The Somerset reporter., 1902-02-06
At Washington.

The ways and means committee by
unanimous vote have instructed Chair
man Payne 10 prepare bill repeating all
the war revenue taxes except the tax on
mixed flour. The action taken was In
the form of a resolution to the effect
that the bill should provide for the re-
peal of the remaining war taxes to take
effect on July l, 1902, except that the re
peal Of the duty on tea should 60 into
effect Jan l, 1908.
The Senate has ratified the extradi
ton treaties recently negotiated with
Denmark and Belgium and the treaty
affecting the descent of property between
the United States and Guatemala.
The House has passed the bill for the
creation of permanent census bureau
The friends of the civil service law, who
were opposed to making the employees of
the bureau eligible for transfer were
Overwhelmingly defeated. BY terms of
the bill, the permanent organization will
succeed the present temporary organiza.
ton July |, 1902, and all employees on
the rolls upon the date of the passage of
the acc will become eligible for transfer
to other departments or retention in the
permanent organization.
The Postmaster General has promul-
gated regulations governing the appoint
ment of carriers in the rural free deliv.
cry service throughout the country and
appointed central board of examiners
for the service. arriers are required
to possess horse and wagon or cart, give
$500 bond, be between II and So years
of age, and must be able to read and
write. The regulations prohibit the re.
ceivng or considering of political en-.
dorsements
AT 10 80 o'clock Saturday, in the pres
ence of the chief officials of the Treaury
Department, Senator Dolliver and near
VI all of Iowas delegation in the lower
Honse of Congress, and other friends,
former Governor Leslie NJ. Shaw of
Iowa, took the prescribed oath of Office
as secretary of the treasury, succeeding
| Lyman j Gage. The oath was admins
tered by Mr.. Justice Shiras of the United
States Supreme Court
The Navy Department has decided to
do away with torpedo tubes in battle
ships and in the six great cruisers of the
Marylaud class. 1t is found that torpe-
does are dangerous things to have ON
shipboard, that they have very short
range when discharged from moving
vessels, aud that they cannot be fired
with accuracy.
The net increase of the appropriations
recommended by the Senate committee
on the urgent deficiency bill is 50 1913. $50,
bringing its total up to $50, 239,6 25 One
of the items is refundng to states money
expended in raising volunteers in the
civil war, Maine S121,5l5
The Republican members of the House
of Representatives held a caucus in the
hall of the House Monday To consider
a line of policy to be adopted concern
ing the alleged disfranchlseme of
voters in the south. The caucus lasted
from until shortly after II when it WAS
determined to consider more fully the
different propositions brought forward.
The Maine members of the House
voted for the special order to take up
consideration of the Interchangeable
bill. Last year there were numerous
petitions from the various oranges and
granger interests in the State, but, as
Representative Allen said to-day, the
people of Maine now understand the at
titude of their representatives, on that
measure. The Maine men voted for
the Grout bill last year and the measure
now before the House is practically the
same. There is no doubt of its having
majority of the House butt may be
defeated in the senate. The opposition
to it there is very strong. There is
very little oleomargarine, or bull butter,
consumed in Maine, according to the
reports of the internal revenue officers.