The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-05-25
The Chances for the Admission
of the Territories,
Are Very Slim in This Session
of Congress.
THE PUBLIC HEALTH.
We Need a Better Sanitary Sys-
tenn Some Say.


Delegate Rawlins of Utah has got the
laugh on himself, but Just the same he
does not care to laugh till he is quite out of
the woods When this congress began, it
was considered a fixed fact that all the ter
ritories would speedily be admitted as
states, and the New Mexico bill was only
delayed in the house by accident. The SEN
ate next decided to hold back Arizona, and
then Oklahoma lost its standing because
of complications with the Indian Terri
tory. One month ago all the delegates had
given up all hope and Mr.. Rawlins as
signed some strong reasons for thinking
there could be no more states till after the
next presidential election. Quite suddenly,
however, the senate committee reversed it
self and reported unanimously in favor of
the admission Of Utah, and the bill, there
fore, is placed on the calendar. This by no
means makes it certain that it will pass,
and in any event senators from the new
state cannot be seated before December of
next year. The progress so far has aroused
fresh hopes in the other delegates, but sen
atOrs still declare their opinion that the
other three territories should wait awhile
The State Bank Tax.
The banking and currency committee
has been subjected to very strong pres
sure 20 report the Brawley bill for repeal
ing the 10 per cent tax on state banks, and
several talented orators in the house have
ready powerful addresses in its favor
Nevertheless the old heads still predict
those whom political pressure compels to
seem in favor of it are at heart against it.
1t would seem that their policy involves
the how not to do it and yet seem to be do
ing it.
The house committee on foreign affairs,
which has been urged to undertake a gen
eral revision of the consular system, has
decided to let the matter rest for the pres
ent, chiefly on the ground that this COM
mittee has occupied more of the time of
the house than any other except the ways
and means. 1t had week or more on the
Hawaiian business as much on the con-
sular and diplomatic appropriation bill and
still more on the Chinese and other meas
ures--in short, 1T has had altogether one
month on the floor and will enter on no
new business for this session unless COM
PEELED by a sudden emergency.
The members of the judiciary commit
tee have devoted unusual attention to the
report of their subcommittee and the &C
cOmpanying papers on the case of Judge
jenkins and now announce that the final
result viii be a bill limiting the power of
federal courts in placing railroads in the
hands of receivers as well as in enJOining
laborers from striking Mr.. Bailey of
Texas, who has had great deal to do with
this work, thinks there may be a pretty
lively contest over the bill and will take
plenty of time to get ready for it,
of Interest to New York.
The committee on war claims has given
a new turn to the old familiar bill for pay
ing New York city the amount she ex-
pended in raising troops in 1861, and Mr..
Holloway, clerk of the committee, by its
direction has completed digest of all the
laws and decisions bearing on the subject
of paying these claims The total amount
refunded to states and municipalities to
the present time is S44, 735, 176. The city
of New York could press its claim against
the state, and then the state could collect
no llo
act of July 81, 1861, but it is probable that
no interest could be recovered in that way
The city really paid out no more than $780,,
900, but the sum asked for in the Cum
mings bill is 50, O95 634. 81, the interest
having brought it to that amount. The
general law is that the government pays
no interest, but in 1869 the comptroller
made decision that where the claimant
was compelled to pay the interest on
money borrowed to raise arms and equip
troops that interest became part of the
claim, and the amount actually paid should
be allowed by the government without ref
erence to the rate of interest Hon. De-
lancy Nicon has recently argued the case
before the committee and is to make the
final argument soon.
The Public Health.
The house committee on interstate com
merce has divided its spare time of late
very impartially between those physicians
who favor and those who oppose the estab-
lishment of a bureau of public health. Sur
geon General Wyman is at the head of the
opposition and maintains that the marine
hospital service with some added powers
and an appropriation will be amply able
to do all that is expected of such a bureau.
The committee is favOrably impressed by
the argument that the expenses of the
marine hospital service at present are very
largely borne by a tax on the tonnage en-
tering the ports, and that in it the ma
chinery already exists by which the trOu-
BILE and expense of creating new bureau
York Academy of Medicine, who favors
the establishment of the bureau, maintains
in an elaborate argument that cholera and
yellow fever are now so completely under
control that with but little additional force
and uniform system they could be absO-
lutely prevented in the United States for
all coming time
All our silveriteS were greatly interested
in the so called Pan-American Bimetallic
league, which assembled here on the 22d,
though there has been some disappoint-
ment at receiving so many destinations.
from Spanish America generally and only
seeing a half dozen or so of delegates.
Nevertheless letters warmly approving the
action of the league have been received
from many countries, including New Yea
land and Australia There is nothing Of
fetal about this league-in fact, it is rather
frowned upon by officials-and it is simply
a continuation of the movement which be
gan in the Denver convention and was fol-
lowed up in that at Ogden, Z. T. This is
considered the third convention of the
league. A. G. Fiske of Denver is the presi-
dent and has made quite tour in Spanish
America in furtherance of his project for
a common silver dollar for all the western
continent
VI