Omaha daily bee., 1892-02-29
Senators and Representatives Anxious to
Investigate any Subject.
PRESENT WORK IN THIS DIRECTION
Southern Statesmen Desire to Understand
the Depressed Condition of the Cotton
Markct-Alieged Crusade to Begin
Against Free Passes.
WASHINGTON BUREAU OF tbs Bee,
5l3 FOURTEENTH STREET,
WAsnINaToy, ID. g.. Fob. 90.

gress can legislate anything out OF existence
from yellow fever TO surplus OF manufao-
lures. Probably the most unique proposition
for an investigation comes from Senator
George of Mississippi, who introduced bill
and 1t has becn reported from the committee
on agriculture and forestry, providing that
one or more subcommittee OF The senate be
authorized to investigate by ovcry prac-
ticable method, and report from time to time
to the senate, the cause OF the present low
price of cotton, and the cause of the de-
pressed condition of agriculture in the states
raising cotton; and also into the remedies
and report by bill or otherwise.
Representative Kyle has introduced joint
resolution which has been referred to the
house committee on education and labor, ask
ing that the commissioner of labor shall be
directed ITO make a full investigation rela-
tive to what is known as the slums of cities,
confining such Investigations to cities con-
tanning 100000 inhabitants or over as shown
by the eleventh census.h An appropriation
OF 81, 900 is proposed to defray the eXren les
of tho Investigation, which Is made for the
alleged purpose of seclring information ire
lating to the occupations earnings, sanitary
surroundings and other csseatial facts to
show the condition of the residents of such
localities"
Its Defeat Assured.
Representative John Davis OF Kansas has
introduce u DILL which is sure to slumber
peacefully in the pigeonholcs of the commit
tee 1t proposes to make it unlawful for
senator, representative or delegate to con-
gross, member of the supreme court, circuit
or district court of the United States, 'to
accept or use or permit or suffer any one to
use for his benefit free pass, complimentary
ticket or to otherwise travel for less rates
than are paid by the general public tor like
services over railroads or In a car, steam
boat. steamship or other public conveyance
L.. .t,I Ctn,o - &,,o,, ,t
sages over telegraph line at less rates than
are paid by the general public" The pen
atty for violation Of the proposed law is
81, 600 for each of tho directors, and every
officer of the company extending the FREQ
courtesy; but no penalty appears for the
beneficiary of the courtesy.
1t will BE an Interesting Volume.
The Postal Guide for February furnishes
evidence Of the efforts of the department to
popularize this publication. The purpose is
to pu bllsh from month to month not So much
dry, statistical matter, but at the same time
to include as much as possl ole of interesting
postal news which concerns rybody The
most important step thus far taken has been
to make arrangements whereby the monthly
supplements of the gude-S.ery- well
worth reading from beginning to end-may
DO obtained by any body from his postmaster
at the cost of cent. Thus far hundreds of
uoStmasteTs have availed themselves Of this
privilege in behalf Of their patrons, who
have been supplied with about $4,000 copies
of the monthly supplements. The February
guide contains the details of this arrange
ment, new rulings, an invitation to post
masters to critlClSe the postmaster generals
last annual report, particulars of the pro-
posals about to be received for carrying the
mails OIL some 1900 star routes, matter
descriptive of the special delivery system
and OF second-Glass matter. 1t also CONTAINS
news about the British telegraph money
orders and POSTAL savings banks, and all the
recent orders of the department officers.
Suggestions for the Postal Department.
The recommendations and suggestions of
the county seat postnasters, who recently
submitted their reports to the postmaster
general after visiting the offices in their
counties. are now being considered in all
their details by the different bureaus of the
department. The reports from the county
seat postmasters generally had letters accom-
panying them and emphasizing the most i'm
portant suggestions. These letters were re-
| ferred to the different bureaus OF the 2,200
postmasters who made the visits, fully two
thirds made suggestions. These included
recommendations about tho discoatinuance
and establishment of offices, the curtailment
! or increase Of star route service, and changes
| in u few cases where postmasters seemed un-
| desirable. In such matters as the posting of
| the anti-lottery law and the supplying OF In
struction in the keeping of accounts, etc., the
| recommendations were, of course, carried
| into effect personally; but in the larger
| changes In the service reference to the proper
| bureau of tho department was necessarily
had. This work IS now gong on and every
| one of the hundreds of suggestions made Is
| followed up until it is. carried out or it is
| found impossible to carry 1t out.
For the Sale of Indian Lands.
Favorably action Is assured by the senate
upon Senator Paddock's amend ment to his
| bill for the adjustment of the sales of land
belonging to the Otoe and Missouri Indians
tlrAs s,...
| full amount or appraised value of the lands
| sold and interest has been paid the paten is
| shall ISSUE and where it has not been paid
| two years more time be given in which Jc
make good the deficit but il there is default
or impediment at the end OF this extension
the land shall revert back and De sold again.
| There shall then be no refund of money paid.
| The provisions of the amendment will moi
| take effect without the consent of the
| Indians.
| For the Price OF HIS Gun.
| Probably the smallest bill which has beer
| presented in this congress is one introduced
| by Representative Hermann of Oregon ''foi
the relief OF Robert Travila for loss of his
| carbine In the late war;" IrAvila was pri-
| vate In company X, First United States cav
| airy, and in 1867 while travelling with his
| troop in mountainous region of Arizona he
| lost his Spencer carbine. It is represented
that the gun was strapped on his saddle and
must have slipped out and was lost. He ap.
| found that tho gun had been charged TO him
as having been lost Through carelessness. "
| He now asks congress to reimburse him for
| the loss, $75, and the house committee on
| war claims has reported through MIR. Pickler
| of South Dakota in favor Of allowing the
claim. Under the rules Of the War depart
| ment when soldier loses, his gun or any
part of his equipment Through careless
ness" the same 10 charged to him at cost
price and taken out OF his regular pay.
Opposed to National Banks.
Every TWO years the lower house of con
| gress makes an assault upon the national
| banking system. The proportions OF the as
| sault are formidable in relation to the mum
| Der OF fiat money advocates there may be in
the house Numerically, ten years ago, tht
assaulting party aggregated not more than
| ten members, half of whom represented the
| greenback and granger parties, and the
| others the mossback democrats. Each yeal
| the party has gained IN numbers as the spe
! cial factionists and the independent parties
| have grown in numbers. IL Is believed nov
| that there are fifty or sixty OF the kind II
| the house-possibly 100-who would vote a.
any moment to entirely abolish the nationa
| banking system. ana offer nothing in 1T
stead. There are probably thirty or forty
bills now before the ron 9 looking towards
the abolition of the natOnai BANGING system
| by the imposition on nuiiolsi hanks OF sucl
haw wAek kf "A L.