Evening Star Newspaper, February 12, 1894, Page 1

eee PUBLISHED DAILY EXCEPT SUNDAY. AT THE STAR BUILDINGS, 1101 Pennsylvania Avenue, Cor. 11th Street, by The Evening Star Newspaper Company, 8. H. KAUPFMANN, Pres't. eee erernainae ‘New York Office, 88 Potter Building. —--- ‘THE EvENtec Staz is served to subseribers in the eity by carriers, on their ore a a EF Tcehie'sach By mall tay siore isthe Uored Btates or postage prepaid—50 cents per BSkr apar Quixrr Smunt Stan, $1.00 per year; Misa reheat Re Ga-1'! tall subscriptions must be paid ip advance Kates o: advertising made Known on application. ce at DELAY FOR WHITE|RA!LRoaD TARIFFS Recess in the Manassas Trial Until Afternoon. COUNSEL MAKING A STUBBORN FIGHT People Irritated at the Obstacles to ; Justice. WHAT THE PRISONERS SAY Special Dispatch to The Evening Star. MANASSAS, Va, Feb. 12.—Again escorted by the Alexandria Light Infantry, seventy- one strong. Jim Robinson and Ben White, the two young negroes charged with crimi- nally assaulting Mrs. Heffiin and her sister- | in-law, Mrs. Elliot, near here on the night of the 13th of last month were brought here from the Alexandria jail on the train arriving at 9-25 this morning. While a great throng witnessed the de- parture of the prisoners from Alexandria, wery few persons congregated at the sta- tions on the way. A large number, how- ever, met the men on their arrival here, but looked on quietly as they were hurried off to the town jail. When Judge Lipscomb directed the sheriff to declare the court opened the court room was again packed by a surging mass of men and boys, white and black, between ‘whom and the prisoners stood a score of soldiers with bayonets fixed and cartridge boxes filled. : Commonwealth’s Attorney Thornton, in enswer to the court's inquiry, stated that the state was ready in the case of the commonwealth against White, charged with raping Mrs. Elliot, but before the ase was proceeded with Mr. R. Campbell, counsel for White, explained that he had since the conviction on last Thursday of Jim Robinson of assaulting Mrs. Hefflin been also engaged as counsel for Robinson. He then entered a motion for a new trial im the case of Robinson, basing the mo- tion upon two grounds, first, that the court erred in compelling the defendant to £0 to trial three days after indictment, the indictment being returned while the pris- oner was imprisoned in another county (Alexandria) for safe keeping, and, second, that the court erred in not granting a change of venue. Judge Lipscomb promptly overruled the motion and Mr. Campbell noted an excep- tlorg explaining that he would petition the Court of Appeals for a stay of judgment, in order to carry Robinson's case to that court. Mr. Campbell then presented Mr. John Green of Alexandria to the court, ex- jaining that he would be associated with im in the defense of White. Motions for a further continuance of the case followed on the part of White's coun- sel, cme of the grounds for a continuance being that Mr. Henry Green, a citizen of Alexandria, was a most material witness for the defense, without whom the defend- @nt could not well go to trial. Judge Lipscomb, however, cut the matter short by remarking that he would have the | witness on hand during the day. Then, defeated in their efforts to obtain a continuance until the next term of the court, counsel made a personal plea for a Teeess until o'clock, assuring the court that they would then surely be ready to go ghead with the trial. With that distinct understanding the court @eclared a recess until that hour. What the Prisoners Say. Upen the adjournment of the court for re- cess the prisoners were taken back to the little brick jail across the road from the court house, and there, through the cour- tesy of Sheriff Leachman, The Star's rep- resentative had a talk with the prisoners. ‘The jail is a brick building about forty feet sSyuare, the front being two stories high and Dy od as a residence by Jailer Payne and is one large room, in the center of which is buflt two steel cages or cells, open on all sides and at the top, with hammocks swung up instead of beds. One of the cages was occupied by the colored boy awaiting trans- portation to the Richmond penitentiary, to ferve a three years’ sentence for forgery, and in the other were Robinson and White. They were sitting beside each other on one of the hammocks,heads bowed and each mechanically tearing bits from an old news- paper. For some time each replied in mono- syllables to questions asked them by The Star's representative, but they afterward became more communicative. Both of the wretched prisoners stated that it was pretty hard to be punished for what they did. “But didn't you assault the women?” asked the reporter. “No, sir,we didn’t do nothing of the kind,” they answered. “We just got what we went there for,” said White, “and we didn’t harm fem ‘tall. The women was willin’,” he as- rted, “so I doesn’t see as how they can jurt us for just doin’ that.” ~ Both prisoners insisted that they had gone fo the house of the women with their | Sends = and consent, and, while they reely admitted the object of their visit,both @eclared that no violence was attempted or gone by efther of them. White stated that he expected to be convicted, and believed that he would receive the same sentence as that decreed in Robinson’s case, and anx- footy inquired how long a time they gave a an before hanging him. Both men said they had worked in Wash- ington, White for four years and Robinson gor five or six months. White said he had | aa been arrested before this trouble, but obinson stated that he had often been ar- ested, mostly for fighting. ‘ Robinson inquired of Jailer Payne if it swas true that he was building the scaffold } awd him, explaining that some one had told so this morning. “No, we haven't begun ft yet,” replied the jatler; “but I can tell you one thing, boys, that if they hadn't taken you away from here when they did, you wouldn't have been here now.” This remark of the jailer cast a still deep- er gloom over his charges, from which no further question could arouse them, and they were then left to themselves. Dissatisfied With the Delay. ‘The slight delay