Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-01-11
IMPROVE OUR RIVER.
CAPTAIN LAMB HAS THIS WORTHY
OBJECT IN VIEW.
GEN. WHGELER'S VISIT TO RICHMOND
The Gallant Aiabamian Will stay
over Tucsday-Tnik of n New Line
e.oamers from NorfoIk-Refro-
active Taxation of Tobacco


fspecial) -Reprcsentative Lamp 'o-u"s
laid before the Committee on h'erS anu
t1arbors a letter from General Wlisoh'
chief NJ engineers. showing the impor-
! lance Of extending the Improvement Vi
lanes river to the head OF Navigation
and SAYING that in the event congress
should require a survey Of the river from
the lower city limits to the wharVes inc
work should have prompt attention. Ihis
| will probably convince the committee th@'
there is no necessity for new survey
GENERAL WHEELERS VISIT.
| Captain Lamb to-day. after talking with
Hon. ]. Taylor Ellyson, over the long
| distance telephone with reference to Cen
eral Whcelers visit. found the galiaHl
| Alabamian and prevailed upon him 10 con-
sent TO stay over Tuesday in Rchmohu,
| so as TO see the city and meet more OF
its citizens. The General will leave mere
on the 3:l6 train Monday evening.
Mr.. f. ]. Kimbali. OF the Norfolk ana
| Western Railway Company, appeared 'c
fore the House Committee on Merchaht
| Marine and Fisheries this morning 10
urge the adoption Of an amendment 10
| the proposed Hanna-Payne bill 10 pay
! subsidies TO vessels Of the merchant ma
| rine. The Edmunds amendment goes iur-
| Their and gives the Treasury Department
| the right to make contracts 10 pay SUD
sides at a future day when vessels dIo
completed such contract not 10 be aHeol-
ed by the future repeal of the subsidy Jaw
A NEW LINE OF STEAMERS.
Mr. Kimball stated that the seven rail-
way lines converging at Norfolk expected
to run a line of steamers from that port
TO South American ports IN the event VI
the massage of the Edmunds amendment
The expenditure Of about $5OD,VO or
Sc. 900 900 would be made necessity
Among the nominations sent to The
Senate to-day was that of William Doug
las Pritchard, of North Carolina to be
first lieutenant In the Fourth Regiment
volunteer infantry.
Discharges have been granted to pri-
Yates +. l.. Freely and Charles NJ. ROPER
son. Battery y, Third Artillery, now at
Fort Monroe, Va.
The following fourth-class postmasters
were appointed to-day:
Virginia-Adams Grove, southampton
county, Edward w. Claud; Cold Harbor
Hanover county, Susan a. Stewart, Figs
bore Henry county, John II. Patterson
GilmertOn NOrfOk county, Thomas y.
Johnston: Hallsboro, Chesterfield county
John II. Martin; Napoleon, Princess Anne
county, Miss Emma Wilcox; Medl0cK'
Louisa county, Lotte Hughson; Munden'
Princess Anne county, wilson NmIe;
Token. Prince William county, Asheal NJ.
Posey; Worlds, Pittsylyania county. Mrs.
A. J. Semones
THAT TOBACCO TAX.
Representative John Lamb to-day
introduced a resolution OF great interest
10 tobacco dealers everywhere. In it he
calls on the Secretary Of the Treasury
for information as to the amount of the
retroactive tax imposed on tobacco by the
war revenue bill. This Will probably
amount TO a half million of dollars. The
war bill increased the tax on tobacco that
had already been stamped with the or
binary peace time duties Mr.. Lamb CON
tends that the power Of imposing duties
on this passed when tho first stamps were
put on. and that any further taxation on
It is retroactive, and, therefore, uncon-
stitutiOnai.
THE QUESTIONS AT ISSUE.
There are two questions at issue. First,
whether the tax is really retroactive. and,
second, whether. If so. it IS unconstitu-
tional. Both will have to be decided by
the courts
When Representative Dngley tried TO
insert ~ clause in his revenue bill, pro-
viding that il should take effect at a fixed
date (before IT passed.. the arguments
against IL were so strong that he was pre-
vailed upon to drop il. General Grosve-
nor however. contended that the ex post
facto clause OF the Constitution only APP
piled TO criminal cases, and that the
clause would be legal
I'm Burr vs.. the United States similar
question was decided by the Supreme
Court The Wilson law was approved
Aprl 2Sth, but fixed the time of going into
effect on April LIST Burr contended that
goods imported by him on April It'll were
subject to the Wilson duties and not the
Mckinley duties. But the Supreme Court
decided that the law could not go into ef-
feet before it passed-in other words. that
the eX post factO law did apply 10 civil
cases. The Supreme Court has also de-
cided in the case Of the Anglo-Californlan
Bank VS.. the Secretary Of the Treasury
that goods held I'm bond must nay the du-
ties that obtained at the time Of impor-
tation and not at the time of withdrawal
from bond. None Of these cases are ex-
actly parallel, but all have a bearing on
the case.
PERSONAL
Mrs. Fitzhugh Lee and daughters are
still in the city, stopping at the Cairo
Flats. They are awaiting a cablegram
from the General before taking their de-
parture for Cuba.
Mr.. Thomas j. Crowder. of Stanton.
is in the city, looking after foreign
patents for his electric device for rural
free delivery Of mails. II will be tested
upon the return of First-Assistant-Pos
master-Gencral Heath who IS at Indian
apolis' ana superintendent Machen. Of the
Free-Deliyery Service. who is now in
Cuba.
The following are visitors i'm this CITY:
j. H. Alexander. Leesburg Va: w. J.
Whitehurst, Richmond; Eppa Hunton. Jr..
Warrenton, Va; w. J. Kirby, Virginia
Metropolitan.
Hon. Marshal Mccormick. Of Berryville.
Va, and Mr.. c. 4. Epes. Of Blackstone.
Va. brother Of Congressman Epes. is in
the city. stopping at the Metropolitan
Mr.. Holmes Conrau. Jr. of North Caro-
lima. IS registered at the National.
w. r. Ballard. Orange. Va; j. S. Trump.
Richmond. Va; ". II. S. Burgwin, North
Carolina; o. T. Smith. North Carolina;
Mrs. c. X. Vertuer c. X Vertuer. Vr-
ginia; w. =. Oberndorfer Norfolk: r. +.
Lee. Virginia. are at the 81. James.
Isaac H. LATTER, Sanford. n. C.: w
w. Russell. Richmond, Va; Thomas
Crowder. Staunton. Va: W. r. Woodruff
and G. s. Crenshaw, Richmond, are at the
Howard House.
POSTAL
Among the fourth-class postmasters
commissioned to-day are the following:
William II. Edmiston. Blowing Rock. n.
C.: Eugene NJ. Goodwin. Assawoman, Va;
Thomas w Pinkard. Snow Creek, Va;
Willie l.. Wood, Tuggle's Gap, Va.