his cashier and OF the fast life he
was leading
1t is indefinite when the committee will
finish the work. II Is proposed by the
committee that the matter be sent 10 the
Court OF Claims for adjustment, and that
the action Of the house in the matter of no.
imbursing the members be guided by the
decision of tho court, and this course may
be adopted as the most expeditions way Of
settling the matter
Supt. Porter will spend about week in
New York and Philadelphia, where the
special agents in charge of the collection
of statistics relative TO manufA ctures and
other matters have their headquarters, and
the Michigan appointment will not be made
until after his return.
The Mexican government refuses TO
recognize Eugene F'eicht, formerly Of Port
Huron, as United States consul at Pedras
Negras, and his appointment must there
fore be withdrawn. Senators Stockbridge
and Mcmillan called at the state depart
ment the other day, and recommended Col.
McCleary of Flint for the position. The
salary is $1,000 per annum.
Samuel II. Row of Lansing and John III.
Damon of Millington both think that the