which White's counsel wecured this morning, together with the fil- ng of a motion for a new trial in Robin- son's case, caused the crowd in attendance at the trial no ifttle uneasiness. Not that any one here doubts that both of the pris- oners will be punished eventually, but every | delay, however slight, serves only to in- tensify the feeling entertained here and in the surrounding country against the prison- ers, and the opinion was openly voiced dur- ing the recess of the court that their coun- sel, by delaying the trial, would secure the | lynching of their clients, military or no military. It is undoubtedly the desire of the people of the county that the prisoners shall re- ceive a full, fair hearing, but, feeling that there cannot be the slightest doubt of their wullt, the people claim that the hearing Should be had without delay. Therefore they become all the more angered and set ®gainst the miserable wretches. every time the hearing is delayed. Then, too, the fact that the conviction of the men will be contested in the appel- late tribunal of the state, judging from the action of their counsel today, has also Sroused great indignation among the peo- vie, especially among those who live out- side of town, for it is a remarkable fact that those most bent on avoiding the law's delays by summary proceedings are those who reside outside of this immediate vicin- ity. There is, however, little fear of trouble as long as the militia guard the prisoners, Dut no one needs to be told that but for their presence the prisoners would soon be Swinging from the nearest tree or pole. The trial of White can hardly be conclud- @4 before tomorrow, unless the court sits late tonight, and the soldiers will remain until it 1s over. In the very probable event of White receiving the same verdict as his companion, {t fs understood that Judge Lipscomb will at once impose the sentence of death in both cases and direct the pris- oners to be at once carried back to the Alexandria jafl under their ward oe o: military guar is family. The rear part of the jail | ~— Ghe Evening Star. Vor 84, No. 20,806. WASHINGTON, D. C.. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1894—-TWELVE PAGES. TWO CENTS Am index to advertise ments will be found on Page 3. The Proposed Schedule Considered at a Oonference Today. The Interstate Commerce Commission Invite the Railroads to Present Sug- gestions te Be Considered. There was a conference today at the rooms of the interstate commerce commis- sion between the representatives of a large number of railroads and the commission. The commission having determined to pre- scribe the form of schedules of rates and charges required by the act to regulate commerce, to be kept open to public inspec- tion, in accordance with authority confer- |red by the sixth section thereof, and de- siring that while fully meeting the require- ments of the law the form adopted shall mot be unnecessarily burdensome to the railways by reason of the expense or other- | wise, it was thought proper to invite the ‘carriers subject to the act to send repre- | sentatives to a conference to be held at the | office of the commission, when opportunity might be afforded to offer suggestions re- garding the preparation of such a form (es- pecially suggestions as to a form for joint tariffs) as would comply with the require- ments of the statute. Chairman Morrison Explains. All the commissioners were present, with the exception of Commissioner McGill, who is confined to his home in Iowa by illness. | Chairman Morrison explained the reason | for the call, and the difficulties in the way jot the commission which had prompted it. | The railroad representatives very generally | expressed a perfect willingness to meet the commission in an effort to check the abuses complained of. Chairman Morrison stated Positively that the commission would exer- cise the power conferred upon it in rela- tion to this matter and would be glad to hear suggestions from any interested per- son who could throw light on the subject. | He pointed out the bad effects arising as a result of the present methods of prescrib- ing forms of schedules of rates and charges and showed that as a result there was a good deal of complaint owing to over- charges, &c. The commission had arrived at a point where it found the matter of tariffs a serious obstacle to the rigid enforcement of | the law. After a short desultory conversa- | tion the chairman had Auditor McCain of | the commission read a form of schedule of rates and charges prepared by him. This form, it was thought, in a measure at least would obviate the difficulties now encoun- tered under the present system and was tin- tended largely as a basis of discussion. The form presented by Mr. McCain was for a | tariff on the Wabash railroad from East St. Louis to a number of points east. There was a general discussion of its provisions, the railroad representatives pointing out their views on the form suggested and the impracticability of publishing a tariff from | every station over thelr lines to every sta- | tion in the country to which they might | ship freight. | The Roads Represented. The railroad men in attendance were as | follows: B. H. Bail, by R. L. Russell, P. land R. R. R. Co.; W. B. Bevill, N. and W. R. R.; A. C. Bird, C. M. and St. P. Ry.; W. H. Blodgett, Wabash R.R.; C. M. Burt, Trunk Line Association; B. D. Caldwell, Western Passenger Association; H. B. Chamberlain, Erie Lines; D. A. Chambers, Southern Pacific Co.; J. M. Culp, Southern Ry. and S. 8S. Association; Geo. H. Daniels, N.Y.C. and H.R.R.Co.; Robt. W, Davis, B. R. and P. Ry. Co.; 8S. L. Dill, A. and N. Cc. R.R.; Wm. J, Earls, Southern Passenger | Association; H. M. Emerson for T. M. Em- | erson, Atlantic Coast Line; P. S. Eustis, C. |B. and Q. R. R.; Chas. S. Fee, Northern R.R.; Frank J. Fisth, Erle and E. A. Ford, R.R. and Vandalia Lines west of ; O. G. Getzen-Danner, L.S. and Chas. E, Gibbs, Vandalia Line; . Griswold, Western Maryland R. R.; Nathan iiford, New York Central; E. A. Hotchkiss, C. and O. Ry.; George B. Jenkins, Norfolk and Southern R.R.; J. M. Johnson, Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway; C. A. Kniskern, Ill. Central