Evening Star Newspaper, February 28, 1894, Page 1

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THE EVENING STAR. —_>—_—_ PUBLISHED DAILY EXCEPT SUNDAY. AT THE STAR BUILDINGS, S. H. KAUFFMANN, Pres’t. New York Office, 88 Potter Building. —_>—_— THE Evextea Stax is served to subseribers in the efty by carriers, on their own account, at 19 ce: t+ week. or 440. per month. Copies at the coun- 2 cents each. By 2 maufi—anywhere in the United rates Canada—postage prepaid—3u cente ver month Sa? BDAY QUINTUPLE SHEET Stax, $).00peryear; on 7 ‘on 8 perys Vor 84, No. 20,820. Che Zvening Star. WASHINGTON, D.C., WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1894-TWELVE PAGES. TWO CENTS AGAIN IN CAUCUS Democratic Senators Are Still Dis- cussing the Tariff Bill. THE COMMITTEE'S METHODS CRITICISED A Flurry Caused by an Attempt to Force a Vote. THE PROBABLE RESULT The democratic Senators went into caucus | at 10 o'clock this morning and remained | THE PRESIDENT’S TRIP Probably the Party is Now in Ourrituck Sound. The Country There the Paradise of Sportsmen and Home of the Wild Duck. Presuming that the presidential party on the Violet ran along through the Albemarle and Chesapeake canal without detention yesterday, as reported from Norfolk, they should now be in Currituck sound, North Carolira. The length of the canal from Norfolk to the sound is a little less than thirty miles, and rapid progress would scarcely be possible, so that it would prob- ably require most of the daylight hours yes- terday to make the trip. The Violet draws (NO VESTED RIGHT The Commissioner of Pensions Can Rerate Judge Long. FORMAL NOTICE ONLY REQUIRED Judge Cox Upholds the Power to Review Pension Ratings. AN INJUNCTION GRANTED Judge Cox, in Equity Court, No. 1, this his decision in the case until the hour of meeting of the Senate,and | seven feet of water and the canal is eight | Morning rendered will caucus again this afternoon. It is fully feet deep, so that the passage could be made | °f Judge Long of the Michigan supreme expected that an agreement will be reached | withcut difficulty on that score. Once in| Court, who several days ago applied for an before the caucus adjourns for the day. | Currituck sound the party would be in the| ‘junction restraining the commissioner of A number of things have been developed | out of the most extraordinary situation which led to the present caucus. States- men in Congress are very reluctant to at- tribute motives to Senators, but there is a | very wide belief that there are three Sena- | tors who desire the defeat of the tariff bill more than anything else, and it is be- leved that others who have joined them in ©pposition to the committee bill, not them- selves having any such object in view, will abandon these men whenever a spirit of concession is shown on the other side. The Sugar Question. It ts said that Mr. White, by his course | fm the caucus, has done more to hurt the cause of sugar, which he is advocating, than has any one else, and the result may be a failure to get even as much as the committee were willing to give. The belief is that in the final solution of the question the committee will make some concessions, but that in the main the committee bill will be adopted ard the committee sustained. The principal contest is not ove: sugar, but over iron ore, and there is an indication that there may be a small duty put on fron ore, which will be a concession the commit- tee is most reluctant to make. A duty of 8 cents on coal is what the committee has expected all along, and any duty not above @ cent and an eighth on sugar which does not discriminate in favor of refined sugar will not be especially offensive to the com- mittee, and it is believed to be certain of adoption. Duty on Iron Ore. It is the duty on iron ore which Brice wants and expects rather than a duty on wool. That wcol will remain on the free list, and that the income tax will stay in the bill, are regarded as absolute certainties. On the whole it is not believed that the bill after going through the caucus will differ materially, except in the case of iron ore, from that favored by the committee. It is not improbable that a duty will be put on lead, as it is understood that there is only one democratic member of the committee who opposes such a duty. The merning session of the caucus was devoted largely to the speech of Senator White of California, who discussed the fruit and wine schedules. The Senator did not desire many changes, but insisted upon several that he thought were neces- sary to make bill complete for his state. Committee Methods Criticised. Senator Brice had the floor during a part of the session and made