Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-02-16
CAPITOL TOPICS.

was introduced today by Senator Henderson.
me measure provides that the depar tment
snsL hereafter consist of the inspector general,
with the rank pay and emoluments of brigadier
general; three assistant inspector gen.
erals, to be colonies; three assistant
| inspectors general, to be lieutenant colonies,
and SIX assistant inspectors general to be
maJors. vacancies in the grade of colonel and
| lieutenant colonel shall be filed by promotion
| oy seniority Of officers now in the inspector
generals department.
TO REPEAL THE INTERSTATE COMMERCE LAW.
| CONGRESSMAN Morse Mass today introduced
In the House bill to repeal the interstate COM
merce law. and it was referred to tie commit
tee on commerce.
MAIL CLASSIFICATION.
| Inc House committee on post Offices today
heard arguments by Charles Z. Adams of
Lowell, Mass, Irwin Martin and Mr. King of
| New York and John d. Morton REPRESENTING
the associated board of trade of Boston,
in favor of amending the postal laws so
tious and unjust it dsesimna assea in Ss she
classification of third and fourth-class mail
matter. The speakers cited statistics to show
that the changes in law requested by them
| would result in an increase o: the postal reve-
nues, which now suffered from the competition
| of the express companies, and would facilitate
tho transaction Of business.
| THE WORLDS FAB.
| The appropriation committee Of the House
today provided for the conduct of the investi-
cation authorized by the House into the ex-
penditures made from the money appropriated
! by the government in aid Of the world s
| fai- project at Chicago. Chairman
Holman was authorized to designate
subcommittee TO make the investigation. He
said that on looking over the ground he had
come to the conclusion that it would be better
select the standing subcommittee whore
| business would be least iuterfered with by Civ
ing it charge of the work OF investigation than
| to interfere with the work of all the subcom-
| mittees by the selection OF special sub
committee. He named the subcommittee hav-
ing in charge tho District Of Columbia appro-
| pration bill as the one to make the inyes!iSa-
ton. The members Messrs. Dockery of
Missouri Compton OF Maryland. Breckinridge
| of Arkansas, Henderson of Iowa and Cogswcll
of Massachusetts. The subcommittee in
structed to prosecute no inquiry IN Washing
| ton and not to visit Chicago unless subse-
| quently authorized SO to do by the full
| committee. Il was also instructed TO inquire
| into and report to the full committee all the
/ tons. In other words the subcommittee is to
| sift the facts for the full committee.
The significance of this lies in the fact that
no authority is conferred to make any report
| as to whether or not the IS, 0O0, 600 which Chi
| cago wants Congress to appropriate for the fair
| should or should not be appropriated.
THE SWEATING SYSTEM.
The committee on manufactures met this
morning and assigned the investigation of the
sweating system" to a subcommittee, cousis .
| ing of John Dewitt Warner, chairman; NJ. ID.
Lag an, Sherman Hoar and Ezra b. Taylor.
| This subcommittee was authorized to pro-
coed with the investigation at once,
| and it Immediately. met and selected
Mr.. Hoar as its secretary, ordering him to ar
| and cnllatA the results of all other
vestigations in regard to the system and to
| correspond with all those manifesting an in
terest in the investigation. 1t is hoped by the
committee that those desiring to be heard in the
| matter will correspond with Mr.. Hoar, stating
| their convenience in regard to tie times at
which they would prefer to be heard and max
| ing full suggestions to the manner ia which
the investigations should be carried on.
The committee then can arrange for the
| hearings understandingly. 1t is expected that
| the committee will be ready to begin the hear
| ings on Saturday. February "a, and it is pro-
| posed to hold the investigations at Washing ton
| as far possible before going elsewhere to
! take testimony.
TO PURCHASE BULLION.
Representative Broderick of Kansas yester-
day introduced bill to amend section of the
act directing the purchase of silver bullion and
| the issue of treasury notes thereon, approved
July, 1880. The amendment directs the Secre-
time silver bullion to the aggregate amount of
G, 000. 600 ounces at the market price, not ex-
ceeding 81 for 1.25 grains of pure silver, and
to issue in payment treasury notes in such
denominations. not less than 81 nor more than
81 900. as he may describe. 1t is further pro-
vided that in making such purchases American
silver shall be preferred, and if at the close of
any month a sufficient amount of silver from
| the American product has not been offered and
purchased. the Secretary is directed to make
l h,,l1s
| to our domestic production, SO that the aggre-
gate purchases will amount to 5000, 900 ounces
for each month.
AGAINST RAILROAD PASSES.
A feature Of the bill introduced in the House
yesterday by Representative Davis of Kansas
prohibiting the use of railroad and other
passes and Of telegraph franks by members of
Congress and the Judiciary is a provision that
before any installmeut Of salary falling due to
any one OF the aforesaid official persons is paid
he shall certify that during the period for
which such installment OF salary is due he has
not travelled in the United States over any rail-
road, or by any Of certain specified public con-
veyances. nor transmitted messages by tele-
graph in the United States at less rates than
are paid by the general public for like service.
In case of failure to make such statement the
installment OF salary that would otherwise be
payable to him shall be forfeited and remain
forever unpaid.
Mr. WHEELER on PENSIONS.
Representative Wheeler of Alabama yester.
day introduced in the House a bill providing
that any soldier Of the late war, who is now or
may hereafter be placed on the pension rolls.
who did not engage in any battle nor incur
| any disability while in the service and who
served less than three years shall receive not
more than three-quarters Of the amount of
| pension now fixed by law. Any soldier who
| served less than two years shall receive not
more than one-half the pension fixed by law,
and any soldier who served less than one year
| shall receive not more than one-quarter the
pension fixed by law. A preamble to Mr..
Wheeler's bill recites that many soldiers of
| the late war, after q brief enlistment, during
which they performed no actual service and
left the United States army without mourning
| any disability whatever, are now drawing the
| same pensions as soldiers who served four
years, engagedin many battles and received
many wounds, from which they have continu-
| ously suffered.
DEMONSTRATIONS OF THE ARMY.
The reorganization of the artillery and in
fantry arms Of the army il the object Of the
bill reported yesterday by Senator Manderson.
| It is almost the same bill a. that passed last
session by the Senate. It gives the infantry
| the characterization formation and increases the
number OF artillery regiments from five to
seven. The bill has the hearty approval Of the
War Department, all army officers and Of the
Senate Committee on military affairs.