Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-03-06
NATIONAL AFFAIRS.
Congress Has Adjourned, But
Still Plenty of Interest.
Hitch in Bond Proceedings Between
Uncle Sam and the Syndicate.
Cases Testing Income Tax Consttutionali,y to
Be Heard, Thursday.

Washington, March 1.-The treasury
g)ld reserve stood today at the close of
business at sol, 635, 600. n loss since yester-
day of S5l, 900. Tho siowness with which
the syndicate is paving in gold is causing
some comment. While 1t would DO I'M
true to say that hitch has occurred be-
tween the government and the syndicate
as to the gold being paid in, 1t is strictly
correct to say that the treasury officials
are veNed at the oxactions being made by
the bond purchasers. 1t Is intimatcd that
the treasury situation had some connec.
tion with Secretary Carlislos determines
ton. at the last moment, not to accompany
the President TO North Carolina.
The cases in the supreme court of tho
United States to determine the constitu-
tionality of the income tax will be argued,s
probably, Thursday. They are three In
number. two being from New York. and
an imposing array of legal talent will up
pear including Joseph H. Choate, tx
Attorney General Bristow, jeremiah M.
Wilson and Clarence A. ward, In opposi.
tion to the law, and Hon. James G. Carter
and Assistant Attorney General Whitney
in support of the statute. IL Is probable
that Attorney General Olney will take
part in the argument should his health
permit.
Tho commissioner of patents, Tuesday,
in discussion of the various patent de-
cisions rendered by the United States
supreme court, Monday, stated that they
would leave the patents in the same con-
dition they had been, the decisions simply
sustaining the rulings Of the lower courts.
Had the cases been decided the other way,
he said, they would have involved millions
OF dollars and changed the affairs Of the
Office to considerable extent,
There is curious tangle In the affairs
of the immigration bureau, which cannot
be Strengthened out until the President
returns from his trip to North Carolina.
BY an act passed during The closing hours
of Congress, which received the Presi-
dent approval, the office of superintend-
emit of immigration is abolished and the
position of commissioner general of inn
migration" created No provision is made
in the bill drafted in the treasury depart
menD to continue in office Herman
Stump. the present superintendent of inn
migration, under the new title. The i'm
migration bureau is now without an Off
cial head Mr.. Stump continues to exer-
else general supervision over the work of
the office, but the official mail has to BIO
signed by the chief clerk. When the
President returns it will be competent for
him to make recess appointment and
designate Superintendent Stump rs
commissioner general"
Commissioner General Stump has pre-
pared statistics showing that during the
past seven months immigration to this
country has decreased 40 per cent.
An important provision of the new
lottery law, in the opinion of the postal
authorities, is the last section, which
reads: THAT the powers conferred upon
the postmaster general by statute 1890,
chapter sos, section 2, is hereby extended
and made applicable to all letters or other
matter sent by mail
Heretofore the postmaster general wgs
authorized only to forbid the payment of
money orders or the delivery Of registered
letters TO parties conducting lotteries or
schemes to defraud. The department
could not interior with ordinary matter
under seal.
The section above quoted, authorized
the postmaster general to refuse to deliver
to the party conducting lottery or fraud,
letter or other mail matter, registered or
not, and to have it returned to the senders,
where known, or the dead letter Office II
unknown, marked fraudulent"
The President has re-appointed A. b.
Stearns appraiser at Boston. Stearns
failed Of confirmation by the Senate.