Evening Star Newspaper, January 4, 1894, Page 1

“THE EVENING STAR ———— eI ILY EXCEPT SUNDAY. eee eT TUE STaR BUILDINGS, 1101 Pennsyivanta Avenue, corner 11th St, by ‘The Evening Star Newspaper Company, 5 "s H. KAUFFMANR, Pree't Now York Office, 68 Potter Building, ——_——— ‘Tre Frente Stan is served to sub riers, city. by eas on their own account, at 10 cents 7 week. or $4c. per month. Copies at the counter Brionts sach. By maii—eagwhero in the Ca! Bates 50 cen! month. SaTURDAT QUINTUPLE SHEET Stam $1.00 per year; with foreicn postame added, $2.00. Entered at the Post Offies at Washington, D. C., as second-class wail matter) Che Zvening . Star. ‘1 mail sabscriptions must be psid in advance. of alvertising made known on application er EB Vor 84, No. 20,778. IN CONGRESS TODAY.|M® ®tounrs expenses. PREPARING THE RING Short Sessions in Both Branches of the National Legislature, THE SENATE ADJOURNS UNTIL MONDAY The Boutelle Resolution Again Up in the House. NO DEMOCRATIC QUORUM. ‘The attendance of Senators at the open- ing of today’s session was very slim, the Tepublican side of the chamber being more fully represented, however, than the demo- cratic side. Numerous petitions and re- monstrances against the passage of the Wil- son tariff bill were presented from the states of New Hampshire, Michigan, Maine, Wis- consin, Nevada and California. Those from Nevada were in relation to the duty on wool | gnd those from California were in relation to the sugar bounty. A bill for the purchase of a portrait of Capt. Samuel Chester Reid of the privateer brig General Armstrong was reported from the committee on the library and placed on the calendar. Mr. Blount’s Salary. A resolution was offered by Mr. Hoar Qfass.), calling on the Secretary of the Treasury for a statement of the sums paid to Mr. Blount for salary, services or other expenses as special commissioner to Hawaii, together with copies of all vouchers and re- ceipts therefor; also for information as to the fund from which and the law under which payment was made. “Let that resolution Me over,” said Mr. Gorman (Md.}, and the resolution went over till Monday. On motion of Mr. Gorman (Md.) it was or- dered that when the Senate adjourn today it be tili Monday next. Federal Elect Repeal Bill. Mr. Gray (Del) moved to proceed to the consideration of the House bill to repeal all Statutes relating to supervisors of elections and special deputy marshals. He yielded, however, to the suggestion of Mr. Chandler (NX. H.) to let the bill go over till Monday, Mr, Chandler stating that the views of the minority of the committee had not yet been prepared. Mr. Gray suggested in a playful manaer that perhaps Mr. Hoar (Mass.), who had taken part in the colloquy, might have religious scruples about transacting busi- hess on “Jackson day,” Monday being the Sth of January. “Well,” said Mr. Hoar, “I should like to keep before the country the example of that distinguished democrat—both in the matter of submitting to the laws of the country in ali parts of the Union, and in the matter of his very wise and admi-able views on protection. Perhaps, therefore, the irfluence of Mouday may be very good on everybody if we take up the bill on Muesday.” “Then I give notice," said Mr. Gray, “that on Tuesday, immediately after the morning hour business, I will move to pro- ceed to the consideration of the bill @ re- peal the federal election 1aws, and to con- tinue its consideration until a conelusion is reached.” Mr. Brice (Ohio) moved to take up and pass Senate bill apprepriating $50,000 for an equestrian statue of Maj. Gen. John Stark in_the city of Manchester, N. H. No action was taken on the bill, and then, at 1 p.m., the Senate proceeded to the consideration of executive business, and fat 1:10 p.m. adjourred till Monday next. ‘THE HOUSE. An air of expectant activity pervaded the House when it convened this morning, and @ determination was manifested on the democratic side to carry things in its own Way today. Mr. Boutelle’s success in tying up the House yesterday afternoon appeared to have borne fruit and the democrats seemed | to think that they had a quorum of their own. Immediately after the reading of Yesterday's journal and before ‘tne begin- ning of the first morning hour, Mr. Boutelle again attempted to get his Hawaiian reso- lution before the House. The Speaker ruled that the motion to consider the resolution which was pending yesterday had expired when the House adjourned yesterday and might, he suggested, be renewed. The call of committees was then completed without producing any results. The Speaker an- nounced that the terms of the regents of the nsonian Institution having expired | devolve upon him to appoint re- tor the ensuing term, and he accord- named Mr. Wheeler (Ala.), Mr. Breck- inridge (Ky.) and Mr. Hitt (IL) as such re- gents, all being reappointments. ‘The Boutelle Resolutt Mr. Boutelle called up and had read his resolution reciting that the executive had_ invaded the rights and privileges of Con-| grees; and asked for its immediate consid-| ‘tien. This was the signal for an assert- bat exciting set-to between Mr. Bou-| ive, telle and Mr. McMillin—who is championing the adn istration end of the controversy. | ‘Mr. McMillin raised the question of consid- ‘ation in favor of the tariff bill. Mr. Boutelle inquired whether it was a proper procedure to state for what purpose) & question of consideration was raised. McMillin replied that he simply de-| 1 to be candid with the gentleman from! MMaine, and had stated his reasons for ob- jecting to the consideration of the resolu-| tion. Mr. Boutelle declared that the gentleman} from Tennessee had gone beyond his parlia-| mentary rights and he wished to call him to order. { Mr. Boutelle’s resolution was then read, sud he moved its immediate consideration. The Speaker put the question to the Jiouse. On a viva voce vote the House di- vided on party lines, the majority being! ggainst consideration; and thereupon Mr.