R.R.; Cc. E. Lambert, West Shore railroad; F | Luckey, Baltimore and Ohio railroad; Geo. | A. Macdonald, Georgia Southern system; A. Maddison, Asscciated railways of Vir- |ginia and Carolina; M. C. Markham, Il- Mnois Central railroad; D. B. Martin, C, C. c. and St. L. railway; James Means, P. C. Cc. and St. L. railway; D. E. McMillan for Geo. B. Reeve, Chicago and Grand Trunk; Thomas Miller, C. B. and Q. railroad; Pacific Western Transportation Co. ey. A. way; Geo. Olds, Can. Pac. railway; James P. Orr, Pennsylvania railroad; A. C. Ray- mond, Can. Pac. railway! Geo. B. Reeve by D. E. MsMillan, Chicago and Grand Trunk railway; O. Howard Royer, N. and W. R. R. and Gt. Sn. Disp.; R. L. Russell for B. H, Bail, Philadelphia and Reading railroad; W. S. St. George for H. F. Smith, Queen and Crescent route; J. M. Schryver, Balti- more and Ohio railroad; Wm. S. Sloan, D. L. and W. railroad; A. J. Smith, L. S. and M. 8S. railway; H. S. Smith, by W. SisSt. George, S. railway and S. 8.;W. H. Taylor, A. and D. railroad; A. B. Thayer, jr., Penn- sylvania tailroa Percy R. Todd, West Shore raflroad; Edw. Washburn, K. C. F. 8. and M. and K. ©. M. and B. railrozds:; J. R. Watson, Fitchburg railroad; James Webster, N. Y., C. and St. L. rafiroad; J. R. Wood, Pennsylvania railroad. ————_—_+ e. ______ THE PACIFIC RAILROADS. Congress Will Have a Hard Problem to Solve in Regard to Them. Congress will have a hard problem to solve soon in the complications which have arisen over the stock of the Union Pacific railroad, now in the hands of receivers. During the past week there has been much quiet discussion of the matter, spurred on by the attention given to other embarrass- ments in the railroad situation, arising from the management of roads by receivers. Mr. C. P. Huntington has been in Wash- ington for several days in consultation @ part of the time with Senatcr Brice, the | chairman of the Senate committee on Pa- cific ratiroads, and also with other Sena- tors and Representatives. A result of his visit was the introduction of a bill for re- funding the debt of the Union Pacific. Part of Mr. Huntington's time was spent | in explaining his views to the Representa- tives of the House committee or Pacifie initiative in proposing plans for adjusting | the great indebtedness of the railroad to | the government. If it should go to work independently to devise a scheme of its own troublesume differences would probably ensue between the two roads. Representative Reilly of Pennsylvania, the chairman of the House committee, has conferred frequently with Senator Brice on the subject and fully informed of the views of th- Senate com- | mittee. Several schemes for a settlement have been Proposed to the House com- mittee, but no of them yet has re- ceived sufficient bac tion as a probability. Said a member of the House & to justify its men- eB committee: ‘This matter is going to be one of the most troublesome the Fifty-third Congress will have to deal with. Its berplexities are | greatly enlarged by the y ong populistic | sentiment in Cong which regards all corporations, an@ particularly raiiroad cor- porations, very severely. Hon. Jerry Simpson, the populist leader, | says that the government should bi | nion Pacific outright and run it. succeeded with it it would be a step toward government control of railroads,” he added. | eee | Acts Approved. | ‘The President has approved the act for the relief of certain settlers on the Iowa reservation, Okla.; and the act for the re- | , etary Hamlin on the lief of the heirs of Martha A. Dealey, de- ceased. | A DISTRICT DAY Amendments to the Liquor Law Passed in the House. DEBATE AS 10 HOTEL LICENSES Those Hereafter Established Must Have Twenty-five Rooms. OTHER LOCAL MATTERS Today was the day set apart under the rules of the House for the consideration of bills reported from the District of Columbia, and accordingly after the morning business was Cleared away, Chairman Heard moved that the House proceed to the consideration of District bills on the calendar. Mr. Breckinridge of Kentucky, however, ex- plained that a deficiency appropriation bill demanded immediate attention, and at his request Mr. Heard yielded for the purpose of taking up the appropriation bill. This bill contained an appropriation of $11,058 for repairing the Ford's Theater building, and $2,000 for rent of buildings for the fish commission pending repairs. There was a desire on the part of some members to de- bate the bill,.and In order not to antagonize District business Mr. Breckinridge with- drew the bill. To Ame the Liquor Law. Mr. Heard was then recognized and he called up the bill to amend the section of the liquor law relating to the 400 feet limit. The bill is as follows: “Section 16. That license for any of the purposes specified shall not be granted to any person to conduct such business within four hundred feet of a public school house, private school, or house of religious wor- ship, measured between the nearest en- trance to cach by the shortest course of. travel between such place of business and any school house, privace school or house of religious worship, except in such places of business as were located and licensed at the date of the said act or previous to the erec- tion or occupation of such school house, tie te school, or place of religious wor- ship. The purpose of the bill is to make the act of March 3, 1893, clearer in its provis- ions as to the locations at which intoxicat- ing liquors may be sold, and also to de- prive that act of its retroactive features as to such locations so as not to destroy a business heretofore established; but to cause the exceptions as to locations con- tained in section 16 of the act of March 3, 1893, not to apply to places of business that were established before the enactment of the act. Im Committee of the Whole. The point was raised by Mr. Pickler of South Dakota that the bill should be con- sidered in committee of the whole, and after the House had thus resolved itself Mr. Cobb briefly explained the bill. Amendments Offered. An amendment was offered by Mr. Mere- dith authorizing the Commissioners to ad- minister oaths in hearings before the ex- cise