The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-03-31
Loud Postal Bill Amended by the Conn
mittee and to- Be Reported
Back to Congress.
UTAH POSTMASTER BUSTED
REMOVED BECAUSE HE WAS FOUND
TO BE A POLYGAMIST.
Civil Service Law Amended by the
Presfdent-Naval and POST
ONCE Bills Prepared

WASHINGTON. March 3o-The House
devoted the day to war claims. The bill
to remunerate the British Cable Company
for expenses incurred in repairing the Ma
Mia cable. cut By Admiral Dewey, which
was under consideration several weeks ago,
was consigned to oblivion. as was the bill
to refer to the Court of Claims the claims
of citizens of certain border counties of
Pennsylvania who suffered losses during
the various incursions of rebel forces into
that State during the civil war. This bill
has been before Congress for many years.
and involves about s3.450.OO0
Three bills were passed: To refer the
claims of George W. Lawrence Involving
$4,000 in connection with the construction
of the monitor Wassuc to the Court of
Claims; to refer the claim of Hiram john
son and others for cotton burned i'm East
Tennessee by the Confederate force to the
Court of Claims, and to pay Matthias Peder-
son, of Spring Valley. Wis. $500. BY a
curious coincidence Mr.. Cox, of Tennessee.
who commanded the Conferedate forces
which destroyed the cotton in East Ten
nessee for which the government is now
to pay, occupied a seat on the floor when
the bill passed.
During the debate on the Pennsylvania
claims Mr.. Johnston. of West Virginia.
asked why there should not be an omnibus
bill to cover the claims of all the border
States, Missouri. Ohio. Indiana, Kentucky.
Illinois and Kansas. Mr.. Mahon pointed
out that these claims had all been proven
under acts of the Pennsylvania Legislature
No other State except Missouri. stood in
the same position. The purpose of the bill.
Mr.. Mahon declared. was simply to deter
mine the legal right Of the claimants. The
claims were based upon the constitutional
guarantee of the United States to protect
the States against invasion. III the court
decided that the claimants had no rights,
that was the end of the matter.
By vote of rs to So the committee re-
fused to lay the bill aside with a favorable
recommendation, and, instead, ordered 1t
laid on the table.
The Loud bill, relating to second-class
mail matter, was agreed to in an amended
form by the House committee on postoffices
and post roads to-day. This bill was re-
Gently recommitted by the House to the
committee because of certain objections
raised. The amended bill eliminates the
points of objection. particularly that re-
ferring to the country newspapers. In its
new form the bill Is quite brief and Is as
follows:
THAT mailable matter of the second
class shall embrace all newspapers and
other periodical publications which are is
as four times year, provided that moth
ing herein contained shall be so construed
as to admit to the second-class rate pub
locations purporting to be issued periodi-
books, or reprints of books, whether they
be issued complete or in parts, whether
they be bound unbound. whether they
be sold by subscription or otherwise or
whether they purport to be premiums or
supplements or parts of regular newspapers
or periodicals.
Sec. g That news agents shall not be
allowed to return to news agents or pub
fishers at the pound rate unsold periodical
publications, but shall pay postage on the
same at the rate of cent for four ounces
The Senate committee on interstate COM
merce to-day heard arguments i'm support
of the proposition to amend the interstate
commerce law by James l.. Langley. of the
Merchants Association of New York. Ed
ward p Bacon, a grain merchant of Mil
waukee, and III. F. Dousman, of the Chi
cago Board of Trade. Mr.. Langley said
he represented IS 200 of the largest business
houses in the United States, 100 of them
being i'm New York. They wanted the
sion strengthened, Mr.. Langley said. feel
ing that they were "as much at the mercy
of the secret rate harpies prior to 1857
Mr.. Bacon thought the law should either
-.
He also expressed the opinion that the
Interstate Commission should have the
power to convict in cases where the men,
bers were convinced of violation of the law,
even where the proof did not reach the
strict technical requirements. Mr.. Dous-
man complained especially of discrimina-
ton in rates on the part of railroad COM
panies. and wanted the law amended so as
to put a stop to the practice.
A large delegation from New York, Phila-
delphia and other cities appeared before
the insular affairs committee of the House
to-day in behalf of the bill introduced by
Mr.. Gillett of Massachusetts, to prohibit
the importation into, sale or manufacture
of intoxicating liquors i'm Porto Rico. Ha-
wall or the Philippines. They adduced
many facts to prove that, especially in the
Philippines. there had been large in
crease i'm the sale of intoxicating liquors
since the advent of the Americans. with
drunkenness and other attendant evils, and
argued that entire prohibition was the only
remedy for the condition of affairs existing
and prospective. Among those who spoke
were Rev. j. b. Dunn, of the National
Temperance Society, of New York: Rev.
E. C. Dinwiddie and Hon. s. +. Nicholson.
of the National Ant-sa!oon League, and
Mrs. s. Z. Ellis. CT the W. c. l. L.
The House committee on naval affairs
to-day approved the naval appropriation
bill and directed it's report TO the House.
Several efforts were made to change the
bill as heretofore practically agreed on,
but no material changes were made. AS the
bill will be reported. IL provides for two
battleships. three armored cruisers and ten
protected cruisers of the dimensions here
tofore given and armOr plate for the ships
OF the Maine class now urgently i'm need
of armor. Is authorized at a price not ex-
ceeding $545 per ton. The proposition for a
government armor factory was again
brought forward to-day and caused ami
mated discussion, but no conclusive action
was taken. The effort was also renewed
to secure the construction of one or more
of the new ships in government yards, but
the matter did not reach a vote. The bill
carries approximately ssl.ooeeoo.
In reply to inquiries from this country
in regard to openings for Americans I'm
Nicaragua. Consul Donaldson, at Managua.
writes to the State Department that
American engineers. physicians. surgeons
and dentists may find remunerative en-
ployment In his country. There are no
chances, the consul says. for our under
graduates I'm the Nicaragua schools. as
the salaries are insignificant and the GUS
toms so different that Americans rarely
prove successful There very few ma
tive engineers and this field affords prob
ably the best opportunity for Americans
although dentists are very scarce, and
hence in demand. Consul Donaldson adds
that the wives OF officials planters. law
yers. doctors and even OF politicians have
each their little shop In NicaraKuan towns
and that buying and selling Is the favorite
occupation of the natives.
The postoflce appropriation bill has A.