Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-01-16
LIVE CAPITOL TOPICS
Considering Objections to Gen. Coppinger's
Nomin ton
The Seed Question nt the Department
of Agriculture-Matter BE-
fore Committees.

| senator f1dle mdue an DelOre
the Senate committee on military affairs
| today in favor of the confirmation of the
nomination of General Coppinger to be
| brigadier general He said that General
| Coppinger had served through the war as
an officer; tfat he had fought in thirty-one
| battles, more than half of which were
| important engagements, and had been
| wounded in two. He produced the origin al
| letter of recommendation to the governor
| of Connecticut, written by General Custer,
and indorsed by General Sheridan, recon-
| mending in strong terms the promotion
| of Mr.. Coppinger, then captain, to the
colonelcy of one of the Connecticut regi-
| ments. Senator Hale also explained the de-
| lay on the part of General Coppinger in
taking out his naturalization papers, say
| ing that it was due to the fact that the
general had an interest in the entail of an
estate in Ireland, which he was advised
| by prominent Americans, including Mr..
| Blaine, might be endangered by his be-
coming citizen of this country. He
| called attention to the fact that General
Coppinger had been commissioned several
| times; that he had taken the oath of al
| legiance on all such occasions. He ac-
| counted for the generals participant ton in
| the civil conflict in Italy when a young
| man by saying that he was a professional
| soldier.
The committee adjourned without passing
| upon the nomination, which is being fought
! by the A. p. A.
The Senate committee on Indian affairs
devoted the greater part of today's meet
| ing to the consideration of Senator Petit
Crews bill providing for the assessment of
taxes on lands allotted to Indians. the
| taxes to be paid by the government. Sem
| ator Pettgrew, in explaining the reasons
| for the proposed legislation, said thai if
| Indians living upon lands in severalty
| were to enjoy the protection of the local
mr. ion
| of the expense entailed in their execution,
| and stated that under the terms on which
the allotments were made the government
vas the proper party to do this. He said
| the aggregate expense to the government
| for the entire United States would NOT ex-
ceed $2UO,000 annually. The committee ap-
peared to be generally favorable to the hill,
but It's hnal diSpoSitic deferred to a
| future meeting.
Senate Commerce Committee.
The Senate committee on commerce today
authorized Senator Frye to report a sub
stitute for his bill regulating vessels pro-
PEELED by naphtha, oil or electricity so as
| to bring them within the regulations ap-
| plying to steam and sailing vessels. The
substitute, as agreed upon, requires ves-
sells of this description which exceed fifteen
| tons burden, which carry passengers or
| freight for hire, to have licensed pilots and
| engineers, to comply with all the rules gov
erning steam -pessels,' and-all such vessels,
! of whatever size, are required to comply
| with the rules governing steam and sail
| ing vessels as to lights and fog signals.
The committee will grant a hearing on
| the proposition to erect a bridge across the
Detroit river at Detroit, Mich. on the 30tb.
The Seed Resolution.
Senator Hansbrough, committee on agri-
culture, today reported back the resolution
introduced by himself directing the Secre-
tary of Agriculture to proceed with the
purchase and distribution of seeds in ac-
cordancc with the terms of the last appro-
pr:ation act The committee amended the
resolution SO as to relieve the Secretary in
making such purchase from paying more
than reasonable and fair price, and also
relieving him from the requirement to ex-
the purchase. limiting the expenditure to
SO much as can be profitably ased.
Patent Matters.
The House committee on patents has
decided to favorably report a bill intro
| diced by Mr.. Draper of Massachusetts, to
create a classification division of the patent
| office. with primary examiner, salaried at
s., 40, and about forty assistants, the cost
of the division to be about $4,000.
The business of the patent office has so in
creased of late years that a classification
of the various arts and lines which patents
are granted has become necessity, and
the creation of the new division was asked
by the commissioner of patents.
Pensions for Indian Service.
The House committee on pensions has
decided to favorably report q bill intro
duced by Mr.. Baker of Kansas to make
eligible to the service act of 1890 the bat
talon of the eighteenth Kansas cavalry
mustered into service ct Fort Herker in
1857. and the nineteenth Kansas cavalry
mustered at Topeka in 1865 These troops
served in an Indian war.
Ex-COnfeslerate Bill Reported.
The House committee on military affairs
has unanimously reported favorably the
bill which recently passed the Senate re-
pealing the law that prohibits ex-confeder-
ates who held commissions in the United
States army and navy at the beginning of
the rebellion from being appointed to any
position in the army or navy.
Two Colored Doorkeepers.
George D. Stinson of Pittsburg and W.
H. Grimshaw of New York, two colored
| men, have been appointed doorkeepers, in
charge of the mems gallery of the House
1t is said that they are the first colored
men ever appointed to position of this
nature. They are intelligent-looking men,
Of good appearance, and are filling the du-
ties of their position with credit and salts
faction.
Mr.. Irving at the House.
Mr.. Henry Irving was visitor at the
Capitol today, and was shown over the
House wing by very distinguished guide.
Mr. Thomas B. Reed of Maine. The
Speaker and Mr.. Irving spent considerable
time together, and Mr. Irving seemed to
take a great deal of interest in watching
the proceedings of the House.
Liquor I'm Alaska.
Benjamin p Moore, collector of customs
at Sitka, Alaska, made an argument before
the Senate committee on territories today
in favor of amendment to the existing
laws so as to permit the licensing of the
sale of liquor in Alaska. The laws are
now pr 1hibtory, and Mr.. Moore says they
have never been enforced.
Coinage Committee Organize.
The first meeting of the House commit
tee on coinage was held today, but little was
done beyond the formal organization of
the body. There are two places on the
committee yet to be filled, but little inter.
est is felt in it's work, since even the free
silver men upon 1t concede that there will
be no attempt to take up the silver ques-
ton in this House.
A Personal Inspection.