| Houtelle demanded a division. The division | resulted: Yeas, 88; noes, 124. | Mr, Boutelle then demanded tellers, but| ¥. McMillin called for the yeas and nays, | oe = hy save time.” i ir. Boutelle was on his feet in a moment with an objection to Mr. MeMillin's form | of making the motion and asserted that he Was out of order in intimating that he (Boutelle) was trying to consume time. (Laughter.) No Democratic Quorum. The republicans refrained from voting to take up the Boutelle resolution, thereby hoping to break the quorum. On the yeas/| and nays there were 150 votes against con- | sideration, with hone in favor of it, the re- publicans religiously refraining from vot- ing. No quorum having voted Mr., McMil. lin demanded a call of the House. The call showed the presence of 225 mem- | bers and Mr. McMillin moved to dispense | with further proceedings under it. The Guestion then recurred on the consideration of Mr. Boutelle’s resolution and on this the yeas and nays were again ordered and the Hiouse settled down to the monotonous roll call. The second call on the question of consideration of Boutelle’s resolution was almost a repetition of the first, the republi- | cans, as a rule. refusing to vote and the democrats being able to muster but 1) members. The democrats being thus disap- Pointed in their hopes that the afternoon ‘trains would bring relief to them the House at 1:40 p.m., on motion of Mr. Wilson (W. Na.), adjourned until tomorrow. ——-o.____ Another Resignation Asked. ‘The Secretary of the Treasury has called for the resignation of D. B. Booth, collec- tor of customs at Mobile, Ala. Senator Hoar by Resolution Seeks to Find Them Out. Bat the President May Properly Re- fase to Furnish Such Informa- tom if He Sees Fit. Scarce a day passes without the develop- ment of some new surprise in the Hawalian muddle. Some of these take the form of fesolutions introduced by republican Sena- ters, who are very ingenious in obtaining constantly shifting views of the situation. It is doubtful, however, if the most recent evolution of the republican senatorial brain on this subject will be of avail beyond furnishing an excuse for a speech attack- ing the policy of the President. This is in the nature of a resolution introduced this morning by Senator Hoar calling upon the Secretary of the Treasury for information concerning the salary paid to Mr. James H. Blount for services rendered as paramount commissioner to the Hawaiian Islands. The resolution asks the sums paid to this gentleman, the authority for such pay- ments and the appropriations from which they were drawn. The President has, it Must be stated, an excellent defense in this Particular. He will probably instruct the Secretary of the Treasury to re- fuse to answer this question, claiming one of his highest prerogatives, which the law has given him in times gone by, that of Protecting the secrets of expenditures in the State Department. The Matter Thoroughly Discussed. This matter is thoroughly discussed in volume 1 of Wharton's Digest of interna- tional Law. In section 78 of that work Dr. Wharton quotes the opinion of Justice Cush- ing, rendered in 1855. ‘This opinion is to the effect that the President, under the Consti- tution, has power to appoint diplomatic agents of any rank at any place and at any time, subject to the constitutional limita- tions in respect to the Senate. ““rne author- ity to make such appointments,” it con- Sporting Men at Jacksonville Confi- dent of a Fight. MEN PUT AT WORK ON THE ARENA. —— Mitchell Doesn't Want to Defy the Law. HOW THE MATTER STANDS. gon le Sate Soha JACKSONVILLE, Fia., Jan. 4.—After consultation with their attorneys this morning the officers of the Duval Athletic Club gave orders for placing 150 men at work on the arena in East Jacksonville. This is in addition to the present force. The club's lawyers say that the city ordi- Rance protects the club and that nobody can stop it now. Club men and pugilists all agree that the fight is now a dead sure thing. Mitchell's manager wired the Duval Club from St. Augustine today that the English- man would do nothing in violation of law. He added, however, that his man would be on hand at the time and place fixed by the club. Mitchell read in today's paper that Cor- bett had signed the amended agreement, but as the signature read “James J. Cor- bett, per W.A.B.," it didn’t please him. He told Thompson that he feared chicanery. Manager Bowden was at once wired that Mitchell demanded that Corbett put his per- sonal signature to the articles. When this is done he wants to scrutinize all four of the copies of the articles to see that the thing is done properly or to his satisfaction. The club feels very sanguine today that the contest will come off. its attorneys ad- vised the manager this morning to go right ahead with the construction of the arena. ‘This advice will be acted upon, though the arena will not be so costly nor so comfortable as it would have been had there been absolute certainty that the fight tinues, “is not derived from and cannot be limited by any act of Congress, except in so far as appropriations of money are required to provide for the expenses of this branch of the public service. During the early admin- istration of the government the appropria- tions made for the expenses of foreign in- tercourse