Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1893-12-28
FROM WASHINGTON CITY.


The Senate Committee on Military AZ
fairs has authorized a favorable report
upon the bill for the relief OF the citi-
zens OF Oregon, Idaho and Washington
who served in the Bannock, Nez Perces
and Shoshone wars. 1t gives each 81 a
day for the time in service, and entities
those wounded or disabled or the heirs
OF those killed to pensions.
1t is tacitly understood that the Fed
eral elections bill shall not be called up
for action until after the holidays, al
though any Senator NAV call it up at
any time for the purpose Of making a
speech. The vote by which the bill was
reported was a strict party one. The
unusual feature Of the vote was that the
absent members Of the committee were
voted by proxy.
Senator Squire has introduced a bill
to create the Washington National Park
near Mount Rainier from what is now
known as the Pacific forest reserve. A
petition from the Seattle Chamber Of
Commerce accompanies the bill. He
also introduced bill suggested by Judge
Hanford regarding United States Courts
in Washington; also a bill for the pro-
motion Of Lieutenant A. b. Wyckof TO
the rank OF Lieutenant Commander.
The Oregon delegation was very active
in securing the extension OF time for set
tiers on the forfeited railroad lands until
1897. Representative Ellis bill went
from the House TO the Senate, and Sen.
ator Dolph had it passed Immediately
without reference to committee. Sem
ator Dolph had introduced and had re-
ported from his Committee on Public
Lands a bill Of similar character, and
30 the parliamentary status Of the meas
ure gave him an opportunity TO put it
through without any delay. Settlers on
these lands will be greatly benefited by
the extension granted, especially during
these hard times.
he bin for the admission of Utah was
passed without division by the House at
the conclusion Of the debate Newlands
of Nevada made his maiden speech in
support OF admission. He thought Utah
was fully prepared for Statehood but
objected TO leaving the allotment Of lands
in Utah TO bureau officers in Washing
ton, who did not understand the condi-
tions there. The United States, he said,
should cooperate in the reclamation OF
the arid lands in that region. In de-
| Tending Nevada he said he was unable to
understand why there should be so much
aversion TO State which, when the
country was in revolution, had poured
5000, ,000,0 into the Treasury. New
lands claimed the cause of the present
depression in Utah was the result OF leg
islation leveled at her interests.
The aDa;di report of Prof. Menden-
| hall, chief OF the coast geodetic survey,
il interesting. The report says that pre-
| liminary surveys needed for the location
OF northeastern boundary line between
the United States and Canada are near
ing completion. The surveys have been
begun for the location of the boundary
line between California and Nevada from
Lake Tahoe to the Colorado river, and
officers OF the survey have been sent TO
Southeastern Alaska under instructions
to cooperate with officers detailed by
the Dominion of Canada to locate the
boundary line between Alaska and Brit
ish Columbia. In accordance with re-
quests the survey detailed an officer TO
act as II member OF the board of engi-
neers to devise system OF sewerage and
grading of streets in San Francisco and
to cooperate with the llarbor Line Com
mission OF the State of Washington in
the harbor surveys OF Puget Sound.
The Committee on Public Lands re-
ported favorably Representative Her
mann's bill prescribing limitations for
the completion OF titles of lands in Ore
gon and Washington claimed under the
law commonly known rs the "donation
act" The lst day OF January, 1926, is
fixed as the period within which final
proofs can be made, and thereafter all
such lands under incomplete proof will
be held abandoned and the lands will
become part part of the public domain
and subject to settlement. Such land as
may have been claimed by purchase from
the original claimant, or occupied and in
undisturbed possession for twenty years
by such purchasers and occupants, or
heirs at law or devisees, shall have pref
erence OF right of title by purchase or
payment OF 81 2b per acre within ninety
days after January |, 1896. The hill is
recommended by several Commissioners
of the general land office and the pres
ent Secretary OF the Interior.
The majority report on civil service for
the present year is document OF about
1900 words. The most interesting por-
tion IN that bearing on the extension Of
the classified service to free delivery post
offices, the subject on which Commits
siouer Johnston dissented and was ac-
cordingly removed by the President Il
short time ago. The report condemns
the removal OF the salary list to II cassi-
fled service in custom-houses, and recon-
mends classification by grade. In sup
port OF this view the satisfactory results
OF classification in the railway mail serv-
ice are cited. The report saws that in
the unclasstied service, taken rs u whole,
the government methods Of the United
States are SO utterly indefensblc from
the standpoint of decency and morality |
that IL is difficult for man of ordinary
who wishes well TO his coun- |
try to discuss the arguments advanced !
in their favor with anything like tolcr- |
ance. The report likens our system TO |
those employed in Morocco and Turkey. |
The number OF persons connected with |
civil service in the United States is about |
eOO0OO. The minority report OF Com |
missioner Johnston opposes the extern |
sion OF the classified service TO free-le-
livery postotlices ~ ill.adyiscd and harm
iul TO the cause OF civil service reform,
II is probable the State Department
will soon enter upon negotiations looking
10 the adjustment OF our relations with
China, The enactment OF the Geary
law will be regarded as an intraction OF
the existing treaty, necessitating u new
treaty. 1t is understood Gresham de-
sires to make an extension OF our trade
relations and privileges with China the
central feature OF his admini. tration.
The Secretary is known TO have little
faith in the future Of our trade relations
with the Snnnish. American krnmhlirs