The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1895-03-07
THE WEEK in WASHINGTON.

Minor MATTERS OF Interest I'm the Capital
City.
SUNDAY, FEB. 24.-The jury in the Howgate
case who have been locked up for two days,
rendered verdict Of not guilty this morning.
The verdict was not a surprise, taking into
consideration the conflicting testimony.
Howgate will be tried again on other indlct-
ments.
MONDAY, FEB 25.-A report of the inspection
OF the several branches Of the National Home
for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers. made by
Gen. J. c. Breckenridge lnspector-General
of the Army, has been sent to Congress. The
duty Of inspecting the several branches OF
the Home related TO over l5,oU0 men, ano
disbursements amounting TO $500 La
There Is probably nothing, the report sayt,
which more deserves consideration than the
oecorous and con- Portable housing OF the SOL
dicrs The men who have by their conduct
in war and by their present disability earned
perfect title 10 all the consideration now
shown them. deserve something better than
sleeping on gooIs or oyercrowdlng IN oaee-
menA.
TuEspAY. FEB. 26-The Secretary of the In
terror has made a requisition on the Secre-
tary of the Treasury for SIC, 650,0 600 Tor the
quarterly payments of pensions to be dis
tributed to the Pension Agencies as follows:
Boston, S., sos. Coo; San Francisco, S150,0o !;
Washington, 81 .9a9. 600; Augusta, Me-, Sc0o,-
600; Columbus. o. So, $4,000; Detroit, SL-
100000.
WEDNESDAY,, FEB. 27.-The legislation OF the
short session of Congress for the merchant
marine WAS virtually concluded by tho pass
age OF the Frye measurement bill In the
House, unless the House Rules Committee
shall permit vote on the free ship bill,
which has hitherto been refused. The new
measurement act brings our law into accord
with the advanced legislation Of foreign
maritime powers aud reduces navigation
charges at home and abroad, based ON net
tonnage. 1t will enable the st. Louis THIS
Summer to compete with foreign transit
lantic liners on even terms, SO far as these
matters are involved.
THURSDAY, FEB 2S.-Secretary Morton is very
indignant over the action of the Nebraska
Legislature in passing law prohibiting the
manufacture OF oieomargarine in that state.
because he believes il TO be an industry that
is quite as profitable to the farmer as the
manufacture OF butter, and has added as
much to the wealth of the State. he says
that during TIE last year we exported from
this country IfS l95, Gag pounds, or ST. 1885,
0l0 worth. OF oisomargsrine TO foreign coun-
tries, and the year before (1S93), 81. s34,72o
worth. Of which considerable portion was
furnished by Nebraska. Germany alone
took 90 217.5S7 pounds. for which ste paid
us g. So. zO6 At the same time the total ez-
ports of butter were only 10055. l52 pounds.
valued az 81 75o,2IG. IN 1888 we exported
less than 1000. 600 pounds Of butter, aud re-
ceived for il si.3z7, 742. Germany took only
EOS &65 pounds Of batter last year, and paid
US only sos Sal.
FRIDAY, MARCH For two-thirds OF the
current fiscal year (excluding the amount
due the Treasury sinking fund /, the expeudi-
lures OF the Government have exceeded the
recsipss By S3e, 295, 0O0. as shown by the
Treasury official statement Of receipts and
expenditures, issued TO day. Fer the mouth
of February the expenditures were in excess
OF receipts s.. SOS COO. The receipts were
light, being only $z2 s5s, GOO, but they wers
100000 in excess OF February, 1894 Marked
improvement is siT9wn in customs receipts
over February, 1894, the excess being s., OD0.-
900. These figures. however. almost exactly
tally with the loss Of receipts from internal
revenue as compared with February, 1894.
For the eight months of the fiscal year TO
date, the receipts aggregate S210.S1S. 000 q
gain Of $4,000, 600 over the last fiscal year.
Nearly all this gain is shown In increased
receipts from customs. which aggregate $780,
605.0Oe against So, So, 600 for tine eight
months Of 1854. The expenditures for the
eight months Of this year foot up $247. IL. 900,
about $3.50 900 less thnu for the eight months
of 1894. For February, 1895, they are 49,
oo0, or Sl,250,o50 LEES than for February,
1894
sATURDAY. MGRcH by direction of the
President a medal Of honor has been awarded
10 Brig-Gea. Orlando y. Wilcox U. s. A., re-
tired, nov reaiding at Washington, for most
distingE ishcd paliantry at tho battle of Bull
Kun, Va, July q, 1861 where he Voluntarily
led repeated charges Il the LIST Michigan and
llth n. Y. Fire Zsaaves). until wounded and
taken prisoner. a similar medal has been
awarded to William J. Babcock, Sergeant,
Co. L. I'd 4. l., row residing at Wakefield,
*. J., for gslGniry 81 Petersburg, Fs April 2,
1865. being reported by the regitnen;nl con-
mander as first 10 the enemy's works"
Senator Washbufn reported from the Com
mittoe On Commerce. the bill recently intro
oaced by Senator Daniel PROV iding for the !
construction Of a memorial bridge across the |
Potomxo frors tise 0is site Of the Observatory
10 Arlington, and sppropriatibg 100000 for !
The beginn ing or the work the total cost not
70 exceed $500 0a0 The report contains the |
letters ~hIca haze been written IN past years 4
by the various Secretaries Of War aud eugi- |
necr officers fEyoriHg tie project. and in |
cludee also a strong letter from the present |
Secretary, Dan bel 5. Lamont, recommending
the construction Of the bridge. In this con- |
nunicst4on Secretary Lamont refers TO the |
Endorsements which the bridge has received. |
and aods: in ny annual report TO the l
President for 1898 and again in 1894. re. |
ferred specially TO this important work as |
urgently needed The present means OF |
communication between the National Capt.
Ia and the nights IN Virgins opposite are \
not only unsiEhtIy and inconveuieut, but also |
inadequate. Historical associations. the nat |
nrsl beauty OF the surroundings and the |
public interests 10 be benefited all suggest n !
permanent Structure"