board, which was agreed to. An amendement offered by the committee inserted the words “in any section of said act” after the word “specified” in line 1, which was also agreed to, da vig As to Hotel 4 Mr. Pickler offered an amendment pro- viding that hotels must have thirty rooms in order to take advantage of the exemp- tion applying to hotels. At present only twenty rooms are required. Mr. Pickler said there are in some places numbers of small buildings where halls and rooms are subdivided so as to make twenty rooms, not for hotel purposes, but to ob- tain a license to sell liquor. Mr. Heard and Mr. Cobb said they had no objection to Mr. Pickigr's amendment. Mr. Babcock said that, under the present law, a hotel is considered a building of twenty rooms. He did not think that it was the intention of Congress to except hotels from its provisions. He had the decision of the district attorney upon this subject read at the clerk's desk. Mr.Campbell (N.Y.) hoped that the amend- ment would not preyail. He said that ‘some of the nicest hotels in Washington, some of the most charming,” have only twenty rooms. Mr. Heard suggested that these hotels can get a bar room license, and he hoped that the amendment would vcarry. A few mo- ments afterward, however, Mr. Heard an- nounced that he was mistaken in the tenor of the amendment and would oppose it. Mr. Cobb said that Mr. Pickler’s amend- ment was superfluous, that outside of the 400 feet limit twenty-room hotels stand on the same basis as any other place where liquor is sold. Pickler’s Amendment Rejected. Mr. Heard explained that he had at first thought Mr. Pickler’s amendment applied only to hotels to be established, but he finds that the amendment applies to hotels al- ready established; therefore he opposes it. Mr. Pickler’s amendment was not agreed to. Mr. Cobb moved that the committee rise and report the. bill, as amended, to the House. Mr. Pickler demanded a division and then made the point of no quorum, his purpose being to defeat the bill as amended. Mr. Pickler withdrew his objection and concluded an agreement with Mr. Cobb by which an amendment to the bill was adopt- ed which provides that no hotel hereafter established shall be licensed unless it has twenty-five rooms. The bill, as amended, was then passed. This concluded District day. There were no other District bills on the House calen- dar. The committee calendar has a large number on it, but the committee has not yet reported them, and, of course, no action can be taken in the House until they are reported. —-—_.-._— Money for Public Works. Now that the gold reserve is once more |above high water mark the Treasury De- partment is prepared to be a little more Uberal in its public disbursements than was possible before the 5 per cent loan was floated. In addition to paying the sugar bounty the cepartment wiil be able to pro- ceed more rapidly with the erection of pub- lic buildings. Within the next few weeks adveriizements will be inserted for proposals | buildings, the | for some six or eight public plans and specifications for which have been ready for some time. By the time spring fairly sets in work on public build- ings throughout the country will be pro- gressing at a more rapid rate than for the past var or two. According to the last report seventy bufld- ings were uncompleted, which, added to | those about to be begun in the spring, will make a total of seventy-six government buildings on which work will be pressed. +2 +___—_- Going Over the Tariff Bi It is stated at the Treasury Department that Secretary Carlisle and Assistant Sec- r cruise in the light- house steamer Maple will combine business with pleasure by going over the adminis- trative part of the tariff bill as it was adopted by the House, with a view to mak- ing such improvements as actual and prac- tical enforcement of the tariff law sug- They will do this in a most thorough and Secretary Carlisle will sub- mit his observations to the Senate finance committee having the Wilson bill in charge. Previous to stariing on this trip Secretary Carlisle had several conferences with mem- bers of the Senate finance committee, and they submitted to him several suggestions to be incorporated in the tariff bill, which » will consider in conneclon with the subject. THE PECKHAM NOMINATION|SENATE AND TARIFF|MAOE VACANT By Law. MORE ABOUT To Be Reported to the Senate Without Recommendation. A Tie Vote in the Judicinry Committee Today—What is Said of the Chances. ‘The Senate committee @n judiciary today decided to report the Peckham nomination to the Senate without recommendation. Senator Hoar was absent, and the commit- tee divided evenly in its vote, Senators George, Vilas, Lindsay, Platt and Mitchell voting for confirmation and Senators Pugh, Coke, Hill, Teller and Wilson against. The first vote of the committee on the confirmation of Mr. Peckham for associate justice of the Supreme Court being a tie in the absence of Senator Hoar, the committee agreed by a unanimous vote té report with- out recommendation. Very few communications bearing upon the nomination were read at the meeting today, and the greater part of the time was consumed in an exchange of views among members of the committee. What Senator Hill Says. whén asked what he thought would be the effect of reporting the Peckham nomi- nation to the Senate without recommenda- tion Senator Hill said: “It was better to get it reported in that shape than not to have it reported at all, or have it delayed for a long time. We could have kept the nomi- nation in committee indefinitely, and the friends of Mr. Peckham could have done the same thing. We have simply agreed to let the Senate decide the matter, each side having an opportunity to present the facts as they appear to them, respectively.” Mr. Hill said he did not think the Sen- ate would take up the nomination before Thursday. It is understood that Senators Pugh and Hill addressed the committee at some length in opposition to confirma- tion. Senator Hill summed up the repre- sentations in opposition to Mr. Peckham and dwelt especially upon the charges con- cerning Mr. Peckham’s: temperament, giv- ing instances which had come within his knowledge