The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1896-04-24
tEATI0NAL CAPITAL
GOSSIP or WASHINGTON M
BRIEF PARAGRAPHS
poinga Of the Chiefs aud Heads OF the
Various Departments.

"a" hHaluhl AObut from Alabama, viii
De taken up In tho house Ina fow days
and the republicans will unsoat Judge
CoDb. Some Of the democrats are not
inclined to make q fight, as the result
rs forogone conclusion. Judge Cobb,
however, wants tho case fully venti-
lated. He thinks il an outrage upon
Yhim and will deliver O speech in his
4 own behalf.
by a decisive vote the house intor-
state and foreign commerce committee
has expressed it's Willingness to vote q
subsidy to aid In the construction Of q
cable from the United States to China
and japan, touching at .he Hawaiian
islands. The vote was taken 10 test
the sense Of the committee on the
!. proposition, and only four votes we're
\ recorded against it. The subject will
be further considered and definitely
acted upon at the next meeting Of the
committee.
General Fitzhugh Lees nomination
as consul general TO Cuba means that
the president wants q personal friend
and man in whose judgment he has
confidence on the island to report to
him the exact status of affairs. Lee is
his friend and he believes the general
will give him the true situation with
out passion or prejudice. He belives
the Virginian can get there and make
him full report before he hears from
his letter to the Spanish government.
II Spain does not accept his overtures
in the spirit they are sent, then he will
have information upon which to act
with determination.
House election committee No 3, in
pursuance OF its policy Of reducing the
claims for expenses in contested cases,
has reached decision in the case Of
10 contestants and contestees. The
total amount asked in those 10 cases
was S31, 932, and that allowed SIT, 775.
, The law provides for an allowance of
81, 900 for expenses in contested cases,
congress has in several instances grant
ed larger amounts, in the last con-
gress giving 900 to each party in
a contested case. 1t is understood to
be the purpose Of the committee to in
no case approve claims for more than
the statutory amount.
The Venezuelan commission met
Tuesday after a ten days recess with
all the members present. The time
was consumed again in reading reports
.om the individual members on the
rogress they are making with partic
ar matters of investigation. Mr.
ruggs, the council for the Venezue-
government, has submitted about
" maps and charts which are Te.
Il 1g consideration. He has pre-
3 few translationso of documents
..ded in the mass of evidence pre-
I'd at Caracas, and transmitted to
commission through Minister An
Iade.
The Indiana is o. X.
The report of the board of naval Of
Ulcers appointed to conduct the final,
or efficiency Trial of the battleship In
diana, has been received at the navy
department. 1t shows that the vessel
is worthy of all the praise that has
been bestowed on her. Her hull, en-
gines, machinery and fittings were
found 10 be faultless. The trial
took place on her voyage be-
tween Port Royal, S. O., and
Norfolk, which the Indiana made in
forty hours, although run under
natural draught and with four boilers
only, she maintained an average speed
of thirteen and half knots, an excel
lent showing for a ship designed to
run fifteen knots under the best con-
ditions. The horsepower was nearly
5000. There was very little roll, the
maximum being twenty degrees in q
heavy cross sea.
This trial completes the official test
ting of the Indiana and the percentage
of the contract price retained to insure
any changes or repairs for which the
contractors might be held accountable,
( will now be paid to the Messrs. Oramp.
4 Seed Contract Middle.
The recent closing of contract for
furnishing seeds for general distribu-
ton by the government, has resulted
in the filing of charges at the depart
ment of agriculture by Chicago seed
firm, against Secretary Morton.
The allegations are that their bid,
though lowest, was refused because the
firm had urged the passage Of the res
-lolution providing for the revival Of the
distribution Of seeds Notwithstanding
Secretary Morton's protest; that re-
ports furnished by officers to the de-
partment to Secretary Morton, to
Senator Proctor, of Vermont, chairman
of the senate committee on agricul.
ture, and to Mr.. Wadsworth, chairman
of the house committee, had been man
ipulated to show that the firms seeds
we're below the standard.
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