The Springfield herald., 1900-05-04

present he has vet received.
The House committee on public lands
has favorably reported on Shafroth's
bill for the protection and preservation
of prehistoric ruins in mountain states.
The House committee on military af-
fairs has directed favorable reports on
the bill establishing four permanent
camps in the four main sections of the
country, for use by federal troops and
the national guard; also Representative
Marsh's bill giving rank to contract
army surgeons. and the Senate bill
providing additional officers in the COM
missary department.
1t can be stated on authority that
the negotiations respecting the Amer
lean missionary claims are progressing
in the most satisfactory manner in the
view of the government. The depart
ment has received from Mr.. Griscom,
the United States charge, Il cableSr2m
announcing that the porte has under
R'aken to meet all of the engagements
Dinade with the United States minister
regarding the payment of the claims
set up on account of the destruction
of the American mission property in
Turkey.
The House has put its heel upon the
pneumatic tube service now in opera
delphia, and If its action stands the
whole service will be crushed out. The
postofiice committee had recommended
an increase of the appropriation for
this service from S22J,OO0 to S12o.OOO.
The proposed increase was attacked
by the appropriation committee under
the leadership of Mr.. Moody of Aiassa-
chusetts with such vigor and success
that in the end the House voted, 81 to
..t,tf Han
from the bill.
In the House Tuesday. Mr.. Hill of
Conencticut objecting, adopted the For
aker emergency resolution to continue
the present officers in Puerto Rico in
office until the appointments are made
under civil government act rs amended
by the committee on insular affairs.
The amendments require that all fran
chises shall be approved by the Presi-
ident before they become operative,
and place certain restrictions upon
chartered corporations, such as the is
suing of stock or bonds except for cash
and inhibiting real estate corporations
or the holding of real estate by corpor'
ations except such as is necessary to
carry out the purposes for which they
are created.
The House subcommittee on Ia
Dor. in charge of the Gardner eight
hour bill reached II decision WedncS-
day on tue final form of the bill and
on several amendments, all of which
: Till be reported to the full committee
on labor. when it is expected that final
action will he taken. The bill has at
tracted much attention in labor cir
cles. being actively urged by the
American Federation of Labor, and
has been energetically opposed by
many large steel, nrmor, shlp-buildinG
and ammunition concerns doing bust
ness with the government, ms the
measure will have the effect of fixing
an eight-hour day on armor and like
commodities and in the building of
warshps.
out of $1,000 civil employees Of the
government of the United States whose
names appear in the blue book. 25S2
bear the name of Smith. and IA the
name of John Smith. The .IoncSes are
next in number. ,523 being on the pay
roll. with / .102 Browns and 1,O04 John
sons. Eighteen people of the name of
George Washington are serving their
country in official positions and fifty
two ordinary Washingtons. Two per-
sons of the name of William Mckin-
ley are on Uncle Sans pay roll. One
draws II salary OF 81. 16G n month as
President and the other 500 month
rs engineer in the Louisville custom
house There are forty-cisht Bryans.
and three of them We're christened
William. We used to have two Grover
Clevelands in the public service. but
only one now, who is assistant farmer
at Fort Peck Indian agency and re
ceives Il salary of $50 II month.
The Senate military committee has
materially amended the Root bill for
army reorganization and decided to
make Miles lieutenant general and Cor
In major general. The committee in
- amendments was influenced by the
protests which have reached the com
mittee from army officers who repre-
scnted that the bill rs drafted at the
War Department contained pernicious
provisions which would demoralize the
army and introduce politics and iniiu-
rnce i'll the administration of military
affairs. The new bill provides that the
present officers shall continue TO be
promoted according to seniority, but
that hereafter any vacancy except that
of chief of corps shall be filed by de
hail from the line, and there shall be no
more permanent appointments in the
staff. The details are to last for four
years, and the officers are then re
turned to the line. and. in the case of
those below the rank of lieutenant col
onel. they must serve in the line for
two years before further staff duty.
Representative McClcary of Mime
sofa has presented Admiral Dewey
one of the most beautiful and unique
of the many gifts he has received 1t
is watch, paid for by penny contribu-
tions from 10000 school children in
Minnesota and the Dakotas. collected
by the Minneapolis Journal and 1S5
country dnilies and weekly newspa-
nnls tEln ilna WIS Sllmnnstnl and the