of Mr. Peckham’s character in that respect. Most of the talking was done by Senators opposed to confirmation. The Report W: Have No Weight. Senator Platt thought the report without recommendation would have no weight one way or the other. The facts would seem to sustain this opinion. Both political par- ties were evenly divided in the committee, three democrats voting for confirmation and three against, while there were two republican votes on each side. The con- firmation advocates made a gain of one vote in Senator George's change from his attitude in the Hornblower case, while they lost a vote on account of the absence of Senator Hoar, which there is good rea- son for believing was not accidental. This even division of the parties in com- mittee and of the committee itself may pre- vent the report from having any influence whatever upon the Senate. The best opin- fon obtainable indicates, however, that Mr. Peckham will secure some democratic votes which Mr. Hornblower failed to re- ceive and that he may lose some republican votes which were cast in Hornblower's favor. Advocates of Confirmation. It should be stated that the advocates of confirmation feel that they have gained a substantial victory in sécuring a non-com- mittal report, and they declare that it is #80 considered by the members of the com- mittee on the other side, They point out the fact that they have made great-head- way in Peckham's favor, as shown by the fact that whereas in the Horn’ case the report was adverse, in the present it is not. They evidently count upon considera- ‘ble ‘democratic gains when the vote is tak- en in the Senate, and they also assert that those opposed to confirmation who count upon getting a larger vote on the republi- can side against Peckham than they secured against Hornblower are apt to find them- selves mistaken. in support of this view they say that Mr. Peckham’s standing as a lawyer is good, and declare that those of the republicans who are inclined to look at the matter from the standpoint of party expediency will vote for Peckham with the hope of promoting discord in the democrat- ie party. Expects to Defend Him. “Mr. Hill, notwithstanding the failure to get a directly adverse report in the Peck- ham matter expects to defeat the’ nomina- tion of Peckham by a majority of about nine votes. There were eleven democrats who voted against Hornblower and the rest of the vote making up the majority of four was composed of republicans and populists, It is claimed that there are nine demo- crats who are sure to vote against Peck- ham; that the populists will all yote ; against him and that the only republican who voted against Hornblower and who will vote for Peckham is Dixon. On the other hand, it is said that Messrs. Aldrich, Hawley, Cullom, Cameron, Hoar snd Pet: tisrew, who voted for Hornblower, will probably vote against Peckham. a PROTECTION OF FRUIT! An Effort Belug Made for Those of California and Florida. Senator White of California has been inter- esting himself in securing protection to the fruits of his state, which, the people of Cali- fornia say,will be very much hurt if the fruit schedules of the McKinley bill are allowed to stand as they now are. He is particu- larly anxious to secure protection for or- anges, prunes and raisins. In this effort the California Senator is receiving the assist- ance of the Florida Senators, who are very anxious to have the duty on oranges in- creased. Senator White said that the fruits of Calffornia will be compelled to enter into competition with those of the Mediterranean and of Mexico and that the result would be that the foreign fruits would make it un- profitable to raise fruits in California. The Florida men think that the competition they | would have with the West Indies would be very damaging to the orange industries of that state. Senator White is in full sym- pathy, also, with Senator Dubois of Idaho In his effort to secure a duty upon silver lead ore. The Wilson bill allows these ores to come in free if they are more valuable for silver than lead. It ts claimed that when the car ts ioaded with lead it is easy to put enough silver on top of the lead to make it appear more valuable for silver than lead, and the result is that Mexican lead is prac- teally allowed to come in: free. This was | the arrangement up to the time the Mc- Kinley law went Into effect. Then a duty of | $30 per ton was put upon all lead ore, and | the result has been to restrict to a con- | siderable extent the importation of Mexican jores, Senator White says this very fact | shows that this is a good revenue article. | While he thinks it may be well to reduce | the duty some, the Senator thinks a duty | ought to be kept in the interests of revenue. - or The Civil Engineers of the Navy. The civil engineers of the navy, though | few in number, are certainly not lacking in ambition. They are making an effort to have one of their number (ten in all) ap- | pointed chief of the bureau of yards and | docks, vice Commodore Farquhar, whose four years’ term will expire in March next. In their petition the civil engineers say that | the duties relate exclusively to the public works of the navy and are in the line of civil engineering and building construction. ——<—— Representative Ikert Improving. Representative Ikert of Ohio, who was | threatened with pneumonia, was reported to be much better last evening. It is thought that the danger is past, but it will be sever- al days before Mr. Ikert will be able to be out Many Protection Petitions Presented Today. GOING OVER THE WILSON BILL The Subcommittee Carefully Re- viewing the Schedules. NOT READY TO REPORT The Senate is now feeling the pulse of the country in the matter of opinion on tariff legislation. As far as can be judged by the petitions that are pouring in by the hundreds the pulse is beating at a very high protective rate. Scarce a day passes that the republican Senators do not file at least a hundred of these memorials protest- ing against the passage of the Wilson bill, and often democrats put in numbers of them, deftly disguised under the vague title of “sundry petitions.” Each day the grist grows larger, and the records of the