were to be expended in the discre- tion of the President, and from this general fund ministers whom the President saw fit to name were paid.” In section 108 of the same work the ques- tion is alluded to in more detail through an extended quotation from the special mes- Sage of President Polk of April 10, 1846, in which he alludes to the act of May 1, 1510, which provides that when any money shail be drawn from the treasury under any law making appropriation for the contingent ex- penses of foreign intercourse, the President is authorized to cause the same to be settled by the accounting officers of the treasury, and only when he deems advisable shall he itemize the account. The act says that he may merely make a certificate of the amount expended should he thinks it unadvisable to specify its ac- tion. President Polk said: “Two distinct classes of expenditure are authorized by this law, the one of a public and the other of a private and confidential character. The President in office at the time of the expenditures is made by law the sole judge whether it shall be public or private. Congress, foreseeing that it might become necessary and proper to apply portions of this sum for objects the original accounts and vouchers for which could not be made public without injury to the public interest, authorized the President instead of such ac- counts and vouchers to make a certificate of the amount of such expenditures, as he may think it advisable not to specify, and have provided that every such certificate shall be @ sufficient voucher. The Jaw making these provisions is in full force and it is binding upon all the departments of the government and especially upon the executive, Whose duty it is to take care that the laws be faithfully executed. In exercise of the discretion lodged by it » the’ executive several of my predeces- sors have made such ertificates and upon these certificates as the only vouchers set- tlements have been made at the treasury. Actuated undoubtedly by considerations of this kind Congress provided such a fund coeval with the organization of the govern- ment and subsequently enacted the law of 1810 as the permanent law of the land.” The Law Now in Force. This law is now in force, as it was at ihe time when President Polk wrote this letter to Congress. Though the actual state of things cannot be told now, it is probable that Mr. Blount’s pay was drawn by him upon just such certificates as are mentioned in the message. Therefore, should such a resolution as was presented by Mr. Hour today finally reach the Secretary of the Treasury, it is more than likely that he would report to the Senate the fact that the only knowledge he has of any expendi- tures to officials of the State Department is included in the existence of these cer- tificates in the files of the accounting bu- reaus of his department. As these certifi- cates do not mention the names of the in- dividuals for whom they are drawn, it is almost certain that no one at the Treasury Department can officially say that Mr. Blount drew a penny from the government as paramount commissioner. This may not be true of his salary as minister, which may have been included in the itemized accounts submitted by the State Department, and of course it is possible that the President may have changed it to mention Mr. Blonnt’s mame during his extraordinary career as commissioner. At all events, such is the law im the case that should the President be unwilling to answer Mr. Hoar’s ques- tion he can take graceful and dignified refuge behind the statutes and refuse to di- vulge any information. ——__+-e+—_____ The Revenue Cutter Grant. The Treasury Department has receive no official information that the revenue cutier Grant has had her machinery disabled and put into Bahia, Brazil, for repairs. It is stated at the department that it was the in- tention to have the Grant's machinery overhauled at Barbadoes. This was vrob- ably not done, but is now being done at Bahia, where the steamer intended to stop. If the damage is at all serious it is thought here that the department will be informed. ‘The Grant is en route to Portland, Ure. ~— + e+ Government Receipts Today. The receipts from internal revenue today were $404,771; from customs, $534,210, An Importa Late yesterday afternoon Assistant Sec- retary of the Interior Reynolas rendered an adverse decision in the case of James 7 Harrison, company M, third Lowa cavairy. Harrison claimed pension for a gunshot wound in the arm, but the evidence showed that he was absent from his command and was not in the line of duty when wounded. The decision 1s an Important one trom tae fact that ft will reverse a number of de- | cisions made under the last administration. Up to that time it had been held that wounds received by soldiers, who were ab- sent from their commands in the pursuit of private profit or pleasure, were not pension able. It is said that under the last admin- istration pensions were allowed for disabil- ities incurred in this manner. Condition of Western Banks. | The condition of national banks in St. | Louis, Mo., on Decen:ber 19 shows the re- have been serve to v.46 per cent, loans 1.000; lawful money ro- 36,01 individual deposits, 3) no0; gold and gold certificates, $2,447,000, Detroit, Mich., nz al banks show the reserve to have been 32.12 per cent, loans | and discounts, 224"); lawful money re- | rye, $1,851,000; sold and gold certificates, 65,000; ‘individual depesits, $8,545,000, would not be interfered with, eign) TO PREVENT THE BIG FIGHT. The Formation of a Law and Order League Advised. NEW HAVEN, Jan. 4.