The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1895-08-22


itipe,ant doctor and scnder of patent medicine
was nominated il, one district, and in another
a music teacher aud piano tuner nomi-
mated Both took tire nominations as a sort OF
advertisement and both were elected. Both
may make excellent Representatives.
Il
Public men in Washington are already be-
ginning to discuss the probabilities rs to the
length of the next session of Congress. Opinion
is generally favorable to short session, aud is
based largely on the. belief that both parties
will be DESTROYS of getting away for the cam
pagn at as early n date as possible. 1t is now
believed by some that Mr.. decd, feeling practi-
cally certain that lie will be elected to the
Speakership. has already virtually completed
the House committee list, and that at any rate
he will be- able TO announce his appointments
very soon after the con vening of the two Houses
on the ID of December. Should the House
committees be announced soon after the be-
ginning of the session, and that body gets its
work we'll under way before the Christmas
holidays, it would DO Il decided innovation.
| Few Congresses In recent years have begun
the session without this plan as part of their
program, and few have succeeded in putting it
into execution. Some OF the arguments adj
vanced in favor of short session are that there
| will probably not he the usual amount of gen.
era legislation before Congress; that even
though the tariff may be taken up it has been
so recently discussed TO leave nothing new to
10 said upon it, and that majority OF both the
old political parties will prefer to allow the sill
yer question to rest with as little agitation as
possible ON the eve of National election.
The successor to the late Justice Jackson has
not yet been appointed. There arc several
gentlemen prominently named rs possibly sue.
cessful candidates. 1t is understood that q
more or less formal tender Of the position has
been made to Frederick r. Coudert. who is ut
| present abroad. Persons whose relations with
the President are OF the closest character be-
lieve that the choice will be Mr.. Ouoy Secrc-
tary of State. 1t is known that the President
places implicit confidence in the souudness of
Mr.. Olneys opinions all important legal
questions which come before him, and that lie
fully appreciates the great assistance Dir. Oluey
has rendered him in the disposition Of the great
questions that have arisen during the last two
years. The suggestion heard at the time when
the serious illness OF Justice Jackson forced
him to go South. that Mr.. Bisscil as a man from
the East, would be given tho place. is heard
now. 1t is thought in some quarters that the
selection will be from tho East because the last
man chosen, Justice White, was from the
South Representative Josiah Patterson, Solicit
tor. General Holmes Conrad, Senator Lindsay
of Kentucky. Attorney General Harmon. Hon.
William Il. HOrBblOwer, and others. are men
toned. There is every reason to believe, how
ever that the appointment will not be made
until Congress convenes.
X
Uncle Sam has one official flag which is seen
in this country nowhere but in the port of
New York, and on tho high seas only between
that port and the cities Of Laguayra, Venezuela,
| Havana, Cuba, and Tuzpan, Mexico. 1t is the
pennant Of shc Ocean Mail Service, and flies
upon the mi,zennias,s of u subsidized Ameri-
can vessels, carrying the United States mails
By contract. 1t consists of a red field, with
blue border. bearing the American eagle in
blue aud the words ''Uuited States Mails in
white letters. 1t measures ID feet long, and
has been in use little over two years. Last
year it was seen also in San Francisco and along
the Pacific track to Panama and Hong Kong,
but the contract with the steamship lines that
bore il was discontinued, so that New York
is now the only port where it can be seen.
4
This month another vessel, the st. Louis.
will be tested preparatory TO adding it to the
list Of subsidized contract steamers flying the
Ocean Mail pennant, and in October following
this ship together with the New York and the
Paris. likewise OF the American Line, already
carrying the mails. hut not under ontract, will
begin service under contract to southampton,
England, where tie natty rcnnaut will appear
and be admired along the route of the trans
atlantic steamers. In a month or two after
ward the st. Paul, Of the same line, will also
be added to the contract list, making in all l6
vessels flying Uncle Sans postal flag.
Such irst-class ships in carrying the mails
by contract receive under the Subsidy act s.
per mile for each outgoing voyage second-
class ships receive 81. per mile, third class 81,
and fourth class 66 cents per mile. Each vessel
must take cadets apprentices one Ameri-
can-born boy for every 100 tons register, and
one for every majority fraction thereof, to @
educated in seamanship and ranked as petty
officers. Siipulations are contained in each
contract that the vessels may. when wanted, be
taken and used by the United States as trans
ports or war-ships upon payment Of reasonable
compensation.
X
The subsidized routes now In existence are
those from New York to Laguayra, Havana
| aud Tuzpan. The Lagnayra service costs SSi,
2S3 year. tho Havana service $73,476, and the
| Tuzpan Si3o 10i. The new southampton ronte
| will cost $3.50, 704 a year. The New York and
Paris to ply OH this route are both foreign-built
vessels, owned by Americans, and both were
| invested with American register and made
! eligible to rccev3 contract subsidies by the act
of May 10, 1893. to encourage American ship
| building, with the privilege on tho part of the
| Government of using them as auxiliaxy cuisers
| when wanted.
| ARMY AND NAVY.
Col Henry l.. Abbott. of the Engineer Corps.
was placed on the Retired List of the army by
| operation of law account of age. His retire
| ment makes several changes in the station and
duties of officers OF the En Sineer Corps in order
| To provide for the important duties vacated by
| Col. Abbott. Orders h2 We been issued detailing
1 (nl John NJ Wilson tn uuty I'm charge of the