another spirited talk upon the methcds which the finance committee has adopted in shaping ‘the tariff bill. He directed his remarks on gccesion especially at the apparent désire for haste in getting through with the work of the caucus. A motion had been made to proceed with the voting on the various schedules in accordance with a resolution offered by Senator Martin of Kansas. It looked for the time as if this order might be imme- diately declared, but it was stoutly re- sisted by Mr. Brice and others. Mr. Brice declared that such a course at this time fore there had been a full and free ex- ange of views would be contrary to the rit of the conference and would en- ®ender more bad feeling than now exists. He pleaded for sufficient opportunity to discuss the bill in all its. bearings and said that {ft was necessary to change its sec- tional uspects. The discussion today was also largely de- voted to the question of the method of vying duty, and the contest was between se who favored specific and those who @dvocated ad valorem duties. Agai There was quite a strong disposition manifest among the northern and eastern Senators to attack the system upon which the Senate bill had been framed, which changes almost every schedule so as to | gee for ad valorem duties. Senator ill led the opposition to this system, and while he expressed the opinion that ad valorem duties were feasible in some cases he contended that a general adoption of this system in opposition to the specific system would prove delusive and be the means of encouraging a great deal of fraud in the collection of the revenues. He said also that the people most interested in the tariff! were generally opposed to this sys- tem, not only for these reasons, but be- cause of the uncertainties and intricacies which it ‘Involved. Senator Mills contended for the ad valorem system as the most equitable and Just to all concerned, and declared that this system was no more liable to abuse under the proper administration of the law than the other. The flurry which occurred just prior to ad- urnment at 12 o’clock was occasioned yy the effort to reach a vote upon Sena- tor Martin's resolution, which looks to re- ferring the bill to the finance committee | with instructions on certain lines. Absentees who were in the building were gent for in hot haste and it looked for a time as if the caucus was about to be sud- @enly terminated without reference to the wishes of those who were pleading for time that the bill might have fuller considere- tion. The latt:r element rallied its forces Papidly, however, and prevented action. To Go Back tc the Committee. . It fs now understood among many of the Senators that the caucus will not attempt to go through the bill item by item, as that would be an almost endless task, but that it will in all probability send it back to the committee with instructions upon gen- eral lines and possibly upon the more im- Portant articles, leaving the details to the committee. If the discontented Senators @gree to this it is probable that the caucus Will soon terminate its labors. Notwithstanding the fact that the caucus adjourned until 2:30 to give Senator Frye time to make his speech, it was practically, | though informally, continued by the lead- ing democratic Senators in the room of the Senate finance committee, while Mr. Fry spoke. Senator Voorhees invited the dem- paradise of sportsmen. Great Salt Water Sounds. This is the first of a series of great salt water sounds comprising what is known as the inland passage between Virginia and Florida. Some years ago they were exam-| ined by hydrographic experts, and it was found that with a little improvement the, waterway could be used for the passage of | | escent from reducing, or seeking to re- duce, his pension of $72 a month, granted | him ‘by Commissioner of Pensions Tanner | in 1889. The decision read today by Judge | Cox was an exceedingly lengthy one, and | while Commissioner Lochren was restrained | because the complainant had not been given the thirty days’ notice required by the act of December 21, 1898, Judge Cox declared | torpedo boats between any of the points on that otherwise the commissioner had, so | | | the southern coast. The sounds are really almost vast salt water lakes, stretching |from Elizabeth City as far south as Wil-| mington, N. C. They vary in breadth from two or three miles to twenty miles. Con- nected with the Atéantic by but two small; inlets, Oregon and New inlets, clear down to Hatteras, they are generally shallow,par- | tieularly toward the east, and consequently | the water is much warmer than the ocean. | From the many swampy coves on the main-| land pour in