The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-08-18

! what to do abont the law. They have had an
opinion from the District Attorney, to whom
they have to look for such things. He thought
| it hard lines to turn an executive officer loose
in an unknown sea without even the danger
line marked. "Wo don't want to lay ourselves
liable to fine and Imprisonment. and can't
| afford to stop the public work. The law leaves
us in predicament. Solicitor. General Aid
rich, OF the Department of Justice, is preparing
an opinion in regard to the application of tho
| provisions of the eight-hour law in the public
service"
| The Governments of Chile and the United
States have agreed definitely upon . Claims
| Commission to meet. in Washington to settle
the long pending claims of citizens of the
| United States against tho gritty little South
| American Republic with whom we came so
! near having rumpus q year ago. This action
| is the result of negotiations between our
Minister, Mr.. Egan, acting under instructions
of the Department of State, and the admins
tration now at the head of Chilean affairs.
Last week Secretary of State Foster received
dispatch from Minister Egan, which conveyed
the intelligence that a satisfactory agreement
had been reached. This announcement was
received with satisfaction at the State Depart
ment and will be source of great qualification
to many citizens of the United States who have
been endeavoring for many years to get repara-
ton for losses inflicted upon them in the con-
duct of their commercial enterprises by the
Government of Chile. It is learned at the
State Department that some Of these claims are
over 80 years old, many Of the original claim
ants being now dead, leaving the task of OBJ
tanning redress to their executors. Most of the
claims, however, grew out of the war between
Chile and Peru, which took place some II years
ago, which resulted in losses to the citizens Of
several Nations. All these claims have been
satisfied except those of the citizens of the
United States, but it will not be long now un-
til the claimants who are American citizens
will be fully paid.
Col. Morrow, Of the Executive subdivision
of Secretary of the Senate McCook's Office,
said recently that in the matter of nomina-
tions and combinations the Senate record dur
ing the session just closed has been unpreco-
dcnted." Never since the Colonel has been
o"Pioy GU ~ VIC Napltoi mas tncTt Ue6u sO low
as three men failed of confirmation, and never
was there session during which some name
was not rejected This all goes to show that
President Harrison has been exceedingly caro-
full in making appointments, and that the
Senate was fully satisfied Of that fact. The
three men who were nominated and not con-
firmed were George w. Miller, who desired to
be Collector of Internal Revenue for the 23d
District of Pennsylvania James Hill, q colored
man, who wished to be Postmaster at Vicks-
burg, Miss, and Edward J. Day, Of Monett,
Mo-, who also was nominated for Postmaster of
his town. 1t is said that Senator Quay pre-
vented Mr. Miler's confirmation, and that ex-
Senator blanche X. Bruce, of Mississippi, at
present Recorder of Deeds of the District Of
olumsia, is the stumbling block in the way
of Jim " Hill. These two negroes are rivals
for the Republican leadership of Mississippi.
Mr. Days confirmation was held up because of
tronble that gentleman had with o Missouri
Grand Jury. Day claims that he is a much.
prosecuted man, but until the courts of tho
State are through with the difficulty in which
he plays prominent part, Mr.. Day will not be
allowed to officially read postal cards or sell
postage stamps
~
William B. McCreery. q. 8. Consul at Val
paraiso, Chile, is reported by tho State Depart
ment to be On his way home on leave of alb
sence. There are charges on fIe ut the De-
partment against Mr.. McCreery which are to
the effect that he used official information of
the United States Legation and Consuls to
speculate in foreign exchange during the most
critical time of the Chilean revolution. These
charges also involve u. s. Minister Egau. As
sistant Secretary Wharton, of the Department
of State, says that these charges were made by
Representative Breckinridge OF Kentucky, and
others, and that they will be Investigated a.
soon as Mr.. McCresry arrives in Washington
where he has been ordered to report. Mr.
Wharton said he was not in . position to say
what the Department would do in the matter,
other than that the charges would be thor
oughly sifted and tho bottom facts obtained.
There is also in this connection q rigid exam
inaton going on at the Navy Department. to
ascertain the exact facts with regard to the
part played by Admiral Brown, Of the u. s.
Navy, and his Flag Lieutenant, George L.
Dyer, in the Quinteros affair. The charge
that Admiral Brown gave the Intendente of
Valparaiso information AZ to the landing of
the insurgents at Quinteros Bay was made at
the time, but was emphatically denied by the
Admiral in a written report to the Navy De-
partment. Lieut.. Dyer sent dispatches con-
corning this landing to New York papers at tho
time. Admiral Brown has been called upon
for an additional report of this affair by Secre-
tary Tracy, and it is expected at the Depart
ment in short time.
The designs for tho souvenir halfdollars
provided for in the appropriation of 81, 100000
for the Worlds Fair, have been selected, and
it is expected that their coinage will be COM
menced within the next month. The coin will
show on it's diverse the head of Columbus
while on the reverse will be tho main building
of the Columbian Exposition. The design for
the head of Columbus was made by U. g. J.
Dunbar. young sculptor Of Washington. It
is copied from portrait of Columbus which IL
recognized as being as nearly authentic as any
now in existence.
One of the novel features proposed for the
Reunion of the Naval Veterans at the coming
National Encampment of the Grand Army Of
the Republic. was decided upon at a meeting of