Senate are being smashed. Today the time occupied by the presenta- tion of these documents exceeded that of any previous occasion. That order of busi- ness did not close ‘until 12:45 o'clock, thirty- five minutes having been taken up in the process of handing in and roting the me- mortals. Senator Cullom took about ten minutes in handling a mammoth petition, containing the names of 30,000 wool grow- ers. Mr, Hunton tried to stop him with a int of order, but Mr. Cullom claimed that ts was only trying to save time and so he was allowed to go on and finish his little tariff talk. Mr, Chandler tried to get some one to object to his reading a lot of names, but the democrats refrained from the tempta- tion. Mr. Power had about fifty different memorials from citizens of Montana pro- testing against certain of the schedules of the Wilson bill, which he noted separately, and so occupied five minutes. Many oiner memorials were turned in by other republi- cans, but the process was not confined to the anti-administration side of the ber. . Mr. Faulkner gave voice to the senti- ments of West Virginia, and put in two petitions, each numerously signed, one pro- testing against free coal, and the other against free lumber. Mr. Smith put forth the note of New Jersey opposition, and one or two other democratic Senators slipped in a few pro- tests quietly. These petitions follow hundreds of others ah have poured into the filles of the com- ittee on finance, and the clerks of that body are kept very busy indeed. Senator Dolph is endeavoring to get a resolution passed, ordering the printing of these peti- tions, minus the names, and this should have had a hearing today, but he let it go by to allow Senator Gray to make his ad- ministration speech about Hawail. The Subcommittee at Work. The Senate subcommittee engaged on the Wilson tariff bill was again at work in Senator Vest's room early this morning. They have thus had three days of unin- terrupted work since the adjournment of the Senate on Thursday. They have made considerable progress, but they have not succeeded in putting the bill in shape to permit its being reported to th® Senate as soon as had been hoped would be the case. One of the members of the committee at noon today when asked what were the Ptospects for @n arly report upon the bill said that question could not be answered satisfactorily. “We may,” he said, “con- clude our work within three or four days and we may be engaged upon the bill for two weeks yet. We are gettimg on very well,” he continued, “but there are a great many points to be considered in framing tariff bill besides the mere rates on this <pe or that. “If you touch one article, you often find that you have got to change others, and we have, at all times, to bear in mind the ne- cessities of the government. Consequently, we may have to go over work already done. Hence, we cannot say, definitely, when the bill can be reported. We mean to have the bill In as good shape as possible to make it when we do report it, and, therefore, do not intend to rush it too much.” A report has been circulated to the effect that refined sugar might be discriminated to the extent of placing a lower tax upon it than upon raw sugar, There is nothing in this story. If the raw article is taken from the free list and a duty fixed upon it, there will be an increase upon the duty on refined sugar, and it will probably be from one-eighth to one-quarter of a cent a pound higher than the raw sugar duty. Senator White of Louisiana was given a hearing on the sugar schedule by the sub- committee this morning. ——_____+ @+________ MR. CARLISLE’S OBJECTIONS. Mr. Bland’s Plan is Said to Fail to Meet Them. A new turn was given today to the silver digcussion in the House by Mr. Bland’s an- nouncement that he would move at a later day to amend the pending bill so that sil- ver certificates would be issued only as fast as silver dollars were coined, added authority to the Secretary of the Treasury to issue the certificates in ad- vance of the coinage if he so desires. This change is designed to overcome one of the main objections of Secretary Carlisle to the bill, as set forth in his testimony, made public Saturday. This objection is shared by many members of the House to such an extent that the passage of the seigniorage bill was in doubt. But the change now proposed by Mr. Bland obviates the objec- tions, so that the passage of the seignior- age bill is regarded as certain. Mr. Bland's proposed amendment is as follows: “The Secretary of the Treasury may, in his discretion, If the needs of the treasury demand it, issue silver certificates in excess of such coinage.” Some of the most determined opponents of silver coinage do not think the Bland amendment overcomes all the objections of the bill. Mr. Rayner, one of the most prominent anti-silver democrats,says: “The trouble is that the silver certificates will be of no service to the treasury if they must wait for the,coinage of the bullion, as the treasury needs $52,000,000 today in order to meet pensions and other obliga- tions. It cannot wait two years for the certificates based on the coin. On the other hand, as Secretary Carlisle points out, it will injure the credit of the government if the certificates are issued ahead of the) coinage of the dollars. So that a dilimma | is presented by the bill, whichever way { proposes that the certificates shall be ts- sued.”” ————+-2+______.. The Postage Stamp Contract. It is expected at the Post Office Depart. ment that the contract for the printing o postage stamps for the next four years will be let this afternoon or tomorrow. sell would have announced his decisio! several days ago, but there was one legal point, the nature of which he does not make clear, over which he wanted plenty of time to think. Although it is not known that he has indicated his views of the matter even to those closest to him, yet at the department it is considered a certainty that the stamp contract will be awarded to the bureau of engraving and printing. SSPE SR lL IT ie Treasury Cash Balance. The available cash balance in the Treas- ury today is $134,253,007; national bank | notes received for redemption, Government __receipts—Internal 3468040. revenue, with the | Customs Collectors to Be Immediately Relieved of Duty A Legal Point Made—Customs Officers HAWAY The Resolution Still Further Debated in the Senate, and Their Bondsmen Not Responsi- | MP. GRAY AND THE ADMINISTRATICR Expire. ble After Their Terms Several leading customs officers, inclua-| Wherein He Thinks Mr. Stevens ing Collector Beard of Boston and Collector Clark of Chicago, will be relieved of their official duties as quickly as possible. It is stated at the Treasury Department that they will be subject to no legal ability after the expiration of their terms. The term of Collector Beard expires on Friday next, and that of Collector Clark has ai- ready expired. President Cleveland and Secretary Carlisle would have been in no special haste to name their successors but for the important legal question of their Hability on their bonds which has just been raised by the commissioner of customs. The collectors of these and other ports have recently made application in the reg- ular course of busine8s for an allowance for salaries and other expenses for the imme- diate future, but Commissioner Pugh has refused to grant the requisition. He has brought the matter to the attention of Sec- retary Carlisle and Assistant Secretary Hamlin and suggested that on the expira- tion of the term of collectors, naval officers and surveyors, they should be at once re- lieved of their duties, and the office placed in charge of a deputy. The Secretary ap- preciated the importance of the legal point as soon as it was brought to his attention, and all other appointments will be postponed for the present for the consideration of these vacancies, which imperatively need to be filled for the protection of the rights and interests of the government. The Statute. The statute governing the terms of these | officers is that of May 19, 1820, which has | never been repealed and is embodied in the Revised Statutes as follows: | Section 2613. Collectors of the customs, naval officers and surveyors of the customs shall be appointed for the term of four years. . The references in the Revised Statutes in- clude the case of U. 8. vs. Eckford’s exec- utors, 1 Howard, 250, in which the Supreme Court of the United States declared that | “Under the act of 1820 collectors can only be appointed for four years. At the end of this term the office becomes vacant and must be filled by a new appointment.” Other decisions of the Supreme Court, of i. egrive and oe it courts and opinions o1 01 with this decieration = olguapcoees It was declared, m the case of Preston King, who had been collector of customs at New York, against Charles P. Clinch, “It is also a well-established Principle that no officer is entitled to the emoluments of an office for any longer period tha: ardson, under date of June 17, 1873, was that of the resignation of Surveyor Corneil, who ceased to perform his duties on Janu- ary 31, but claimed emoluments until the date of the qualification of his successor. One of the head notes to this opinion is as | follows: The established under the government of the United states pyro eg as in after the eopeniien, 2 term until the appoint- ment of successor depends upon whet: er Congress has thus provided; so that, where Congress has not authorized the omi- cer to hold over, his Incumbency must be pretense nan Dine pee of his term, jough no tment of a successor then be made, | on The Liability of Bondsmen. Other decisions declare that the Mability of bondsmen terminates with the expiration | of the term of the official for whom the bond is given, so that the government is absolutely without protection and without | legal interest in the ‘administration of of- | ficers whose term has expired. The com- missioner of customs did not care to as- sume the personal risk of granting requisi- tions in such cases, and if appointments cannot be decided upon at once, the deputy collectors will probably be instructed to act. Secretary Carlisle had a long conference with the President Friday, at which the act of 1820 was discussed, and the papers of ap- | Plicants for collectorships were gone over. It is expected that a number of important nominations, perhaps including those for Chicago and Boston, will be sent to the Senate today. it is said that the Chicago customs col- ‘torship will be tilled by appointment this eek, and it is asserted with more than the usual degree of confidence that the ap- pointment will fall to Mr. Jacob W. Rich- ards. The matter was fixed, so it is said, at the conference at the White House Sat- urday, between the President and the “big three” of the Windy City. » ———_+2.___ THE SYPHER REPORT. Mr. Holman Will Not Rise to a Per- sonal Privilege in Regard to It. Representative Molman will rise to no question of personal privilege or make any other mové in connection with the re- | Port of the House committee on naval | affairs, impeaching ex-Representative Sy- pher, who was the main witness in con- | Sidering the Hélman resolution on premiums to naval vessels. Mr. Holman said today: “It is unfortu- nate that a question of public policy, in- volving the expenditure of millions an- nually, should turn on a personal controver- sy. It makes no difference who Mr. Sypher is, so far as the main question of public policy is concerned, There were three con- siderations which led me to believe Sypher Was enttled to a respectful hearing. He | had been a brigadier general in the Union ; army; he had been @ member of Congress for eight years, and he was, according to | his statement to me, counsel for one of the great railway systems of the south. It is true, also, that irregularities and” public abuses are often traced and corrected | through information given by disappointed | men. I had no knowledge of the fetter writ- | ten by Mr. Sypher to Mr. Cramp. | “But the question of penalites and fines | to naval vessels,” continued Mr. Holman, | “is one wholly apart from the character of Mr. Sypher. In the few minutes that 1 was present during the hearing it was stated that one of the warships secured a premium for a speed of 19 knots an hour, or two knots in excess of the 17 required by the pecifications, although it was known at the ume the specifications were made that 19 knots could be made under them. That is, the premium was assured in advance, and in addition to the amount appropriated by Congress for building this particular ship. In my judgment, there should be no pre- | miums and no fines. 