Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1894-05-31
NATIONAL CAPITAL NEWS.

The House Committee on Pensions
has voted to report bill increasing the
rates OF pensioners of the Mexican and
Indian wars from IS to $17 a month.
Representative Caminetti of California
had introduced bill to give this increase
to Mexican war pensioners, and the COM
mittee decided to extend it to Indian
war survivors.
There was brisk discussion in the
Senate over the naval training station
on the Pacific Coast. The California
Senator's insisted that the station be To-
Gated at Mare Island. Mitchell, Dolph
and Squire insisted that the matter be
left to a commission, and that the Co.
lumbia river and Puget Sound be con-
sidered. White and Perkins got angry,
and withdrew the bill.
Representative Wilson of Washington
is prepared to show that the House cut of
the Apache Indian appropriation from
$l25, 200 to 800, 600 will necessitate a re-
duction next year OF 100000 pounds OF
beef and 10000 pounds Of -four. 1t is
his opinion this cut is likely to lead to
trouble with the Apaches. 1t will also
be shown that the Indian police service
will be made inefficient by the proposed
cut and the Indian schools crippled.
There are many other specific items
likely to cause an uprising among the
Indians.
Senator Squire has offered an amend
ment to the river and harbor bill provid-
ing for the Seattle canal in a new form,
as follows: Dredging Shilshole Bay
and Salmon Bay and improvement OF the
waterway connecting the waters of Pu-
get Sound at Salmon Bay with Lakes
Union and Washington by enlarging the
waterway into a ship canal, with neces-
sary locks and appliances in connection
Herewith, $200,000." He also offered an
amendment of $4,000 for dredging Ev-
erett harbor, including the mouth OF
Snohomish river and Snohomish river
from its mouth to Lowell.
Among the serious charges Secretary
Herbert is investigating on the coast
defense ship Monterey at San Francisco
is one relating 70 the virtual running oi
the hydraulic turrets, which contain the
big twelve-inch rifles of that ships bat
terry. 1t is understood that on the re-
cent sea cruise of the ship during prac-
tice firing Of the guns it was thought by
the officer in charge that the hydraulic
mechanism for taking up the recoil need
ed modification. One OF the machinists
of the ship was ordered to take out the
plungers and reduce their diameter a
quarter to half an inch. The plungers
were reduced one-quarter, and when the
guns were fired again the water naturally
rushed past the plungers with very little
resistance, and every pipe and joint con-
nected with the apparatus burst, flood
ing the turrets and necessitating repairs
which will consume several weeks.
Attorney-General Olney has rendered
an opinion in which he holds the settle
ment made by Secretaries Window and
Foster with the North American Com
mercial Company, by which the govern
ment for the years 1890, 1891 and 1892
received less rental both as to the bo-
nus and the rental per skin than was
originally agreed upon, was illegal and
therefore is not binding upon the present
Secretary. This reduced rental and tax
was accepted because the company had
not been permitted to take the full num-
ber of skins ordinarily specified in the
lease as limit. In view OF this decision
the Secretary has made a formal demand
upon the company for the full amount OF
rent and per skin tax for the year 1893,
and has referred to the Attorney General
for such action as he may deem advis-
able the matter OF collecting from the
company the full amount due from the
previous years. The whole amount
claimed to be due the government is
about 100000, of which $4,000 is on
account of the 1893 catch.
All but the final step has been taken
in the admission OF Utah as a State of
the Union. A favorable report on the
bill has been made TO the Senate by
Faulkner, Chairman of the Committee
on Territories. 1t is provided that the
election for constitutional convention
shall be held the Tuesday after the first
Monday in November, 1894; that this
convention shall meet the first Monday
in March, 1895, and that the constitution
framed by this convention and the cleo
ton of State officers under it and mem
bers OF the State Legislature shall take
place the Tuesday after the first Monday
in November, 1896. This would leave
the constitutional convention to fix the
time for the election of the Legislature,
which would elect United States Sena-
tors. 1t is believed that the House will
agree to the Senate amendments, and in
that case Utah will he started on its way
to Statehood some time during this ses-
sion of Congress.
The legislative and judicial appropria-
tion bill has been completed by the Ap.
preparation Committee. 1t carries the
salaries of all the government officers for
the coming year. The whole amount
recommended in the bill is $2l ,l0l 1928,
being reduction under the estimates of
81 ,20S 1887 and reduction under the ap-
preparation act OF the current year OF
$766, 100. The whole number of salaries
especially provided for in the bill is TO-
I ITO, being 1858 less than the number pro.
vided for in the law for the current year.
The reorganization of the Treasury De-
partment on the basis recommended by
the Dockery commission is feature OF
the bill. II reduces the Treasury force
lS5, and reduces expenses $3.50, ,0S0. An
other new feature OF the bill Is the pro-
vision for printing 10000 copies OF the
rebellion records, both OF the Union and
Confederate navies, to be apportioned
among Senators and members and by
them distributed to libraries. The ap-
pointment by the Secretary OF the Treas.
ury of chief of the revenue cutter
service is provided for, The item for
sugar inspectors, heretofore in the bill,
has been dropped, as the committee evil
, IDENTIFY believes there will be an abolition
OF sugar bounties.
Acknowledgement 0lney has rendered
an opinion At the request OF Secretary
Carlisle upon the question whether Chi.
nese merchants lawfully in the United
States when the statute OF November,
1903, took effect are within the provisions
of the third paragraph of section 2 OF
that statute. He says that to interpret
the language of the statute literally
: would be to make Congress establish a
new class of Chinese persons admissible
to the United States and to wink at per.