—Attorney Cowles, Jacksonville, Fla., has notified Rev. Cla ence Greely, Mount Carmel, Conn., general agent of the International aw and Order League, that there is plenty of law in Florida against prize fighting and that the trouble must be in weak-kneed local offi- clals, since the higher officers, including Gov. Mitchell and Mayor Fletcher, as well as such attorneys as Cooper and Cooper and Judge Young of the firm of Young & Barrs, who was for years judge of the cir- cuit court and is at present member of Congress from the Jacksonville district, are sincere and outspoken in their oppo- sition to the lawlessness which the Cor- bett-Mitchell. contest will involve. Mr. Greely has accordingly advised the formation of a local jaw and order league in Jacksonville to aid the public a JACKSON SAYS “CORBETT.” “Uncle Tom” Pins His Faith te the Young Californian. CANTON, Ohlo, Jan. 4.—Peter Jackson, who is here, says his money will go on Cor- bett if the bout with Mitchell comes off, ef which he thinks there is much doubt. Jackson says the modern style of fighting is to hit and run away or dodge and then hit, and was too much for Sullivan in his fight with ‘bett. because Corbett was too ui for “Sully,” When asked whether he ‘aid not consldel Corbett a much better man now than when he met him in San Francisco, he promptly said: “Yes, Cor- bett has doubtless improved in swiftness, science and strength. Still I am anxious to meet him, but I can’t say that I can whip him, but I can say the country will know there has been a fight.” —_—__ NOVEL PLAN TO HELP THE POOR, AW Dressed Wealthy Man Takes the Attitude of a Besgar. * NEW YORK, Jan. 4.—Richly attired shoppers who thronged Fulton street, Brooklyn, yesterday afternoon dropped hundreds of pennies into the hat of a tall, black-mustached, fashionably dressed, kindly faced, middle-aged man of the most distinguished bearing. He did not look hungry. On his breast was a sign in red letters on black enameled tin, It read: “1 am begging for the poor of Brooklyn. Please help me all you can. Some are starving. “JOHN DETTVEILER, “Is3 Clifton piace. On the back was a sinular sign, use ini: “American boys and girls are starving from hunger. Help all you can.” ‘The women who gathered around this man and dropped in their contributions clogged the Sidewalk. A policeman ar- rested the man. The shoppers cried out “Sname,” but the policeman was inexorable and the prisoner took the matter phil sophically. So the Kind-faced man was taken to the station, and after a charge of street begging had been recorded against him be was locked in a cell. He was realiy Jonn Dettveiler, a retired shoe manufac- turer, who owns several pieces of vaiuabie real estate, lives in a handsome house, owned by his wife, at 183 Clifton place, at- tends Dr. Talmadge’s church, and has two grown-up sons, both well-known business men. He had in his collection $i2.63, mostly in pennies and nickels. His gold watch was worth twenty times as muc He laughed heartily over his predic ment. To a reporter he said: “Recently I have had occasion to learn by visits in ithe poorer districts just how terrible the pres- ent suffering among the poor is, and { de- cided that I must set an example to some of the people of wealth of this charitably inclined city. Dr. Talmadge is doing splen- did work in the field, and I expected to have a big and joyful surprise for him this evening in the shape of a good round sum to add to his collection. I was having more than I could do when that foolish potice- man put a stop to the good work.” Then he went on to tell of having dis- guised himself as a tramp, investigated tle vicious resorts of Chicago and called a mass meeting at the corner of Halsey and Ma‘t- ison streets, at which he explained to the terrible immorality of the town. The late Mayor Carter Harrison urged him to come to Chicago to live. He would not leave Brooklyn for any such wicked town. _ DATES FOR TROTTIN MEETINGS, Western and Southern Cities to Con- fer at Chicago, TERRE HAUTE, ind., Jan. 4.—President Ijams of the Western and Southern Trotting Circuit today sent out a call for the meet- ing to fix dates for ISM. The meeting is to be held at the Auditorium Hotel, Chica- go, Tuesday evening, January 9. The fol- are in the circuit: ich.; Grand Rapids, Mich.: Fort Independence, Iowa; Colum- ‘olumbus, Ind.; Chicago, In- dianapolis, Mason City, Iowa; St. Joseph, Mo.; Terre Haute, Ind.; Evansville, Ind. and’ Nashville, Tenn. NEW LONDON, Conn., Jan. 4.—The Nor- wich line steamer City of Boston, from New York, collided early this morning at the mouth of New London harbor in a dens fog with the schooner Mary Adelaide Ran- dail, hence for Philadelphia. The steamer sustained considerable dam. + but the in- jury to the schooner was slight. WASHINGTON, D. C., THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 1894—TWELVE PAGES TWO CENTS EXCESSIVE ASSESSMENTS. The Commissioners Cannot Alter or Amend the Tax Lists. Attorney Thoma: Strong Argument for a Permanent Board of Assess- ment—The Case at Issue. An important opinion was rendered by the attorney for the District today, bear- ing upon the new assessment. It seems that Mary A. Kelly owns house 2000 N street northwest. The old assess- ment on this property was $2,500, and since that time no improvements have been made on the premises. Yet notwithstanding this the returns for the new assessment show the property to be assessed for $8,000. | The matter was brought to the attention of the Commissioners, and they sent it to | the assessor for a statement of the facts. | Assessor Trimble reported as follows: |“The retura of the assistant assessors {shows that the figures $4,000 were placed \in the improvement column on thelr field book opposite sub lot 12, square 9, being the property herein referred to and no de- scriptior. is there given as to the nature of the improvements, whether brick or frame, or one or two houses and in this respect the assessment 1s defective and ir- regular, which would have been promptly corrected, no doubt, had the attention of said assistant assessors been called to it. The board of revision devoted all of the time allowed by law in adjusting land val- ues, as it was found impossible for said beard to personaily inspect improvemenis, and this with many other excessive val- ues escaped their notice. I consider the assessment for improvements on the lot referred to as defective and sufficient war- tant for a valid adjustment, and I recom- mend a value of $4,500 for assessment pur- poses, and that the character and descrip- tion of said improvemenis be properly noted on the records.” The Commissioners sent all the papers in jthe case to the attorney for the District with the request that he submit an opin- {on as to the Commissioners’ right to change the assessment. This he did today in an opinion in which, after reviewing the case, he says: Defective and Excessive. “The assessment complained of is defec- tive in this that it does not give any de- scription as to the nature of the improve- ment upon the lot, and erroneous in that it is grossly excessive. I have no doubt, as suggested by Mr. Trimble, that had the attention of the assessors been called to it in time they would have promptly correct- ed the error, but as the matter appears to have been an error in the assessment, and not a clerical one in entering up the as- sessment upon the books in the assessor's office, I do not see how, in view of section 11 of the act of 1883, which declares ‘that the valuation of the real property made and equalized as aforesaid shall constitute the basis of taxation for the next succeeding period of three years, dnd until another val- uation is made according to law,’ the Com- missioners can do anything about it. The case is one of great hardship and goes to demonstrate that it was impossible for the board of assessors to do the vast work im- posed upon them, namely: From actual view to determine as nearly as practicable ground in the District and separately esti- mate the value of all improvements on any tract or lot and note the same in his field the value of each seuarate lot or parcel of book, together with the dimensions of each lot or tract. The board of equalization and review, in the limited time allotted them for the performance of their duties, according to the assessor’s report, devoted themselves entirely to equalizing the value of lots and parcels of land, and paid no attention to improvements. The Commissioners Powerless. “The act of 1883 provided for a board of equalization and review, and this was the only method by which one whose property was erroneously or unequally assessed might have the error corrected and the time allowed it was only able to review land valuations, and that it did not hive the time to review the valuations placed upon improvements by the board of assessors. If this be true, of what use was the board of equalization as to improvements? The taxpayer in this case does not appear to have appealed to the board of equalization and review, but suppose she had, what good’ It had not the tyne to consider her case. When the board of equalization and review closed its labors and the assessments pass- ed into the hands of the assessor, for.‘ roliment on the books of his office, the at to correction or abatement was lost. It remained only for the Commissioners to ac- cept the assessments as legal and just, and levy and collect the taxes accordingly. “Courts, eisher of common law or equity, are powerless,” says Judge Cooley, in his treaties on taxation (2d ed. p. 748), “to give relief against the erroneous judgments of assessing bodies, except as they may be specially empowered by law to do s And this principle is applicable to statutory boards, with certain appellate powers, but whose action, if they keep withih their juris- diction, is conclusive, except as otherwise provided by law.” On page 750 the learned author proceeds, “For a mere irregular as- sessment, the statutory remedy is also the exclusive remedy. It is supposed to be ade- quate to all the requiremenis of justice, and it is the party's own folly if he fails to avail himself of it.” The error complained of in this case, is one of fact, and not of law, On the face of the record no objec- tion can be urged against the assessment, non constat, the improvements on this tax- payer's lot are not of the value of $8,000 in “lawful money.” But however that is, extrinsic evidence cannot now be recetved to show that they are, or that they are not. It is just as impossible for the Commission- ers to reduce an assessment as it is for them to increase one. There should be per- manent power in the assessor, after assess- ments have passed into his hands for en- roilment, to correct errors and inequalities in assessments, or else there should be a permanent board of assessors, and provi- sion made for refundment of excessive taxes collected. “Whiist I am perfectly satisfied the board of assessors made a great mistake in this case, I am at the same time just as well satisfied the Commissioners are powerless to correct it.” + e+ _______ HEARING TOMORROW. Citizens’ Committee Will Urge on Con- gress Immediate Appropriat »| A hearing will be given tomorrow at 11 o'clock by the subcommittee of the House |appropriations committee to the citizens’ committee having charge