Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-02-15
CAPITOL GLEANINGS.
Nominations Confirmed - Committee
Meetings-NOtes.

Meettngs-NOtes.
The Senate in secret session has confirmed
the following nominations: Chss. Emory Smith,
minister to Russia; ]. Fenner Lee of Maryland,
secretary Of legation at Rio de Janeiro; Geo.
W. Irwin, marshal for Montana. A number Of
census supervisors and army officers (pro-
noted and the following postmasters: Iowa:
r. F. Sparks, Jefferson; W. R. Shriver, Winter
set; l.. B. Thornburg, Perry; II. H. Saunders,
Black Hawk. Kentucky: 6. NJ. Anderson,
Nicholasville. Michigan: A. A. Dorrance, Cold
water. Missouri ]. B. Campbell Lees Sum-
init; H. W. Koch, Palmyra; Ambrose Dunham On,
Mound City. New Hampshire: G. W. Weston,
Exeter. Tennessee: ]. b. Cullen. Humboldt;
A. j. Frazier, Greenville. Wisconsin: James
Driver, Darlington.
| TARIFF HEARING.
| n. NJ. Atwater Of Philadelphia argued before
the ways and means committee yesterday in
favor Of the retention of the present duty of
As per cent ad valorem on glass entering into
the manufacture OF chemical compounds.
Emile Ripper Of Pittsheld, Mass. also appeared
before the committee. He asked that legisla-
ton be enacted enabling alcohol used in the
manufacture Of celluloid TO be admitted free Of
| duty.
NATIONAL ROSTER OF GAR.
Senator Evarts yesterday introduced bill
authorizing the Secretary of the Interior to
purchase Ave thousand copies of the historical
book Of reference known as the national roster
OF the Grand Army of the Republic, for which
| the bill appropriates $4,000. The purpose of
| this purchase is for the distribution by Sena-
| tors and Representatives of one copy to each
| county library in the United States, 80 that it
may be accessible to all who wish to read it.
The bill provides that the roster shall contain
not less than 100000 names of ex-Union
| soldiers, sailors and marines and the book
must be approved by the Secretary of the In
| terror.
| THE NEEDS OF WEST POINT.
Col. John NJ. Wilson, the superintendent Of
the military academy, West Point, and Capt.
c. W. Williams, quartermaster at that post,
| were before the subcommittee on the military
academy OF the House committee on military
| affairs today. They spoke of the needs OF
West Point and asked for a liberal appropria-
| ton for the support Of the academy.
SECRETARY WINDOW ON THE SILVER QUESTION.
Chairman Conger Of the House committee on
| coinage, weights and measures has received q
letter from Secretary Window in reply to the
| resolution adopted by the committee request
ing him to address the committee on the silver
question. The Secretary signified his willing
| ness to do SO and, il agreeable to the commit
| tee. will submit his views on the question on
Wednesday next.
INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT BILL
The House judiciary committee has
unanimously decided to report to the
right bill to be prepared by Representa-
| tive Adams Of Illinois upon the basis of the
provisions OF the Breckenridge bill. The
| change will consist OF a Encouragement Of the
sections together with some unimportant
| amendments. The discussion in the committee
developed some opposition to the measure,
| but had not proceeded far enough to show def
nitely the extent or grounds of the adverse
sentiment when it was terminated by the
| unanimous agreementto report the bill with a
| reservation of the right Of members of the
committee to move to amend or to vote against
the bill III the House.
THE DEFICIENCT BILL.
The subcommittee on deficiencies Of the
House appropriation committee has begun
work on the urgent deficiency bill and expect to
have it ready to report to the House next week.
ATTORNEYS FEES VOTED TO PRESIDENT HARRISON.
bill passed the Senate yesterday appropri-
ating $4,000 to pay attorneys fees due Porter,
Harrison Fishback. The firm was one of the
leading ones in Indiana during its existence
ana there ID an interesting story in connection
with the bill. Toward the close Of the war
Gen. Hovey, now governor OF Indiana, then in
command Of the department. convened a mill
tary commission to try certain members of the
Knights of the Golden Circle A number OF
years afterward Lambden P. Milligan, one of the
persons convicted by the commission, bought
suit In the United States court against Gen
HOvey and the members of the commission for
damage7. The case was prosecuted for the
plaintiff by the late Vice President Hendricks,
and by direction OF the Secretary of War and
the judge advocate general the firm Of Porter
Harrison Fishbsck was retained to defend
the members OF the commission. Mr. Harri-
son, now President Harrison, did most of the
work in the case for the defense and the bill
passed today is to remunerate the members of
the firm for its services at that time.
PENSION BILLS PASSED.
Two pension bills Of importance passed the
Senate yesterday. The first repeats the Sec
tons Of the Revised Statutes which REQUIRE
that the claim for pension by a state militia
man, for disability incurred while temporarily
on duty. must be filed before july T. 1874
The other provides that oaths required in pen
sion or bounty cases may be taken before any
officer authorized to administer oaths for ken-
eral purposes.
OVER TWENTY MILLION DOLLARS PENSION DE-
FICIENCY.
The largest item in the urgency deficiency
bill now being prepared by the House commit
tee on appropriations will be about e21, 500, 900
on account Of pensions. This large deficiency
however, uoeS not luulcate Sucn II great Ill
crease in expenditures for pensions as would
seem to BIO apparent Oh the face Of the state
ment. the expenditures for the year ending
July next being, with this deficiency appro-
priation included, about S97 ,0OO,O 900 against
S95, 600, 900 last year. After the appropriation
for pensions for the present fiscal year,
had been made on the basis Of the regular ap-
preparation for the previous year it was found
necessary to make a deficiency appropriation
of about o., DOC, 900 foz the previous year Sub
| sequently 1t was found that even with this de-
| ficiency appropriation the expenditures would
exceed the appropriation, and the commits
sioner of pensions, waiting until after the pres
ent fiscal year had begun, drew on the appro-
priation for the fiscal year now running for al
most 81 .000, 900 to pay pension claims accruing
during the previous year. the effect being
| really to lessen the appropriation for the pres
ent fiscal year by an amount approximating
100000.
COAST DEFENsES.
The Senate committee on coast defenses had
before it yesterday Gen. Miles, commander of
the division Of the Pacific, and Gen. Benet,
chief of ordnance, who gave their views upon
some matters in connection with the subject of
coast defenses. Gen. Miles said that the ports
of Puget Sound, the mouth of the Columbia
river, San Francisco and San Diego ought to
be protected. He said that the recommends
tons OF the board OF Notifications and other
defenses, il carried out, would be sufficient
One of the recommendations Of the board was
that gun factory should be established on the
Pacific coast Gen. Benet gave the committee
figures on the cost of transportation to the
Pacific coast by land and water routes and said
the establishment of foundry fhara