The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-01-26
Materials.-

Captain Daniel NJ. Ransdell, sergeant-at-
arms-elect of the United States Senate. has
left for home where he will spend two
or three days closing up his affairs pre-
paratory to a long absence. He Will be
back in Washington and ready to enter
on his new office on the 1st of February.
Now that the caucus has acted Senator
Fairbanks, who had charge of the Ransdell
candidacy. is subject of congratulations
for the mastery manner in which he man.
aged the campaign. Captain Ransdell at
no time obtruded himself into the fore
ground and il was not until his selection
was practically assured that he came to
Washington. Even then, mindful of the
senatorial prejudice against being election
eered. he kept modestly out of the glare of
the footlights. leaving it for the Senators
to discover the man. The tact displayed by
the candidate endeared him to the Senators
and they recognized in Captain Ransdell
the qualities needed for successor to
Colonel Bright. @s
Representative Lands had the front
pages of the Washington papers to-day.
and his great speech of yesterday is still
the talk of the capitol. Mr.. Lands has
made great strides in the esteem of Con-
gress.
j. NJ. Mcintosh. of Indiana United States
bank examiner, had a conference with
Controller Dawes to-day.
Some time ago Postmaster General Smith
reissued an order made by Postmaster Gen
eral Wilson in 1895 prohibiting postoffice
employees from visiting Washington TO in
nuence legislation. The order carried dis
may to the hearts of employees in the rail-
way mail service, who had been planning
a vigorous campaign in support of their
contention for a Redistribution OF the serv-
ice. Mr. Smith. however, had no intention
of leaving them in the lurch or of having
the plan defeated through lack of support.
He has himself laid before the commit
tee on postoffices and postroads the claims
of the employees, with strong argument in
favor of increase in pay. He points out
that the United States expects more from
its employees i'm this service. and pays them
less, than the leading countries of Europe.
Compared with France, our railway mail
employees do the work of two men and
receive comparatively less pay. In Eng
land appointment to the railway service
comes as promotion from city post
office work, and carries with ii an advance
of from 80 TO so per cent Germany in
creases the salaries of its railway mail
employees according to the length of serv-
ice, the average being 80 per cent.
The auxiliary cruiser Prairie which has
been assigned to the work of carrying to
France the United States government ex-
hibits for the Paris exposition of 1900. and
has already made one trip to Havre will
leave the New York hayward about Feb.
1, for Baltimore. where she will take on
board exhibits sent from Washington She
is scheduled to leave Baltimore on Feb s.
The Prairie will carry to England a crew
for the English-built cruiser Albany Just
completed at the Armstrong shipyards at
Elswick, and will proceed thence to Havre
to unload her cargo. The Albany is TO
start for New York. just as soon as possi-
bic after she has been placed in commits
sion. She is expected to leave Elswick be-
fore the end Of February and may be as
signed to the North Atlantic squadron of
evolution. now in the West Indies.
The President to-day sent the following
nominations to the Senate: To be second
lieutenants In the Marine Corps: Harold
c. Reisinger, at large; Frank Edgar Evans.
of Wisconsin; Harry Randolph, at large:
Thomas A. Mott, of North Carolina; ST.
John L. Caffery, of Louisiana; Henry d.
+. Long, at large.
The secretary of the Navy to-day sent
to the Senate statement made by the
paymaster general of the navy. showing
the expenditures of that department from
the s50OOO.OOO national defense fund. The
paymaster generals statement shows that
of the s5o0O0.COO 81, 1897 was allotted 10
the Navy Department.; expenditures to date
aggregate 27.356.S63 and outstanding obli-
cations amount TO $1,lS0. 000 leaving 81, 1885, 40
which will be ultimately turned back into
the surplus fund Of the treasury.
The liabilities already contracted and not
paid are for the final contracts for the
Albany and for ordnance material The
detailed statement gives the names OF
the various vessels purchased by the de-
partment from this appropriation and the
price paid in each instance The most ex-
pensivc of these vessels were the following:
Mayfiower $4,000: New Orleans. 81. 430. Ogl:
Albany, $3.50. 757; Dixie. $4,000: Resolutc.
$4,000; Solace 100000: Yankee. $4,000;
Yosemite. $4,000. For the hiring and ex-
pense of running chartered vessels. $f75 40
was expended The ordnance bureau ex-
pended 6. So. SIS for guns. ammunition. etc
and there was spent abroad for ordnance
In addition TO the above, $l,327,0l7
The question of establishing a department
of government To be known as the De-
partment Of Commerce. with a Cabinet Of
ficer at its head. was discussed at con-
siderable length by the Senate committee