1 have not examined the report, but I have no doubt it shows that no fines have ever been collected on ships which have fatled to reach the speed required by the specifications.” | { j i House Letter Boxes, Soon after entering upon his duties as Postmaster General, Mr. Bissell revoked the order issued by his predecessor, Mr. Wanamaker, recommending the establish- | ment of house letter boxes. The Postal Im- | provement Company of Philadelphia, which |had made arrangements for supplying the | boxes, given a hearing before First As- | sistant Postmaster General Frank H. Jones. The company asks that Mr. Bissell rescind his order revoking that of Mr. Wanamaker, and establish the boxes. The Postmaster General has the matter under advisement, right of an incumbent of any office Was Very Indiscreet. SOME PERTINENT QUESTIONS at those towns in the new territory. Protest of Wool Growers. clause of the tariff bill, was presented Senator Cullom of Illinois, Utioners were the Navajoe tribes, 1,500,000 sheep and are prospering industry. Senator Cullom said the committee on finance would give petition due consideration, as it was of extraordinary character and represented extensive industry. Petitions against free iron ore lumber signed by citizens of West were presented by Senator Senator Cockrell made when they attributed all of tress of the country last summer Sherman silver law.” A Substitute for the Wilson Bil. A substitute for the Wilson tariff bill was presented by Senator Gallinger of New Hampshire. It declares that in view of the and suffering to the wage-earning classes, it is unwise to make any changes in the tariff laws during the present administra- tion. the Secretary of Agriculture to report to the Senate the amount of in the country on March total Yield “of the past year and the emonat now in the country. It was adopted. The Hawaiian Resolution. At one o'clock Senator Gray of Delaware took the floor on the Hawaiian resolution reported by the committee on foreign rela- tions some time ago. “The question presented by that resolution,” said he, “does not involve a discussion of the general policy of annexation. There is a higher question involved, and that is @ question of international moraiity. The President of the United States i and his reasons for jamply stated in his drawal.” The Senator here cause to be reasons given by the President in sage for withdrawing the treaty. “I will concern myself no further,” said the Sena: “with any justification of the Presiden the President was justified in not resubmitting Senate. If the 4 in the government and displacement queen owed its success to the United States minister and the assistance of the United States troops and was not a revolution its usual acceptation, then the highest ternational equity must condemn step. This certainly was not in the ordinary sense, but was tion of a scheme of annexation. not an ear mark to characterize that ment of a comparatively few revolution emanating from the itiated by them, and growing out of strong feeling of wrong or which justifies a people in present government and substituting one which, in their opinion, will better sub- serve their well doing and happiness. As to Minister Stevens. Continuing Senator Gray sald: “The evidence all goes to show that the Movement itself was confined to that com- paratively small junta of able, intelligent and vicious men who, with the aid of the American minister, i ment as the most opposite things could be opposed to each other. “Minister Stevens was in their confi- dence and he had been for ‘aonths corre- sponding with his government an- nexation. I want to say now that I be- Meve Mr. Stevens is a good man, a good it position at so great a crisis in a foreign country. His promise “to protect American inter- ests” was but a formula. The revolution- ists communicated to the American minis- ter the project that they had in hand, to wit: The overthrow of the existing ment to which that minister was ed and to which he was bound by | obligation of good faith and peepraety. |e does not rebuke them; he to dissuade them; but he promised |just what they asked. That being in evidence, proved out of their own |1t ts impossible for me to believe than that Mr. Stevens was in active com- plicity with them in the plans which they disclosed. | Some Questions Asked. | “Does the Senator think,” interrupted | Senator Teller, “that It was Mr. | business to attempt to dissuade them from | going further?” “Not at all. “Why bring that as a charge against him then?” “I say that to have promised them just what they asked without dissuading them makes him, in my opinion, guilty of com- | piicity = “What did Mr. Stevens promise to these people that it was not his duty to prom- ise?” “It was not his duty to promise anything. He was there to perform a duty to this | Sreat republic, in performing that duty to ] fl fi perform a duty to American citizens whose lives or property might be in jeopardy. “But he was not to consult the very revo- lutionists who put them in jeopardy. There Was not a cloud on that blue sky, except what was created by this committee of | safety, and the object had in view y |““\My' charge against Mr. Stevens is that he participated in all the arrangements to bring about a change of government; that he was consulted at every step, and that every time he used the form that he would ‘protect life and property,’ which gave encouragement to those having that revolution in progress, that they would be protected from assault and attack from the existing government. - An Accommodating Revolation. “This was the most accommodating revo- lution in all the history, as the testimony shows. Nobody even missed a meal. $035,259; customs, $487,547; miscellaneous, | and will announce his decision within a|(Laughter.) They always had their break- $34,839. few days. | fast, adjourned for dinner and adjourned