The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-06-08
President May Tender the Position,
which Is Worth $4,000 Year.
to the Gold Democrat.
CHARGES AGAINST 7. H. MKEE
ANCIENT ALLEGATIONS REvAMPED
BY A BITTER ENEMY.
Senator Fairbanks to Remain I'm the
erfdge to Go to Dansville.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, June THE President
may appoint Mr.. Bynum to the vacancy on
the commission to codify the laws of the
United States made vacant by the death of
Judge Culbertson, OF Texas. He was
Democrat and the vacancy caused by his
death will be filled by Democrat The
place carries salary of 5000 year and
being a legal position presents attractions
to a lawyer. 1t is not life position as the
appraisership practically is, but is likely
to last several years. The only other name
mentioned at this time in connection with
ii is Mr.. Catchings, of Mississippi, who
will retire from Congress next week. He
has not applied for the place and 1T is
doubtful that he would accept IL. The gen.
eral opinion is that if Mr.. Bynum is not
appointed to the appraisership he will be
named for the vacancy on the codification
commission.
Former journal clerk of the House.
Henry II. Smith, who served under both
Democratic and Republican speakers. but
who has been out of office since the Fifty
first Congress. has had printed and in
dustriousiy circulated a pamphlet contain
ing a lot of ancient charges leveled against
Journal Clerk Thomas H. Mckee. who has
occupied the position since the Republicans
regained control of the House in the
Fifty-fourth Congress. There is nothing
new in the charges. They We're all made
and disposed of more than four years ago.
The best answer to them is found in the
fact that Mckee has been twice reap
int ,aI or4 81, fHaCa cha
were first made. No reason appears to
exist for reviving them now, the last
day of the session, and their revival
seems to be due either to malevolent dis
position or disordered mind. Mr.. Smith
came to Washington from Kalamazoo.
Mich, and Captain Mckee from Logans-
port, Ind.
Senator Fairbanks will remain In Wash
ington for some days, IN fact he will proba-
bly, stay in the East until after the Phila-
Gelphia convention.
Senator Beveridge will return to Dams
ridge. who, though convalescing. is still
quite unable to be up.
committee, was authorized by a recent reso-
luton of the House to hold meetings dur
ing the recess of Congress to prepare bill
for the reduction of the revenue If that
course was desirable. Mr.. Payne said to-
day it was not his purpose to call the COM
mittee together before fall, probably few
weeks before Congress reassembled, as by
that time it will be determined how far the
surplus is maintained and about how much
in the aggregate a revenue reduction is
warranted. Extended hearings have already
been held, and the chairman also has re-
ceived number of briefs covering the chief
lines of reduction There will be no ex-
tended reopening of hearings, although the
committee may conclude to ask for fur
ther information on some lines.
XXX ia
To-day's statement of the treasury bal
ance in the general fund. exclusive of the
$50 100000 gold reserve in the division of
redemption, shows: Available cash bal
ance, S145, 1854; gold, So, 235, 3S7
The nominations which have failed of
confirmation at this session of the Senate
and not acted upon are as follows: II. w.
Ewarth, of North Carolina, to be United
States district judge for western district of
North Carolina; Commander Augustus G.
Kellogg, United States navy, retired, to be
a commander on the retired list of the
navy; Philip Spaugh, to be postmaster at
Hope, Ind. -a
The last act of Secretary Long, before
departing for Annapolis, last evening, was
to sign an order terminating the former
order of suspension in the case of Com
mander Todd, chief of the naval hydro
graphic Office The officer was relieved
from duty because he had addressed let
tiers to persons not in the naval service,
seeking their aid in the struggle the hy-
| geographic tn
the surveys, as against the coast survey
This excited the ire of Representative Cam
non, who was leading the fight in behalf Of
the civil bureau, and led to an official COM
plant by him.
The experiment with the battleships In
diana and Massachusetts has been a
marked success. A telegram received at
the Navy Department to-day from Admiral
Casey, commandant at the League Island
navy yard, announces that the two big
ships were completely equipped and ready
for sea. He said both ships would pull out
at 5 o'clock for Newport via Hampton
Roads. delay in the case of the Massa-
chusetts was not because of any lack of
preparedness on her part, but simply be-
cause the tide would not serve until after
noon Thus it appears that these two for
midable vessels have been made ready for
any required service In the short space of
about forty hours. without the slightest
warning or notice to the commandant of
the League Island navy yard or the COM
uanders of the two battleships- The result
is regarded a satisfactory vindication of
the policy of keeping ships Sin ordinary"
recently adopted by the Navy Department
The record made at League Island is about
as good as any made abroad. with superior
facilities in the latter case.
The two battleships will join the North
Atlantic squadron under Admiral Farquhar
for a cruise and practice drill. After the
mobilization is completed the squadron,
consisting Of the New York, Kearsarge, In
diana, Massachusetts, and Texas will en-
gage In squadron maneuvers and other ex-
ercises for the next six weeks.
| An order has been issued by the postmas-
ter general barring from the United States
mails all correspondence conducted with L.
Levesque. of Montreal Canada. This or
der is based upon a charge that the busi-
| ness conducted is lottery.
Xxx
Representative Gaines. of Tennessee, to-
day introduced bill prohibiting the en-
| ployment OF members of Congress as at
torneys for railroads or other corporations
| obtaining charters or other aid from the
| United States government.
The President nominated and the Senate
| confirmed William Distan. OF Illinois. to be
| surveyor general for the District of Alaska
The secretary of war to-day directed the
military governor of the Philippine islands
| to appoint board to revise the tariff
| schedule. with instructions to report their
| finding to the Philippine commission. II il