of the relief of the poor of this ciiy. The object of the hearing will be to permit the citizens’ com- mittee to lay before Congress its wishes in the matter of an appropriation for roads and public improvements in the District to furnish employment to unemployed la- borers. The District Commissioners have been invited to be present at the hearing. +e Court-Martial at Marine Barracks. A general court-martial has been ordered by the Secretary of the Navy to convene at the marine barracks, Washington, on Saturday next for the trial of enlisted men. The court is composed of the following marine officers: Capt. D. Pratt Mannix, | president; Capt. Carlile P. Porter, First Lieut. Harry K. White, First Lieut. Chas. A. Doyen, Second Lieut. Dion Williams, Second Lieut. Rufus H. Lane, Second Lieut. Albert S. McLemore and First Lieut. George Barnett, judge advocate. Capt. Capt. Robley Evans of the light house board, the President's recent host on nis “ducking” trip down the river, is laid up with an attack of rheumatism. ed. But this‘appellate tribunal in the shere| REAPPOINTED TODAY. Commissioner Ross Will Succeed Himself, as Generally Expected. EVERYBODY. SATISFACTORY 10 Showered With Congratulations Today at the District Building. SOME CITIZENS SAY. Se eee a WHAT The President today sent to the Senate the nomination of Mr. John W. Ross to succeed himself as Commissioner of the District. The news of Commissioner Ross’ reap- pointment reached the District bullding shortly after noon today and . spread throughout the building in a moment. It was joyous news to the clerks, and they went about congratulating themselves. Few Commissioners have such a warm place in the hearts of the clerks as Commissioner Ross. They look upon him as a sort of father and. benefactor. They know, also, with himjat the nead of the local govern- ment no changes will be made in the per- sonnel of the office unless there is good and sufficient cause. Commissioner Ross was at the Capitol when the news of his appointment reached the District building. When he returned later in the afternoon he held quite a re- ception with clerks. Mr. Ross was visibly affected by the ovation he received, and thanked his friends again and again for their kindness. ‘The reappointment of Commissioner Ross will make no change at the District build- ing. The accounts will continue just the same and there will be no evidence on the surface that there has been anything tak- ing place out of the usual. His Effictent Record. Mr. Ross was originally appointed Dis- trict Commissioner by President Harrison. His first public office in the District was that of school trustee. He served with effi- ciency in that place, and became president of the school board. When Mr. Conger’s term expired as postmaster of the city, Mr. Ross was appointed to that office by Pres- ident Cleveland and continued in it until President Harrison appointed him as a democrat to be a Commissioner of the Dis- trict. His administration of his present office has given general satisfaction. Speaking of Mr.Ross’ appointment. Mr.T.E. Rossell said the reappointment of Mr. Ross was not a surprise to him. He had confi- Gently expected it all along. It was the —_ thing, and the city is to be congratu- ted. Mr. H. 1. Gregory said the citizens of Washington shot cer and would carefully guard the interests of the grandest city in the world. Col. Perry Carson said Commissioner Ross is one of God's noblemen, and the colored people of this t should rejoice in his reappointment. He believes in giving the black man a chance. “Yes, sir, the colored citizens of this District should send the President a vote of thanks.” Mr, John Boyle of the democratic central committee said: “Mr. Ross has made an excellent issioner in the past and his experience will be valuable to him and the District during his new term.” More to Fellow. ‘The President's action today is said to have been the result of a recent letermi- nation to dispose of the question of ap- pointments in the. District as rapidly as the pressure of other business would permit. The general local sentiment in favor of the reappointment of Commissioner Koss appealed strongly to the President and, it is said, moved him to act in the matter sooner than he had originally intended. It is said that he took special satisfaction in the appointment of Mr. Ross, because of his personal knowledge of his character and ability. Other Appointments. ‘The next local appointment that may be looked for is a U. 8. marshal to succeed Maj. Ransdell. It seems to be uccepted that ex-Marsha! Wilson stands the best chance for this office. The President waiv- ed the question of previous service in the case of Mr. Ross and he may do the same im the case of Mr. Wilson. There is all sorts of speculation afloat in regard to the offices of register and recorder, but the best information obtainable is that no thange will be made in these offices for several days at least. + SOUTH AMERICA, Story of One Trouble Now Raging Down There. The Ugited States minister to Honduras and Guatemala has sent a report to the State Department on the trouble between Nicaragua und Honduras. He says the hostile feeling was caused by the action of the Nicaraguan government in admitting Honduran refugees to rights of citizenship. Some of the refugees, he says, have even been elected to the legislature of Nica- ragua. The persons who are engaged in the preset civil war in Hondurag organized their forées in Nicaragua. in an fniterview in regard to the trouble between the two countries, Senor Guzman, the Nicaraguan minister, said that the presi- dent of Honduras exiled some gentlemen from