The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-04-20
Ehe OTTAWA .Gres Grader.
Current Events.


the correctness of their property list.
The bill providing that half the mem
bers of Boards of Supervisors in counties
under township organization be elected
each year for terms of two years, In order
that but half of the members OF such
Boards shall retire every year.
The bill providing that when defend
ant in bastardy case shall be sent to jail
for refusing to comply withthe orders oil
the court, ne shall not be released on ac'
count of insolvency within one year was
passed by unanimous vote.
The senate committee are at work on the
Chicago drainage bill, and one amendment
will probably be by Subway requiring
the removal of all dams before the actual
use of the river AS a sewer Is cOnsummated
Another amendment is one offered hy Peo-
ria, which will probably be made a section
of the bill, II having been agreed 10 by the
friends of the bill. II provides that when
the channel is completed the trustees shall
report the fact 10 the governor, who shall
thereupon Immediately appoint three quail
flied and discreet persons rs commissioners,
one living at Joliet, or between that city
and La Sale, the second living at La Sale
or between there and Peoria, and the thiId
living AT Peoria, or between Peoria and the
mouth of the river. These three commits
sioners, within ten days after being APP
pointed. shall meet at Chicago and select
and employ competent civil engineer,
who, together with the three commission
ers, shall make q thorough examination OF
the excavation to see if il has been proper.
ly and durably constructed and If all the
In ha .f for fro pMpgtrDgf ion
have been compiled with. No water is 10
be let into the channel until the commits
siOners shall have certified that the said
channel has been properly constructed in
compliance with the law. If the channel
has not been so constructed the commits
sioners are directed 10 Immediately file a
bill of injunction TO restrain the officers of
the drainage district from turning water or
sewage into said channel until permitted 10
do so by further order Of the court. The
fight against the entire bill is still continu
ed, the Register of Springfield being most
persistent In its attacks on the bill.
On Thursday the house passed the Mer-
lit antitrust by vote of 113 ayes, Is nays
Ross of La Sale said "If the bill passes
and becomes law the State Of Illinois
will have to purchase additional land on
which to build jails for its prisoners"
On Tuesday the Jones election bill pro-
yiding for simplified form of the Aus
tralian system of voting was passed by the
senate.
The important appointments of the week
are those Of Col. Sexton as postmaster of
Chicago, and Robert L. Porter rs superin.
tpndent of the census of 1890
The latter Is one OF the most radical
protectionists of the country man who
has twisted more figures In the interests of
the protection system than any man in the
country, perhaps. He is noted specially
as a writer on protection for syndicates of
protectionist papers as well as
editor of the New York Press. II Is to be
regretted that man less radical was not
appointed for the purpose of conducting
the census, for, without questioning Mr.
Porter's intent 10 deal fairly, his educa-
ton and the radical nature Of his views on
the great topic of war tariff, necessarily,
to a grea. extent, units him for the CON
duct Of an examination, though the census,
of a question which has so weighty import
10 the American people.
The civil service law as applicable TO
railway mail clerks will go inro effect on
May 1st, having been postponed from
March 18th, the original date fixed The
New York HeraM says IL delegation of |
congressman waited on the President on
Tuesday, asking him to still further post
pcne the change, but he replied II could |
not be done. IL Is rather short notice to
give the horde of applicants for such posi-
ions; but II the law Is enforced as II should |
be- the service will be improved for all
line by the application of the civil service
Jules. The position of railway mail clerk
IS profession in itself 1t requires years
for clerks on important routes to become
Experts, and they should be protected from
arbitrary changes at the end of every four
years; for, after all, 1t makes little differ
nee what party Is in power, democratic or
'epublican the friends of the new presi'
lent, under the old regime, absorb the
places by eusting the friends of the old.
The Oklahoma lands will be opened for |
ettlement at noon on Monday; but the |
nan who gets home must needs be a man
# sand and a dead shot with revolver
n Winchester. The entire territory opened |
o settlement contains about 800 square |
ections of lands, for which not less then |
5000 claimants will be on the ground. AT |
his time not less than $4,000 people are
ncamped on the border waiting for Mon
ay noon to begin moving, while special
rains on the Rock Island and Santa Fe
outes from as far east rs Chicago will land
undreds of more men NJ the border At
oon Monday, All the men are heavily
rmed, without exception, --nominally be-
ause the country Is said TO be alive with
anne from plover TO bear; but the boomers
xpect they may need them for other pur-
Oses and are "loaded tor bear" as the
mallest game. The claw" will be furn-
-hed, as prominent Kansas boomer says,
y the Oaklahoma League; ana he further
dded "Any man who locates desirable
md will have TO do 1t through this league,
r with the leagues consent It's mem.
ers selected their lands Is years ago, and
hey now intend TO keep them. They will
efend each others claims and make any
IAN suffer who interferes. Many have
we'd In the territory and on the border for
ears, and have organized 80 well that no
lan OF body of men can afford to run
gainst them. They reach every part of
he territory, and the newcomer must
acknowledge their supremacy and join the
eague, or suffer such punishment as they
lay see iii TO mete out In the absence of
Iyil power they rulen Anothar rnan,wbn | !