streams deeply tinctured with the famed juniper marshes, of the color of amber and alive with big-mouthed black | bass, silvery perch and other fresh water fish, and even at this season the sounds are | marked with the nets of the fishermen en-| gaged in taking early shad for the northern | markets. Currituck sound, at the lead of the series, and connecting directly with the | Albemarle and Chesapeake canal, is the| narrowest of the sounds, separated from the Atlantic ocean by a strip of sandy soil, in places only a mile or two in width. The Home of the Wild Duck. This sound is the winter headquarters of | the wild duck, and they abound tn numbers unknown in the north. They include every branch of the family, from the swan and the gray goose and the lordly canvis back to the small but plump and toothsome teal. , So great is the fame of these shootin grounds among sportsmen that nearly every acre of the sandspit between the sea and Currituck sound affording a vantage ground for a blind has been taken by purchase or! lease by shooting clubs, made up gencrally | of men of wealth from Raltimore, Philadel- | phia and New York, and. with the exception of a few points where hunters are accommo- dated by some of the natives of the place, | it 1s almost impossible for a sportsman to find shooting ground unless he has the per-| mission of some of the shooting clubs. | Doubtless Capt. Evans has attended to this before leaving Washington, and the party | may avail of the courtesies of some of these clubs, either by taking up headquarters at the club houses or by enjoying the use »f their blinds and ducking paraphernalia while sleeping abo: of their vessel or at one of the life saving stations on the coast. | No Direct News From the Party. Capt. Evans is known to be an expert with the shot gun, and his associates in the light house board say that his love for duck shooting is so ardent that he would under- go extreme physical discomfort for a good bag of game. The President also, as is well | know, is a game sportsman. Neither Mr. Thurber nor Capt. Evans’ associates on the light house board have heard anything from the party since they left Washington nor do they expect any news until advised of | their early return. The Latest Dispatch. NORFOLK, Va., Feb. 28.—News received | here from the presidential party is to the effect that the fame of Currituck sound as a ducking ground has caused the President | to make direct for those waters, which are | said to be alive with duck at this time. The) Violet passed through the harbor here yes- terday morning, and at once entered the canal. The last report received from her announced arrival at the North Landing of the Albemarle and Chesapeake canal, twenty-two miles from Norfolk,at 12 o'clock, on the way to Currituck. Passed the Violet. A steamer in last night reports passing the Violet in the Virginia section of the Albemarle and Chesapeake canal at 12 m. yesterday. The President, Secretary Gresh- am and Capt. Evans were standing out on the upper deck forward as the two steam- ers met. They were passing the time lcis- urely. The captain of the north-bound steamer and a lady who was by his side saluted the President, who returned it with marked politeness. Another steamer in this morning reports | the steamer Violet tied up at 11 o'clock last night at the lighthouse station at Long Point, im the North Carolina division of the Albemarle and Chesapeake canal, just across Currituck sound, about sixty miles from this city. If the party wanted to go. duck shooting in that section, Long Point | is just the place for good sport. The Violet could be left tied up there while the sports- men took a launch and went into Currituck | sound. When the last steamer referred to | | Passed the Violet everybody aboard of the! latter apparently were asleep. ———_+o--_______ COLORED MEN AND OFFICES. The District Recordership—Mr. Tay-| lor’s Talk With the President. i} Mr. C. H. J. Taylor of Kansas City, Mo., | who was knocked out of the Bolivian mis- sion by and with the consent of the Senate, has been calling on the President. Mr. Taylor states that the President sent for him just a few days before he left the city and that he gave him an interview lasting an hour and ten minutes. The President wanted to know something of the standing of colored democrats in various parts of the country and took this opportunity to avail himself of the benefit of Mr. Taylor's information on the subject. Much was said concerning the appointment of colored democrats, and the President, it fs said, evinced a disposition to provide | places for worthy colored democrats who supported him. The names of Mr. Peter H. | Clark of