Honduras for political purposes, the chief one of whom was Policarpo Bonilla, the leader of the insurgents, and they went over to Nicaragua. “We always receive political exiles in Nicaragua,” said Mr. Gus- man,-“‘and treat them well. These political refugees were taken care of, and that dis- pleased the president of Honduras, who anted President Zelaya to expel them from aragua. We are very hospitable and we rtainly could not dcive those men out of Nicaragua simply because the president of | Honduras demanded it. Thereupen, Presi- | dent Vasquez obtained power from the con- ‘gress of his country to declare war against Nicaragua at any Ume he saw fit to do so— a most unusual and extraordinary proceed- jing, and never before heard of in Spanish | America. From this time on the govern- ment of Honduras has committed all kinds of hostilities against Nicaragua. I have re- ceived a cablegram telling me that a very strong position has been taken in the town of Corpus by the revolutionary people, after a hard fight, in which they defeated the president’s troops. My impression is that the war will not last long, and that the Vasquez government will be overthrown.” MAY BE DEFEATED. Many Democratic Members Oppose the Tnoome Tax. It May Defeat the Whole Bill—Mach Depends Upon the Attitude of the Republicans—Some Opinions. The opponents of the Income tax are very" confiGent that that provision of the Wilson bill will never become a law. They are very hopeful of beating it in the House, but say that if they fail there it will cer- tainly be knocked out in the Senate. If the republicans vote with the eastern demo- crats in the House there will be a very fair chance that the income tax will be de- feated there. The democrats who want wo make a fight on the ways and means com- mittee on this proposition have been mak- ing an estimate of their strength, and have come to the conclusion that the committee can be defeated in the House if the repub- lean vote is cast practically solid against the income tax. It is proposed to hold meetings of the eastern delegations and to make a thorough canvass of the matter. One of the most influential of the southern men in the House said to a representative of The Star today that, as he figured it out, the republicans would be almost sol- idly opposed to the income tax; the demo- crats of the east would oppose it almost to a man, and that there would be a serious division among democrats in the south and West on the question. If, therefore, the op- position can be brought to act together, the ways and means committee may be de- feated. Mr. Reed's Idea. It is understood that Mr. Reed does not want the republicans to act with the dem- ocratic kickers, his idea being that the democrats should be permitted to make their bill as vicious (from his point of view) as they desire and take the responsibility for its unpopularity. If this policy is acted on by the republicans and the income tax is not stricken from the bill it is probable that many of the democrats who are vio- lenuly opposed to the income tax, together with the sugar men and possibly one or two who are dissatisfied with the treatment of iron and coal, will vote with the republi- cans to recommit the bill to the committee. Representative Whiting’s Views. Speaking of the opposition to the income tax, Representative Whiting, one of the members of the ways and means commit- tee, said to a representative of The Star: “Yes; there seems to be eonsiderable feel- ing agaist the Income tax, especially in the east and from members representing large’ city districts. It is astonishing that wealth should have so many sycophants in Congress, for in every district in the United States, even in the largest cities, when the People are aroused, as they must be on di- rect questions of taxation, they seem able to discern, if not absolute equity, yet what is undoubtedly for the public good, and act with such unmistakable majorities that faith in popular government is greater than faith in the wisdom of Representatives who get here when great questions do not enter at issue. " “Some resent the tax perhaps from misapprehending its provisions. For An index to nadvertise- ments will be found om Page 3. ON BROADER LINES. Progress of the Senatorial Hawaiian Investigating Committee. PROP, ALETANDER FURTHER TESTIFIES. The Causes That Led to the Revo- lution Sought. NOT ALLUDED TO BY BLOUNT. a a The Senate committee on foreign rela- tions began the fourth day of the investi- gation of Hawaiian affairs by meeting al- most at the hour appointed, 10, this morn- ing, and with all members of the subcom- mittee present but Mr. Sherman. Prof. Alexander, the surveyor general of the is- lands, was the only witness before the com- mittee this morning. One thing appears to be evident, if the intimations dropped by members of the com- mittee can serve as basis for a judgment, anticipated by the witnesses or even by the Senators when they began the work. It is said that Mr. Morgan, chairman of the com- mittee, in discussing the plan of action, informed his colleagues that there questions in this matter far deeper than mere acts of ex-Minister Stevens, Minister Willis and Commissioner Blount, and those questions related to the causes that led the acts of these gentlemen. Mr. Willin’ Report Not Received. The indications are that State partment has not up to this ef the time and what it could have been that he report- ed that prevented the consummation of the carried with him, upon the sub- mitted by Blount. Much of testimony of Prof. Ale been Lacking in Mr. Blount’s Report. It was stated by him that that report ignored the causes that