The National tribune., 1897-01-21
WEEK In WASHINGTON.

WEEK In WASHINGTON.
auyDAy. Jan. lot was stated to-day that
the Pos,office Department has found itself
heavily handicapped in the extension OF the
mail service in New England by the opera
fion of one of the old Connecticut blue laws,
forti6ding the running OF any trains De-
tween 1890 a. m. aud 3 p. %. on Sundays Ia
that State. There is now no service between
New York aud Boston for "a hours after III
O'Clock Saturday night. aud very heavy
mail accumulates in New York Tor that sec
ton, delayed in transit to its destination
from IL to "a hours The Department Off
cials are hopeful of a repeal of the law to re-
lieve the embarrassment. The officials say
they cannot do anything which would be
construed as AN effort to compel the railroad
COMPANIES to violate State law, but look ior
relief to the citizens interested in this sun
day service, who should petition the Gov
ernor OF Connecticut to recommend that the
Legislature modify or repeal the law.
TUESDAY. JAN. 12-The messengers bearing
the Electoral votes of Pennsylvania ana VIZ
cinia arrived ia Washington to-day, and pre-
sen,ed the votes of their respective States to
the Vice President. These are the first oil
the Electoral votes to be received. The vote
from Virginia was sealed with a silver dollar,
intended 10 show that the State is still loyal
10 the cause of silver.
WEDNESDAY JAN. 13.-The Republican men,
bers of the Ways and Means Committee
began their work of framing the tarin phi.
Chairman Dingley says there will be no SUP
committee appointed, and that each scneoule
will be discussed by all of the members.
They will by no means rely upon the results
of the hearings for their information, but
will secure facts relating to manufacturing,
imports etc. from other and less-interested
persons than those who appeared during the
recent hearings. Several experts will be
called to confer with the Republicans, aud
will be asked to investigate the various mat
tiers for them.
THURSDAY, JAN. IA bill fixing the age for
retirement from the Classified Civil Service
was introduced by Representative Gillett. OF
Massachusetts. 1t provides that any office
in the Classified Service held by person
WHO at the time of the passage of the act is
over CO years of age shall become vacant in
three years. Every Office in the service shall
hereafter become vacant when the person
holding il becomes 65 years of age. Veterans
of the civil war and their widows are ex-
cepted from the provisions of the BILL
The House Committee on Military Affairs au-
tborized a favorable report on a bill to enable
regiments of the Regular Army to be filled
up and increased in time of war to twice their
1T also provides that the President may desig-
nate State or States from which certain
regiment shall draw recruits. The provision
in relation to drawing the men for regi.
ment from one State is meant TO pepularize
the service. Some Of the regular regiments
are now recruited from single State, and il
is found that they obtain better men. who
are proud of the corps. Mr.. Quesada, Of the
Cuban Junta. today received letter from
~ Il CT a..
dent of the Cuban Republic, which. by infer.
cnce, gives q denial to the reports that the
insurgents are willing to negotiate terms oil
peace on any other basis than absolute iude-
pendenee. The letter says in part: We will
renew our offensive campaign in a few days
Gomez has left me to enter Santa Clara with
reinforcements and munitions of war. Our
situation is most prosperous, and if We had
plenty Of ammunition, not Only for rifles, but
for cannon. and dynamite cannon. the rail.
roads wouid be destroyed and the few garri-
soned inland towns would be abandoned by
the enemy. and they would be confined Il
the coast. As | expect to receive these wal
materials from abroad, we very soon will
drive them TO the sen and be in position Il
tell them when they depart our last eood-by.'
Senior Qucsada declares there is absolutely M
truth in the reports of . pending compromise
basis of home rule for the Cubans.
FRIDAY, jan. 15.-The election contest from
tbe Third Louisiana District, brought by
Taylor Beattie. the lily white" Republicar
candidate, nominated by the Planters Con
vention, against Andrew Price, Democrat
the sitting member. was decided by tn,
House Elections Committee in favor of Price
The committee concluded unanimously tina
Beattie was not entitled to the sat on thu
showing made, but two members johnson, o
Indiana. the Chairman, and Long, of Kansas
voted TO declare the election void because O
alleged frauds by the Democrats.
SATURDAY, JAN. 16.-Tbe President signeS
the act to reduce cases in which the penalty
of death may be inflicted. 1t is believed
that this law applies to cases of murder in
the District of Columbia, ard that hereafter
IN practically all cases where the accused /.
found guilty Of murder the jury may qualify
Iheir verdict by adding thereto without
capital punishment" The Law. il the court,
decide that il applies here, will be very vel
come. as lawyers have often stated the neet
of some legislation providing an equivaIen
of different degrees of murder. Such stat
utes have long prevailed in most Of tia,
States. Trials for murder in the District
most lawyers claim, have been under tn,
common law. That law recognized no yer
dict Of what is often known as murder il
she second degree.