Ohio and Mr. A. H. Grimke of Hyde Park, Mass., were discussed at some | length, it is said. The President sought to | impress Mr. Taylor with the idea that the | question of fitness would enter into the | consideration of the claims of colored dem- | | ocrats who may apply to him for recog- | ccratic Senators to this room and they con- | tinued their discussions there very much as they would have done !f more formally called together. Mr. Voorhees’ Hope. It ts ascertained this afternoon that the friends of the Wilson bill are now calculat- | ing that the bill will be disposed of both by the caucus and by the finance commit- tee In time to report it to the Senate on Rext Tuesday. This calculation is based on the belie? that the caucus will talk itself eut by Friday of this week and that the Dill will not be delayed in committee longer than two days. These calculations, how- ever, are taken to represent the most rose- ate hopes of Mr. Voorhees, because there @ few who believe that the caucus will fonclude its wrangling this week or that the republican bers of the finance com- Mittee will permit the bill to be rushed through the committee in such a short ume. -- An Appointment. A. P. Brown of Boston has been ap- Pointed a spec assistant United States etiorney for the district of Massachusetts. nition, that the fact that they voted the, democratic ticket would not be considered a sufficient warrant to justify him in givin them offices which they were not qualifi | to fill. He would be disposed to recognize | | i colored democrats who had character ar. ability and whose political record is con: sistent. | r. Peter H. Clark, who is a well-known Obioan and an educator of colored youth, is mentioned in connection with the U. n- | M hi consulate at San Domingo. It is also un- derstood that the President is looking for a suitable colored democrat for the L! berian mission, which is still vacant. Mr. T. A. H. Grimke of Massachusetts would | probably decline the tempting offer, but | would not, it ts said, be averse to accept- | ing the consulate at San Domingc Taylor's friends insist that Mr. Tayloi M 's successor in the record- | . They go so far as to say that sident has promised him this place. | He would, of course, be objectionable. to | the Liberian government becau: min- | ister to that country under Mr. Cleveland's | former administration he resigned his post and came home after a sojourn of about | | seven or eight months in Liberia and sub- | mitted to interviews in the newspapers about the people of that country which made him exceedingly unpopular. far, acted entirely within the authority Possessed by him in- reviewing the acts of his predecessor, and that, therefore, Judge Long was not entitled to the relief prayed for in his bill of complaint. Judge Cox minutely reviewed the laws passed by Congress in the matter of pen- sions, and especially those which applied to the injuries sustained by Judge Long, who lost the left arm, between the elbow and shoulder, and suffered a gunshot wound of the left hip. The complainant, explained Judge Cox, while receiving a pension for the loss of his arm, did not apply for a pension becaase of both wounds until March 13, 1884, claim- ing that he was totally incapacitated, and suggesting that he might be entitled to the highest rate, viz. $72 a month. The com- missioner of pensions, Dudley, granted him @ pension of $0 a month from March 21, 1884, but Judge Long protested that it should have been dated in 1880. The pen- sion remained as granted by Commissioner Dudley until 1889, when Commissioner Tan- ner, reviewing ‘his predecessor's action, raised the rate to $72 a month. The present commissioner, believing that Judge Long was not entitled to such a rating. had, on the 4th of last month, given him notice that he must show cause at the end of thirty | days why it should not be reduced. Helplessness Defined. The complainant, said Judge Cox, claims that he is entitled to $72 a month because of his two wounds, which, he claims, re- quire constant attention and constitute a permanent injury. There was, said Judge Cox, a difference between inability to per- form manual labor and a state of utter and permanent helplessness, and in the opinion of the court the complainant’s condition was not of the latter description. A man was, of course, helpless when unable to help himself. But there were degrees of helplessness, and a man was totally helpless when wholly unable to perform the ordinary functions of life; unable, too, to earn a living. The dressing of wounds was hardly that aid required by @ man wholly and permanently helpless, Judge Cox then referred to Long's position on the