Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1894-03-10

the Senate in the consideration Of the
Bland seigniorage bill.
Among the callers at the White
House this morning were postmaster
Cullingworth and internal revenue col
RYAN of Richmond. There were so
many Senators and Representatives
ahead of them that they did not see
the President. Mr.. Cullingworth SAID
he merely called to pay his respects.
When asked about his famous plum
budding. he said he brought none of
it with him, and that having got the
biggest plum in it, he didn't take as
much interest in it now as formerly. He
saws he had three or four places al his
disposal, for which there were many
hundred applicants, and all good men
too.
The government receipts for the first
third of the month of March show @
decided improvement, the aggregate to
date being S9, go, 00O, indicating S2S,-
$4,000 for the month. Internal reve-
nue. receipts continue to show heavy
Increases and so far have aggregated
81. 1000, 900, or 100000 for each working
dav. All indications point to a greater
increase for the balance of the month
as large quantities of whisky are being
taken out of bond to avoid the pay
ment of the increased whisky tax pro
vided in the tariff bill. The expendl-
tures for the month will probably not
exceed the receipts more than $4,000,
600, making, on April lst next, the az,
gate government expenditures exceed
the receipts by about S53,0OO,OOO for
the first three quarters of the fiscal
wear 1S93-'94.
At Melrose, Rockingham county, Va,
C. F. Berry was appointed postmaster
10 day, vice J. L. Humbert, resigned.
The House District COMMITTEES to-day
agreed to report a bill for passage fix
ing the maximum price of gas at 81 q
thousand feet, instead of $50, as at
present. for the District Of Columbia.
Familiars at the White House say
the President, for his own and the pub
lie good, has determined to allow the
chiefs of the departments 10 select their
subordinates, and to hold them respon-
sible for improper appointments. He
will. therefore. hereafter, save in the
remaining important cases, have moth
ing more to do with appointments ea-
cept to approve the recommendations
of his Cabinet officers.
The President told an Alexandrian
to-day who called upon him in refer
ence to the bill TO afford a spawning
ground for shad and herring in the Po-
tomac, that he would sign it ss soon as
he received it from the Capitol. In
this connection it may be remarked
that the chief assistance the Alexan-
drian referred to had in getting this bill
through Congress was rendered by
Senator Coke of Texas and Represent
ative Pigort of Connecticut.
There are a number of bills before the
House committee on civil service re-
form. One was introduced by Mr..
Fithian. OF Illinois, the purpose OF
which is to abolish the civil service
commission. Another n requires all
persons who were appointed in the ser
vice prior to the creation of the civil
service commission, to pass an examina-
ton, and if not successful, to be drop
ped out Of the service. Another looks
to the appointment of postmatters by
civil service methods. 1t divides the
country into postal districts and pro.
vides fer the appointment OF a superin-
tcndent in each district. Applicants
FOR postmasterships shall pass an exam
nation to be conducted under the au-
; ,iccs of the superintendent, who shall
i turn certify three names from among
tie number TO the Postmaster General,
and from which number n may be Sc
! cted as postmaster. Another n ap-
portions government patronage among
tie States by congressional districts.
And still another establishes a term of
office for all persons in the classified
service Of the government, not exceed
j ig four or six years.
II is understood that the Russian
government will soon rise the rank of
its minister to this country. In antici-
patton of this the House committee on
foreign affairs has included in the
diplomatic appropriation bill the
pay Of an ambassador to st. Pet
ersburg, instead of a minister. 1t
is thought that the change in rank
of the respective ministers will
take effect about July l. 1t is not un-
likely a successor will be appointed to
the present minister by that time. Prof.
White, now the representative of this
country to Russia, is one Of the few
holdovers and it is not thought he will
retain his post much longer. Russia
and Mexico are the only frst-class
missions that have not yet been raised
to embassies. The State department is
only waiting for these counties to take
the initiative, to promote Us ministers
to the same grade.
Although the Navy Department has
been prompt to offer the reward of
So, 900 authorized by Congress to any
one who would bring the Kearsarge
back to port and the Boston Company
has lost no time in preparing to send
its big steamer 10 Roncador Reef, no
naval officer has any idea Of success.
They think that the only possible re-
suit will be the satisfaction of having
expended $4,000 to the end that the
ship should not be abandoned without
least some effort to rescue her.
Every one familiar with the sur
roundings Of the wreck would be
Very much surprised if the expedition
found enough left at Roncador to bring
away any practical amoun of relics.
One official said this morning hat it
was almost past belief to those who
knew the condition of the 5000 popula-
ton of San Andres and Old Providence,