Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-04-01
C0NGRESSMEN REJOICE,
Representatives Will Receive Salaries
Embezzled by silcoft-0bseryntories
Kicking for Solar Time-Caitle to Be
Removed From Indian Lands.

Embezzled by silcott-Obseryntorie
Kicking for Solar Time-Cattle to Be
Removed From Indian Lands.
rFRoM STAFF CORRESPONDENT?
WASHINGTON. March 81 Representative
Grain, the brilliant young member of the
House of Representatives, has the distinction
of starting the rolling of the ball which will
gather for them the losses of all the members
by the robbery of Cashier SIlcott. of the office
of the Sergeant at Arms of the House. not
withstanding the profound views ofsome of the
ablest lawyers of the House that the Sergeant
at Arms is not disbursing officer of the Gov
ernment, but mere agent of the members of
the House.
Mr. Grain promptly filed his claim for reim-
bursement in the Court of Claims. having faith
that the imposing array of claimants. il moth
ing more, would induce the Court of Claims to
interpret the law literally in their favor. That
he was not mistaken in his analysis of human
nature on that distinguished bench was shown
by decision rendered in his favor this morn
ing. A mountain of other claims were scaled
and passed to reach this case an6 1t received
prompt decision. All of the members, by this
opinion of Judge Davis will be able to speedily
get thelr money which many thought and still
think was legally lost, and way will now
probably be found to get from the vaults of the
Treasury nearly $50 000 taken from the safe of
the Sergeant at Arms and deposited for safe
keeping, but which. once in, seemed destined
to stay unless 1t were decided that the Sergeant
at Arms Is disbursing officer. Under this de-
clsion, moreover, the bondsmen of Sergeant
at Arms Leedom can be proceeded against and
made to dlsgorge the amount of their security,
Plea for Time.
T. IRIEvoUs complaints have been received
from various observatories throughout
the country against the Naval Observatory on
account of the latter giving the daily solar
time to the Western Union Telegraph, which,
in turn, furnishes it for consideration to watch
makers and others wanting exact time, thus
taking the business and its profits from the
complaining observatorles.
An attache of the Naval Observatory to-day
explained the matter as follows: This fight
has been brewing for some time, and will prob
ably cause quite row before it is concluded.
The observatory has for 20 years past given the
time signals to anyone who had a wire running
to the main clock The " Western Union Com
pany is the only one that has wire now. and
1t accordingly has monopoly of the service,
but simply because they are the sole possessors
of wire. The same thing would be given to
anyone else. The observatory derives no bene-
fit whatever from the connection with the
company, and simply follows an established
custom. The trouble is that the Western
Union has made a combination with a COM
pany, and is virtually freezing out the small
obseryatories that derive considerable income
by time services. The howl is from them"
Indians Cannot Leave Their Lands.
THE Commissioner of Indian Affairs, in ac-
cordance with instructions Of the Sec
retary of the Interior, has issued a notice to
all whom it may concern. whether white men
orsIndians, that all cattle and other live stock
held on any Indian land in the Indian Terri
tory, under any pretended contract or other
arrangement with the Indians for the use and
occupation of any part or portion of any Indian
lands for grazing purposes, must be removed
therefrom not later than October l, 1890, and SO
much sooner as any special circumstances af-
fecting said lands or concerning any of said
cattle may make such removal necessary. This
notice is based upon an opinion of the Attor
ney General. who has held that in the absence
OF some law therefor, derived from either a
treaty or statutory provision, Indian tribes can
not lease their reservations.
The effect of this notice, in conjunction with
the Presidents proclamation of February IL.
$780, will be the removal of all cattle from every
part of the Indian Territory by October next,
whether on unexpired leases or not. The In
dian agents located within the Territory are
instructed to see that this notice is observed
and enforced.