hengh, ang report of the surgeons t hi ition was otherwise good. It th him, remarked Judge Cox, that the com. plainant was not entitled under the-laws applying to his case to the pension now re- ceived by him. But while that might be so, the court could not interfere, the rating given being a matter within the discretion and authority of the commissioner of pen- sions, the court having no appellate power over the commissioner. Commissioner Taanez, thought Judge Cox, had, in reviewing Commissioner Dudley's action, acted without considering additional evidence. He had viewed Judge Lo wounds, but there was no authority to raise a rating simply upon that. Judge Long, it seemed, had made no formal claim for a higher rating to Commissioner Dudley, and had only written an informal letter to Com- missioner Tanner, and hence Judge Cox said that he very much doubted the right of either to act. Not a Vested Right. Judge Cox then discussed the contention that a pension was a vested right, and stated that a pensioner did not have a vested legal right to his pension—no title passed, and if a succeeding commissioner was convinced that the rating granted by his predecesor was wrong, he had the right to prevent future payments, but he could not interfere in the matter of past payments. A vested right in and to the rate paid was not given. A pension was a gratuity, explained Judge Cox, and as it was not assignable the rights of third pa tles were not jeopardized by any subse- quent action. The commissioner of pen- sio. said Judge Cox, not only possessed the og er to strike from the rolls fraudu- lently obtained pensions and reduce un- lawful ratings, but tt was made his duty to so do by statutes. Therefore, the present commissioner of pensions undoubtedly pos- sessed the right assumed by him in the present case. The court had no appellate power over him, and as the court could not review matters within his authority and discretion, the court could not of course restrain him in such cases. The Decision. In conclusion, Judge Cox referred to the decision of Judge Bradley in the matter of the mandamus against Commissioner Loch- ren, asked by Judge Long, and said that while he had the greatest respect and con- sideration for Judge Bradley's decision, he believed that many points brought out dur- ing the hearing in the present case had not been heard by Judge Bradley. “The act of December 21, 1898,” said Judge Cox, “declares that pension shall be deemed and held to be a vested right to the extent that payment thereof shall not be withheld or suspended until after due notice to the grantee of not less than thirty days; the commissioner of pensions after hearing all the evidence shall decide to an- nul, ete. The language to a ‘vested right’ no significance. The whole act amounts to nothing but a prohibition to suspend or withhold the pension without giving at least thirty days’ notice of a hearing, fol- lowed by a decision upon all the evidence. “It was admitted that such notice was not given in the present case. The law is man- datory in this respect and leaves nothing to discretion. Hence, if complainant insists upon it, he is entitled to an injunction against further proceedings by the ccm- missioner under the notice that was actu- ally served, although not to the relief which he asks, based upon the merits of his claim to his existing pension. The conclu- sion is that the commissioner cannot be enjoined as prayed in the bill from in any way reducing or attempting to reduce or from modifying or disturbing the pension ry } of the complainant or his right to a regu- lar or prompt payment of the same under his pension certificate of August 16, 1889.” Formal Injanctio Mr. Hopkins, representing Judge Long, stated that he desired the formal injunc- tion because of the lack of the thirty-day notice to Judge Long, and an order to that effect was signed. That merely pro- hibits Commissioner Lochren from pro- cec'ing under the notice of January 4, but !do.