The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-24
HEhENWAY PROPOSES TO
SAVE THE GOVERNMENT
THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS
Consolidation of Customs Collec-
ton Districts May Be Per
mitted by Congress.
LETTER ON ARMY POST
Secretary Root Urges that Con
gress Give Attention to Fort
Benjamin Harrison.

Special to the indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON. Jan. 23.-On motion Of
Representative IIe-lenway an important
provision Is carried IN the urgent deficiency
bill which was reported To the House to-
day. II adopted II will save the govern
ment thousands of dollars a year 1t au-
thOrizes the President 10 consolidate or
rearrange the customs collection districts
throughout the United States. While il is
not certain that this amendment can be
passed I'm both houses there is no doubt Of
a desire on the part of the treasury officials
that It shall pass. The objection TO il is
based upon the idea which prevails in most
of the States that there would be danger
Of losing some advantages which accrues
from the present arrangements of customs
districts and possibly a loss of patronage.
The department desires to curtail the num-
Der OF districts. 1t is known that there
has not been a Encouragement of the dis
tricts since the organization of the gov
eminent. and some ludicrous situations are
discovered by inquiry into the conditions
in some Of them. In many cases the gov
eminent pays about 500 year to collect
$50 Many efforts have been made to Sc
cure the Legislation but this is the first
time II has appeared in such form TO
indicate determination TO carry IL
through. Representative Bemenway is in
terested IN this proposition, and hopes
that ne will De able TO convince the House
that IL should carry.
Accompanying the report is a statement
showing the cost OF customs collection I'm
the various States. In Indiana the govern
ment expends about $4,000 year in collect
Ing customs revenues. OF this amount So
00o Is disbursed at the port of Indianapolis
and the balance at Evansville.
One OF the last official acts Of Secretary
Root, of the War Department. who will
retire Monday. was 10 prepare letter to
the secretary of the treasury bearing on the
Indianapolis army post. Secretary Root
recommends that the attention of Congress
be directed to the plans for the erection of
Fort Benjamin Harrison. and he states that
the department estimates that ii will take
s94fOoc 10 complete the post. Secretary
Roots letter. together with communica-
ton from Secretary Shaw. viii be for
warded to the House next week. Secretary
Root acted in the matter at the request Of
Representative Overstreet.
Senator Fairbanks. whose standing at the
White House is of the best, to-day dis
cussed the Panama canal situation and the
treaty now pending in the Senate with
President Roosevelt. They went over the
situation pretty fully. Senator Fairbanks
agrees with the President that the pro-
posed amendments TO the treaty are un-
necessary and will delay the time for begin
ming Of work on the canal and the closing
up OF the long-standing question. Senator
Fairbanks is hopeful that the treaty finally
will be ratified without the amendments so
that the subject may be closed up without
loss of time. Senator AIdrich was also in
conference with the President.
+ ?
Col d. NJ. Ransdell. of Indiana polls ser
geant-at-arms of the United States SEN
ate. has just made public his annual re-
port. This document has been awaited with
breathless interest. Its full text is as fol-
lows:
'Sirs-I have the honor to submit here
with full and complete account of all
property I'm my possession belonging TO the
United States" This communication Is adj
dressed to the president pro tenn. of the
Senate. and duly signed by Colonel Rams
dell. Then follows a list of the articles In
the custody of the sergeant-at-arms. Fol-
lowing are among those enumerated
Three cuspidors. five caucus chairs one
set shovels and tongues one pole hatrack. .
Colonel Ransdel is required to make this
report every year.
Application has been made at the Post
office Department for the consolidation of
Chicago. Consolidation is proposed in or
der that the two cities may secure the priv
ilege OF city free delivery. The matter will
soon be placed before the authorities by
Representative CrumfIacker. Indiana Har-
Dor has grown rapidly during the past year
The postoftice there, established about
twelve months ago. was recently advanced
to the presidential class.
If a bill just ordered reported to the
House by the committee on mines and
mining is enacted into law $4,000 will be
made available during the coming fiscal
year for mining experiments at the Indi.
ana state University. The measure pro-
vides that State colleges shall receive the
amount named the first year and s., 900 ad-
ditional each year until the appropriation
reaches $4,000 per annum. Under the pro-
visions OF the bill the funds thus appro-
priated may be diverted for experiments
In agriculture.
Petitions have been received here from
the Retail Grocers' Association. of Indi-
annapolis. and the Retail Merchants Asso-
citation. OF Evansville. protesting against
the passage Of the parcels post BILL
Representative Lands has recommended
the establishment OF rural free delivery
at Goldsmith. Upton county.
Senator Fairbanks was to-day designated
by President Roosevelt as one of the dele
gates of the United States to the universe
congress OF lawyers and iurists. which will
meet In St. Louis in connection with the
worlds fair
The Merchants National Bank. of Indian
spolis. has been approved as reserv,
agent for the Tanners National Bank. o
Edinburg. Ind. also the Fort Dearborn
National Bank. OF Chicago. for the Citizens
National Bank, of South Bend.
James G. Witt he's been appointed post
master at Newtown. Fountain county. In
diana, vice William Leatherman, resigned
J. +. NJ.
.SMITHSONS REM AIMS