Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-02-06
CAPITOL TOPICA


THE GRAIN CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.
The House committee on election of Presi-
dent and Vice President had up for considera-
ton today the Grain proposition to amend the
Constitution so to change the date for the
inauguration of President and tor the meeting
OF Congress. The desirability of some such
change as that proposed was generally con-
coded, but no action was taken ON the resolu-
ton.
THE CLERKS BENEFICIAL ASSOCIATION.
There will be hearing by the committee on
revision of the laws Saturday on the PROPOSE
ton to establish departmental beneficial ASSOC
citation. involving the assessments upon the
clerks IN the departments for a mutual relief
fund. The measure was under discussion for a
short time In the committee today ard the
matter was laid aside until the hearings could
be had on Saturday.
AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENTS on THE FREE LIST.
Representative Fithian Ol) yesterday in
troduced in the House resolution instructing
the ways and means committee to report bill
at an early day placing all kinds Of agricul-
tural implements on the free list.
TO PATENT FRUITS AND FLOWERS
Representative Bum On. CO. has introduced
bill in the House providing that any person
who has invented or discovered any new and
useful plant, fruit or flower may patent the in
vention or discovery upon compliance with the
present patent law requirements. with the ex-
ception that the application shall be made to
the Secretary Of Agriculture instead of the
| commissioner of patents.
LIFE-sAvISG APPLIANCES.
The Senate committee on commerce has or
dered favorable report on the bill introduced
by Senator Sawyer to repeal certain sections OF
the revised statutes requiring vessels engaged
In inland water navigation to carry life-saving
projectiles and the appliances for propelling
| them.
THE WESTERN WATERWAYS.
Members of the delegation representing the
Western Waterways Association, vino made ar
guments before the House committee on rivers
and harbors yesterday, were to have appeared
| before the Senate committee on commerce this
morning, but through some misunderstanding
several members of the delegation did not pu,
in all appearance. The secretary. Mr.. John W.
Bryant was on hand and read memorial and
| number of resolutions that we're adopted al
deep waterway conventions, asking Con-
Sress to make additional appropriations for
the improvement of navigation and for
western waterways of the United States. He
filed with the committee the argument made
yesterday by Mr.. Miller before the House COM
mittee on rivers and harbors. Ii was ordered
to be printed
NO SURPLUS OF DOCUMENTS.
During the past TWO or three weeks ire
quent complaints have boon made by Senators
| and others that large quantities of valuable
documents and documents which have been
| issued to Senators who have no use for them
were rotting In the Senate basement Senator
Cockrell has been investigating the matter and
yesterday afternoon made n tour of the base
| ment. To STAR reporter who asked him
| what he found Senator Cockyell said there
| we're about thirty sacks of documents belong
| ing to individual Senators and a great many
| documents belonging to the Senate library
| all necessarily stored there. The rooms, how
| ever. were dry and the books were In excel
| lent condition. In no place did he find any
symptoms Of moisture decay. There was
nothing, therefore. in the statements that
Senator's had great surplus o. documents
| for which they had use, and it was also
| very certain that moisture and decomposition
could not be found in the places where they
had been alleged to exist.
The committee charged with tine investiga-
| ton into the basement and its condition con-
sisted of Senators Allen and Cockrell. They
were accompanied on their tour by Sergeant
alarms Valentine.