© not prevent him from giving Judge Long a similar one today, if deemed ad- visable. Contract Awarded. The superintendent of immigration has awarded to Oehm & Co. of Baltimore the contract for furnishing uniforms to the immigration service. The prices range from $13.15 each for summer suits to $16.75 for winter suits; caps, $2.50 each. The service requires about 500 suits a year. GEORGETOWN COLLECTOR Mr. Johnson, the Incumbent, Has Not Resigned. That Won’t Make Any Difference ‘When His Successor is Decided On Applicants for the Place, It is said at the Treasury Department that there will be a change in the office of collector of customs at Georgetown very soon after the President returns from his cruise in the Dismal Swamp. As stated in yesterday's Star, Capt. Johnson, the re- publican incumbent, has not yet complied with the Secretary's request for his resig- nation, and it is intimated that he does not propose to resign. In response to Sec- retary Carlisle's request for his resigna- tion he wrote to the Secretary inquiring if any charges had been filed against him personally or officiaily. The correspondence ended at this point. No Charges Against Him. As a matter of fact, there are no charges whatever against Mr. Johnson or his ad- ministration and no secret is made at the Treasury Department that the only reason he was asked to resign was that a member of the dominant party might be put in his place. A high official says it has not been the policy of the department to wait for charges in making official changes and he added that the request for the resignation |of a republican official implied no refiection on him, it being considered the best way |for his honorable retirement. This official said further that the Secretary did not lconsider it necessary to tell outgoing off- clals there were no charges against them. In case of charges an investigation would be made with the full knowledge of the ac- cused and if they were substantiated he would be removed. For this reason Secretary Carlisle has not thought it necessary to reply to Capt. Johnson's inquiry, and it is said at the de- partment today that he does not propose to do so. It has been decided to make a change in the office, and if Capt. Johnson does not resign he will be removed as soon as his successor shall have been selected. So a Star reporter was informed today by a treasury official who knows what he is talking about. Mr. Johnson's Term of Office. Mr. Cropley, the last democratic collector at Georgetown, surrendered the office June 6, 1889, to Mr. Charles Dodge, a republican, who died after serving little more than a |year, and Mr. Sherman Johnson was ap- pointed in his place December 12, 1890. It is held that Johnson was appointed to serve out the term of Dodge, and that that term was up in June last. Capt. Johnson claims, so it is understood, that his term will not expire until December 12 next, and that he cannot be removed except for cause before that date. Candidates for the Office. ‘The activity of the candidates for his place shows that they do not think his claim will be sustained. Another applicant was added to the list today, Mr. S. S. Yoder of Ohio, who came within one vote of be- ing elected sergeant-at-arms of the House in thg last Congress. The other candidates who fiave filed papers at the Treasury De- partment, and their legal places of resi- dence as given by them, are as follows: H. W. Blunt, Georgetown; Oscar P. Stevens, Georgetown; Chas. Frank B. Jonas, Washington, D. C.; Brook B, Williams, Georgetown; Jno. T. Mitchell, Washington, D. C.; J. w. Bates, Wash- ington, D. C.; W: A. Hutchins, Washing: ton,D. C.; B. Lewis Blackford, Georgetow: John Hadley Doyle, Georgetown; Bdgar P. Watkins, Georgetown. an —— + ++ AN ORIGINAL PROPOSITION, A Syndicate Offers to Buy Silver Un- der Certain Conditions. Secretary Carlisle's mail this morning contained a proposition for the raising of revenue in a most original and unique way. It is made by Mr. J. T. Raplee on behalf of the “British and American Financial and Industrial Syndicate of 136 Liberty street, New York.” It is clear and succinct in its statements, reading as follows: “This syndicate will enter into a contract with the Secretary of the Treasury (to be authorized by an act of Congress) to take from the government its holdings of silver bullion to the amount of 50,000,000 or 75,- 000,000 ounces at the rate of 65 cents per ounce and pay for it in lawful money of the United States or in approved bills of ex- change on London, Eng., as the purchasing party may desire. The silver bullion thus purchased to be paid for in monthly in- stallments of 2,000,000 to 4,000,000 ounces per month (optional with purchasers as to the amount to be paid and number of ounces to be taken monthly, but not less than 2,000,000 ounces per month) under the following conditions, viz: “That the United States Congress shall at once pass a bill, to be approved by the President (not to be repealed within a pe- riod of five years), that there shall be levied and collected by the United States govern- ment an export duty of 121-2 cents per ounce on all silver, either coined or un- coined, that may be exported or sent in any way to any other country outside of the ter- ritory of the United States, with the under- standing and agreement by and between the contracting parties that the purchasing Party