Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-01-09
CAPITOL GLEANINGs.
Nominations Confirmed diplomatic Appro-
priAtion Rlllr-Contasts. Etc.

Nominations Observation-Disclosures Appro-
priation Bill--Contests. Etc.
The diplomatic and consular appropriation
bill, approved by the House committee on for
| eign affairs yesterday, carries appropriations
aggregating $1,6sHe26, or $40. $50 less than the
appropriations for the same purposes for the
present fiscal year. Sixteen consuls who have
hcrctofore received annual fees amounting to
al .S7s arc transferred by tho bill to the sala-
ried list aud &3l,o0o ia appropriated to pay
them.
THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER IMlalovEMENzs
Capt. Kingmsn. member Of the Mississippi
river board. addrcssod the House committee
on the improvement Of the Mississippi yester-
day, speaking IN favor of complete levce sys-
tenn and against tho Lake Bowen outlet project.
Capt. Taylor. also member Of the board, adj
dressed the committee today.
SAYS THE LETTER Is FORGERY.
Representative Turner, when asked about
the published letter purporting to have been
written by him offering to give $4,000 to Mr..
McGarth in the event Of his (Turner's) election
to succeed Senator Ingalls, said: ''The letter re-
ferrod TO is a forgery pure and simple, am
inclined to think written from here by a disap-
pointed office seeker. who planned to throw
the letter into the camp of the enemy, knowing
that it would be published. He had access to
my Office in my absence as well as when present.
trace ii down"
MEDALS FROM THE KING OF SWEDEN.
The House committee on foreign affairs has
authorized favorable report on the bill, in
troduced in the House by Mr.. Hit of Illinois,
authorizing the State Department To deliver to
tho officers and crew Of tho United States
steamer Baltimore certain medals from the
King Of Sweden and Norway, designed as
presents for the purpose Of commemorating the
1.-n l. a. -
ing back to his native country the remains Of
Captain John Ericsson.
sUELErTISo OF MAIL CONTRACTS.
The Speaker laid before the House yesterday
letter from the Postmaster General replying
to the House resolution in reference to alleged
inefficient mail service in rural districts at
tributed to the subletting Of mail contracts.
The Postmaster General says the subletting of
contracts Is authorized by an act of Congress.
The advisability of modifying the law as to
prohibit subletting, he says, has received con-
methods have been recommended by those adj
vocating changes: First, 10 prohibit subletting
altogether, and second, requiring the approval
OF bidders snreties by postmasters at post Of
fees upon or contiguous to the routes to which
the proposals relate. He saws the department
prefers continuing, for time at least. to test
its ability to advance the star branch of the
mail service by a most rigid enforcement of ey-
isting regulations rather than by the renewal
of q recommendation for the enactment of new
statutes.
NOMINATIONS AND COMBINATIONS. e
The President late yesterday afternoon sent
to the Senate the nomination of Samuel C.
Mills to be justice Of the peace for the District
OF Columbia; also a large number Of postmas-
tiers, including the following in Virginia:
Thompson s. Brown. Waynesborough.
The Senate yesterday confirmed the following
nomination: Matte b. Todd, postmaster at
ninth cavalry, John A. Baldwin ninth infantry,
Marion P. Maus first infantry, Frederick A.
Smith twelfth infantry Thos. G. Woodbury.,
reginental quartermsster, sixteenth infantry,
Il. LeR. Brown, eleventh infantry, and Horace
H. Sarson. regimental quartermaster. second in
fantry, to be captains. second Lieuts. Vim. H.
Baldwin, seventh cavalry, Herbert G.. Squiers,
seventh cavalry, and VIM. N. Hughes, thirteenth
infantry. to be first lieutenants: Lieut.. Col.
Anthony Heger, surgeon, to be surgeon and
colonel; Maj. Geo. N. Sternberg. surgeon to
be surgeon and lieutenant colonel; J.. N. Will
liams. late captain eighth cavalry, to be cap
tain of cavalry.
TIE House committee on elections will en-
deavor next Tuesday TO dispose Of the con-
tested election case of Eaton against Phelan
from Tennessee. There may be some diff
Guilty In securing q quorum Of the committee.
Before the holidays the democratic members
OF the committee prevented action on the case
by absenting themselves, leaving the commit
tee without a quorum. Four contested cleo
ton cases are now on the House calendar
awaiting the action of the House. Two of them
have been decided by the committee in favor
OF the republican contestants and the other
two In favor OF the democratic contestees.