Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-04-16
OF NATIONAL IMPORT.

OF NATIONAL IMPORT.
Tho Postofice Appropriation Bill Com
pleted-A Great Cut-Down From That
Of the Last Congress-Repubiicans in
the House Rushing Tons Of Tariff Docu-
ments Over to the Printer.
WASHINGTON, April 15-The postofice
appropriation bill was completed to-day by
the House Committee on Postofices. and
will be reported to the House in a few days.
Its aggregate of appropriations Is in the
neighborhood of ssO, ,O00 600. The appropria-
tion for the current fiscal year was $780,
222 and the estimates were $s03s3, AGO. The
feature OF the bill of chief interest is that
section relating to foreign mails, included
in which is what is known as the subsidy
appropriation. The committee, however,
didn't endeavor to strike at the present
law by Withholding appropriations for
Its execution, as some persons thought
might be the case. Whatever action will be
taken by the committee with reference to
subsidies will be taken in a general bill. For
foreign mails the committee appropriated
$29l, ,839, and in addition the unexpended bal
ance in the Treasury. The appropriation
was 81 250, ,ooo This amount was not bnsed
on estimates of the Postmaster General, but
was the amount Congress agreed as neces-
0as sne
were estimated for by Congress, SO 1t is
found that over $400 600 of the appropriation
Is still in the Treasury. This unexpected
balance, with the amount appropriated, the
committee thinks will be sufficient.
The committee included one item in the
bill which the Postmaster General did not
cial railroad facilities. This is to defray the
expense OF what Is known as the fast mail
from New York and Boston to Tampa, Fla.
to connect with West Indian ships. The
years, but this year the Postmas ster General
omitted it from his estimates. The commit
tee decided to provide for the service, never
theless. The amount Of compensation to be
allowed all land-grant and subsidized rail-
roads was fixed ut 50 per cent of the usual
contract price. The last appropriation bill
crate records relating to postal affairs. The
Postmaster General, however, declined to
make the purchase, and this year the COM
mtttee provides that whenever any two Of
books are needed they shall be purchased:
The Attorney General. Secretary of the
Treasury and the Postmaster General.
ALTHOUGH the proceedings Of the House
to-day were without interest, and would not
Record the probabilities are that the Record
tomorrow will be a voluminous one. Mr..
Milliken, of Maine, will publish the brochure
on plymouth Rock to Mckinley" which
will use up about ten pages. Mr.. bolivar,
of Iowa, has filed for publication e. series of
articles from the New York Tribune. MIR.
Smith, of Illinois, will print (if he has time
to collate them) a number OF editorials and
letters in the american Econonia, and sew
eral other members on the Republican side
will, by printing extraneous matter, empha-
size and bring into public prominence rhe
action of the House yesterday, which de-
clared, in substance. that under leave to
print members may mako OF the Congressional
Record a medium of advertisement. No i'm
portant business was transacted.
AFTER conference with the various
parties interested in the great international
naval review to be held in Hampton Roads
and New York harbor, in April, 1898, Senator
Daniel, of Virginia, will, on Monday, intro
duce in the Senate an amendment to the
naval appropriation bill approprfating $780,
GOO for the expenses of the review and the
entertainment of the official guests of the
nation who will accompany the forign fleets.
The President will, as directed by the exist
ing law, extend to foreign nations a formal
invitation to participate in the review, as
preparation. It is believed by the friends Of
the movements that many of the Presidents
of the American Republics and the reigning
sovereigns OF several European nations will
desired that the King and Queen of Italy and
the Queen Regent of Spain shall participate
In the ceremonies.
THE Department of State has received
further advices from Victoria, b. c.. as to
the success of attending the fleet of vessels
now engaged in hunting seals on the Pacific.
The steamer Mystery, which was engaged to
take Off the skins secured by the vessels now
at sea has returned, and the total catch to
date received at Victoria is reported to be
4. $50. This is regarded as light catch, and
IS attributed in part to the bad weather. but
mainly to the fact that the seals are reported
to be much less numerous than in former
years.
FREE delivery mail service has been
ordered to be established on June !. 1892 at
at the following named towns: Huntington,
w. Va, with four carriers; Joplin, Mo-, four
carriers; Huntington, Ind, four carriers;
Parsons, Kan, three carriers: Canton. ILL.,,
three carriers: Coldwater. Mich, four car
three carriers: Painesville, O., three car
riers; Greeley, Col, two carriers.
THE House Committee on Commerce to-
day decided to report favorably the bill in.
troduced by Representative O'Neill, of Mis-
souri,, providing that nothing in the inter-
State commerce act shall prevent the issu-
ance of joint interchangeable 5000-mile
tickets, with special privileges, the amount
of free baggage that may be carried under
such mileage tickets not to exceed $50
pounds.
THE Patents Committee of the House has
had under consideration for some months
an omnibus patent measure which proposes
several changes in the existing laws, par
ticularly with reference to the issuance of
patents to foreign inventors. Arguments
before the committee tended to show that
while foreigners have to pay about 500 to
secure patent at home, they can get the
same here for $35. The committee proposes
to make them pay the same in this country
as is charged American inventors abroad for
patents. and has so constructed the bill, |
which will be unanimously reported next
week.,
THE Attorney General has decided that |
there are no liens or membranes upon the |
ship channel through Galveston Bay sold to |
the Government by the Buffalo bayou Ship |
Company, and that q valid title |
rests in the Government. |
NOTES OF NOTABLES.