The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1890-12-05
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WAsHISGToN, d. c., Dec.

WASHINGTON, ID. o., Dec. l.
Editor Free Press:
The Senate will probably resume con-
sideration of the bill providing for the
transfer of the Revenue Marine Service
to the Navy Department which is the
pending morning hour business In the
House the pension appropriation bill
will be reported at once by the commit
tee on appropriations are pushed to
final disposition. 1t is possible that an
urgent deficiency bill" covering the
deficits In the current years appropria-
lions for the census and other bureaus
may also De presented to the House
during the week. If any time remains
undisposed of the committee on rules
will allot it to committees in charge OF
such important pending measures as the
majority may determine to give preced
ence.
The new reapportionment bill which
it is proposed to make law, will leave
the representation of the New England
states unaltereG. Ohio and Virginia,
however, will each loose one member,
Alabama, California, Colorado, Michi-
gan. Missouri, New Jersey, Oregon,
Texas, Washington and Wisconsin will
each gain one member. Arkansas, Illi-
nois, Kansas and Pennsylvania will each
gain two members, and Minnesota aad
Nebraska will each gain three members
If this bill becomes law the MEMBER
ship of the House of Representatives
will be increased by twenty-four, MAX
ing it's entire list 1854 There will be
only one member in the lower House
for 1S0, 900 citizens ofage to vote in the
country. A state to be entitled to two
representatives must have at least $780,
900 inhabitants, and SO on proportion
ally. This is a great change within 100
years. If the number of voters requir-
ed to make member was the same
now as a century ago, there would be
about LOO Representatives in Congress
at the present time. A body of such
proportions would be an unmanageable
mob, such as even Speaker Reed could
not control. Therefore, to prevent the
House from becoming overgrnwn, after
each census a fresh apportionment is
made, the constituency requisite grow
ing steadily larger and larger.
The Pension appropriation bill for the
next fiscal year was aged upon Satur-
day by the subcommittee. 1t appro-
pirates the full amount estimated as
necessary by the Commissioner of Pen
sions, except that the estimates for clerk
hire at Pension Agencies, and for fuel
and lights, are cut down approximately
100000 in the aggregate, so that the ap-
preparation for these purposes is about
500, 900 instead of 100000 in excess of
that for the current fiscal year. For
the payment of pensions 1913, Ia, OS5 is
and for examining sur
geons $1,50O,0O0 over the current fiscal
year.
In order to meet, as far as possible,
the present demand for notes of small
Secretary Window has
decided TO issue $40, S., and 81 Treasury
notes in exchange for Treasury notes of
larger denominations. Owing to limited
time to prepare for the execution of the
silver bill, it was found necessary at first
to confne the issue of notes authorized
by that act to notes of large denomina-
ton. The consequence is that nearly
all the notes now in circulation through
silver purchases are of the denomlna-
ton of 800 and 81 900, principally the
latter. They aggregate about $18,O00,-
600. The United States Treasurer has
now on hand about $20,00OOOO in one,
five, and ten dollar treasury notes, and
the Secretary has directed that they be
exchanged for the larger notes on pre-
sentation.
1t is estimated at the Treasury De-
partment that the public debt statement
to be issued to-day will show an increase
in the public debt for November of ST.
5000. The Treasury Department
under its circular of October 9
redeemed $4,000 Al per cent. bonds,
making the total redemption to date
sc, OS1 900.
It looks now as if close relations with
all South America will be established
and good deal of its lost trade recov-
cred, from the fact that Secretary Blaine
has been in close conference with the
most influential ministers of the Span
ish American republics, and is euthusi-
astic at the idea of taking steps to pro-
mote closer relations with South Amer
lea. The reciprocity party which is
springing up here is winning accessions
every day.
The supplementary social season was
opened at the White House
on Friday night last with the reception
to the officers of the Brazilian war ships
now in our ports. The winter here will
be one of unusual brilllan-
cy as the official program of three state
and three large evening card
receptions, and the reception on New
Years day, must be compressed within
4 space of six weeks. Ash Wednesday
falls on February IL next year, and will
make the season unusually brief.