The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-02-06

of leaves OF absence Of government en-
ployes. showing an average OF S3.S days OF
total leave last year.
Xxx
The pension board OF the G.. a. r. met
here to-day. the members present being
Gen. FL Torrance. commander-in-chief OF
the order, Gen. Robert b. Beath. Hon. John
c. Linehan, ex-Gov. William II. Upham,
Judge G. c. Burton and Henry c. Taintor.
The object OF the meeting is 10 hear various
complaints and grievances of members OF
the G.. A. r. with respect 10 pensions and
TO take action regarding pending pension
legislation. The board spent several hours
to-day at the Pension ONCE examining
into pension cases which had been brought
to their attention and about which there
was complaints of the rulings 'of the com
missioner OF pensions. The board Will be IN
session several days.
< x
1t is expected that an effort will be made
to secure legislative authorization for the
retirement from the naval service of Con-
structor Hobson. Captain Hobson is now
i'm Washington and is DESTROYS OF retiring.
baSing his application on the bad state OF
his eyes resulting from exposure In work
ing on Spanish ships after the late war.
The naval retiring board concluded that his
disability was not sufficient to warrant the
retirement under the existing regulations,
anu recourse must De mao 10 OOHBitSo- -
il believed the Navy Department VIII APP
prove of such legislation if its opinion is
called for by Congress.
The chist bill which will be re-
ported to the House in a day or two con-
tains one feature not heretofore alluded to.
This is a provision giving TO foreign am
bassadors and ministers accredited TO
Washington protection against assaults,
and furnishing with death any such assault
which results in the death OF a foreign
ambassador or minister. The section pro-
viding severe penalties for conspiracies IN
this country against foreign rulers does
not. however, embrace ambassadors and
ministers, as Chairman Ray, OF the judi
ciary committee, who is drafting the re-
port, feels that great care is necessary
not to exceed the constitutional right 10
punish crimes originating within the states.
The protection of foreign rulers against
conspiracies is considered justified by the
law of nations, but il is not deemed ex-
pedient TO extend this to ambassadors and
ministers residing here.
House elections committee No. 1 to-day
decided the contested election case of Nc
Kenzie Moss against Representative Rhea,
Democrat. of Kentucky. for the seat of
the Third Kentucky district In favor OF the
contestant, recommending the unseating OF
Mr.. Rhea. The vote was on party lines.
the Democrats voting against unseating
their colleague. The contest is one involv-
ing election irregularities.
The ways and means committee gave a
hearing to-day to ex-Secretary John @.
| Carlisle in support of a measure to refund
the duties and accumulated interest paid
ON Porto Rico imports and exports during
the transition stage preceding the Foraker
act. The claims aggregate about S4VJ,VU.
x
Secretary Hay has received from United
States Minister Wilson, at Santiago, Chile,
a copy of a law recently passed by the
Chilean Congress which provides for the
postponement of the resumption of specie
payments until Jan. i, 1905.
XXX
Commander Lucien Young. of the navy,
testified before the Senate committee on
interoceanic canals to-day concerning a
visit to the vicinity of the Panama canal
| several years ago, when, he said, the en-
gineers engaged in the work there told him
of the great difficulties they experienced
because of the hardness of the granite. lie
said he was told that they were unable TO
blast to any advantage, and that their only
recourse was tine use of the saw.
Examination of applicants for appoint
ments as assistant surgeons in the army
will be resumed by the army medical board
in Washington on April Z, and will continue
as long as there are applicants TO be ex-
amined. There are now sixty-three va
cancies in the medical corps.
X x
Orders were sent from the Navy Depart
ment to-day to Rear Admiral Remey, di-
recting that officer to proceed home with
his flagship, the Brooklyn, which is now al
Hong-Kong. She will sail for the United
States Immediately by way Of the Suez
She will probably go to the New York
yard to be overhauled.
The battleship Wisconsin, flagship OF
Rear Admiral Silas Casey, commanding the
Pacific station. left Valparaiso to-day FOL
Callao. The Kearsarge arrived at the port
of Guantanamo, province of Santiago, last
night
Representative Pugsley, of New York, 6
member of the House banking and cur.
rency committee. to-day introduced A bill
on the general lines of Secretary Shaw's
letter, favoring the deposit Of surplus gov
eminent funds, under certain conditions
with national banks. The bill invests the
secretary with wide discretion in the de
post or recall of treasury funds, but au-
thorizes him to make deposits with ma
tional banks having not less than $4,000
capital and surplus of 100000 of such pOr
ton OF the surplus treasury funds abov'
$685. 00, 600 as may seem proper to prevent
absorption of money in the federal treas
ury. No one bank is to receive deposit,
of more than so per cent. of its combined
capital and surplus. Unless United State:
bonds are deposited as security the bank!
shall pay interest on government deposit
of not less than 2 per cent. ner annum
These deposits are made a first lien OF
bank assets. The bill especially provides
that ii shall not affect existing depOsita
ries. The author of the bill stimate tina
under it the government surplus would b.
deposited with 500 banks, instead of tn
comparatively small number now entitled
to bold government funds.
Judge Hench, of Fort Wayne, is in Wash
ington on legal business.