led to the revolu- tion and dismissed the subject of the new constitution the queen sought to establish with but the morest reference. The claim made so generally by the friends of provisional government that this constitu- tion was the last of a series of efforts to defeat the establishment of a progressive government and improve the condition of the whole people, entitled it, the committee Say, to at least some attention at the hands of the commissioner who was sent there by the Presideat to make an investigation, Ascertaining the Causes. The committee, é ni the committee, especially by Mr. Frye and “The tax on earnings of corporations is so light as not to prove disastrous to Mr. Morgan, explained the conditions that existence of any legitimate business. prior to the outspoken de- “4 a stockholder who is en-/nunciation of the queen's govern- titled ‘to a dividend of $100, either from in-| ment and uprising and te2est on a bond, or from earnings hereto-| appointment of the ittee of safety. fore di this line for far the them- re acts of the States gov- may be said ————_---____ Appointed Pardon Clerk. Mr. W. C. Endicott, jr., private secretary to the Attorney General, has been appoint- ed pardon clerk of the Department of Jus- tice, in place of Judge Charles F. Scott of West Virginia, resigned. Mr. Endicott is se ~~ of We pregnend Endicott, and Judge tt is relat y marriage to ex-President Harrison. 2 Treasury Circulation. A statement issued by the Treasury De- partment shows that there has been a de- crease of 2 cents in the per capita circula- tion since the Ist of December. The total circulation January 1 was $1,729,018,266, or at the rate of $25.55 per inhabitant. The per capita circulation January 1, 1893, was $24.32, and on Jani 1, 1802, it was $24.52. The increase in <irevlation since January 1, 1893, was $118,334,392. Im the Interest of Economy. In the interests of economy the Secretary of the Treasury has difected that superin- tenderts of construction of public buildings under the Treasury Department shall not be paid whenever weather or other condi- tions interfere with the progress of the work cn the buildings under their charge. There ere thirty-eight persons affected by this ort. whose ranges from $6 to $8 entirely during the witter period of build- ing inactivity. Cabinet Diuner to dhe President. The Secretary of War and Mrs. Lamont will entertain the President and Mrs. Cieve- land at a cabinet dinner on the evening of the 16th, and the Attorney General and Mrs. Olney will Rave the same pleasure on the evening of the 234. + 2 A New Chief of Division. Secretary Carlisle today eppointed Fred. W. Knowltoa of Maine chief of division, architect's office, Treasury Department. Postmasters Appointed. The total number of fourth-class post- masiers appointed today’ was eighty. Of this number forty-seven were to fill vacan- cies caused by death and resignations and the remainder by removals. The Virginia appointments wefe as follows: Casanova, Edna _ E. Gaines, vice V. C. Cowhig, re- moved; Mableton, Anne G. A. Fleming, vice C. A. Harding, removed; Owens, H. 5. Fitzhugh, vice R. H. Owens, removed. ——+-e- Secretary Carlisle's First “Open Day.” Secretary Carlisle resumed his regular hours at the Treasury Department today, and this being his first “open day” for the reception of visitors whose business related to appointments, he had a large and eager crowd in his office nearly all day. —_—$___+ 6 Ni Ordern, Ensign 8. 8. Robison has been ordered to duty at the navy yard, Mare Island, Cal. +0 + Counterfeiter Arrested. The Treasury Department is informed of the arrest of Ralph Wilcox, Frankie Wil- cox and A. H. Peck at Chicago yesterday for lightening several hundred $20 guid pieces. enabled the provisional set control, described the government to situation as follows. “On the one hand was an unscrupulous queen, and on the other an honest set of interests of Hawaii. They are men of great business ability, and by their enterprise have made the islands what they are today. The queen, by her grasping nature, out- witted herself. She tried to get the Louis- jana Lottery Company established there | a8 years. Nobody knew what wi next. Everybody believed the queen unscrupulous. The Americans were into the thing by circumstances, and would have been no trouble if Mi kept his hands off. E i i i Prof. Alexander's evidence bore directly upon this matter, not as corroborative of the statement of Prof. Libbey, which, it Is understood, was not referred to as such, but upon the conditions that existed at the time and caused Prof. Libbey to publish bis statement. These matters were all fa- miliar to Prof. Alexander, and his know!- edge of the constitutional law: of the islands enabled him to give the committee and in this part of his evidence the report of Mr. Blount. He was ques- tioned by all the members of tee and the widest range was given witness, as to every other witness, mitting him to tell his story. He the landing of the troops from the and said that when they first came on shore they went to the property of Mr. J. B. Atherton, an American, but there being no accommodation for them there, they were, after numerous efforts to get a place, stationed in Arion Hall, which was oppo- site the government building. He denied contrary, | could expect nothing. They were given to understand that they must take care of themselves. The men, he said, —— to fight, and were ready for it. hen the proclamation was read there were no troops in front of the building, but by the time ft was finished, he said, a company of Ger- mans arrived, and a moment later a com- pany of American and English