shall have the option and privilege of taking at any time all the silver bullion held by the said United States government at the time of the acceptance of this proposal.” The writer refers to Senator D. B. Hill as to his individuality. His proposition does not meet with special favor and will prob- ably rot call for any reply. The Treasury Department is not coer silver, and if it was it could hardly afford to discount it by selling at less than par, $1.29 in gold. The government now holds about 140,000,000 ounces of silver bullion. The London rate of silver today bout 62 cents. —.. THE BIGGEST YET. Trial of the First 13-Inch Gum Next Week. The long postponed trial of the first of the 13-inch guns, the largest piece of ord- mance ever manufactured in this country, will undoubtedly take place next week, un- less present plans wofully miscarry. It will take place at the naval proving grounds at Indian Head. The mount is already in position-and the gun will be taken down in a day or two and made ready for the test. The recent heavy weather has delay- ed the removal of the gun. It was deemed dangerous to take it to the proving ground while the earth is soft with moisture and not sulted for the necessary track. As has already been stated in The Star, the gun is nearly forty feet long, and has an ex- terior diameter of about four feet at the breech and of 21 inches at the nozale. It | weighs 135,500 pounds or over 60 tons. It throws a projectile weighing 1,100 pounds with a charge of 550 pounds of powder, giv- ing it a muzzle velocity of 2,100 feet per second, and a muzzle energy of 33,627 foot ‘There are twelve of these mammoth engines of destruction to be divided equ: ly among the battleships Indiana, Oregon and Massachusetts, and the trial of the first one will naturally be awaited with great interest. ——__-e-+_____ Paymaster Smith’s Sentence. The record of the proceedin; of the court-martial in the case of Paymaster H. R. Smith of the Concord, on the Chinese station, has reached the Navy Department. He was tried for drunkenness and absence without leave. The court acquitted him of the first charge and convicted him of the second. He was sentenced to be confined to the mits of his ship for a period of three months, to perform the duties of his office, but not to go ashore unless the com- manding officer of the vessel deemed it necessary to the interests of the govern- ment. GLADSTONE’S PLANS The British Premier in Conference With the Queen. GOSSIP AS 10 HIS RETIREMENT Contradictory Reports Regarding His Intentions. FUTURE OF HOME RULE oe ae eee LONDON, Feb. 28.—In spite of the cold Mr. Gladstone drove from his official Downing street residence to Buckingham Palace in an open phaeton at 3 o'clock this afternoon. Upon arrival at the palace Mr. Gladstone was immediately admitted to the presence of the queen. It is freely stated that it is believed that Mr. Gladstone has gone to the palace in order to officially tender his resignation to her majesty. Mr. Gladstone is understood to have made a proposal to his colleagues to re- vive the home rule question in the shape of a resolution pledging the house of commons to deal with home rule for Ire- land at the following session of parlia- ment. This proposal is said not to have found favor with the cabinet ministers. . The Independent of Dublin accepts the reports of Mr. Gladstone's retirement as meaning that the movement in favor of home rule will be dropped. ‘Ihe Freeman’s Jcurnal party will con- tinue to insist that the settlement of the Irish question is to be the controlling aim of whatever ministry governs. The Edinburgh Evening News today repeats emphatically that Mr. Gladstone has resigned the premiership and that it has been offered to Lord Rosebery. The Times declares that whatever is done about the leadership it is certain that home rule will be dropped and that neither Lord Vernon Harcourt is likely to revive it. The Times adds: “However they may differ upon other points they know per- fectly well that the British public is sick of paying blackmail to criminal conspira- tothe Standard believes it is a fact that Mr. Gladstone's eyesight is growing much worse, and that an operation will soon be necessary. Recognizing this fact Mr. Glad- stcne informed his colleagues that his early retirement was inevitable, but he hoped that it would be only temporary. He told them that he would resume the premiership should his eyes become strong enough to warrant it. The Times thinks that the denial of Mr. Gladstone's actual resignation may be ac- cepted without question by those unable to adopt the inference that the alarm in the redical camp was altogether causeless, but it can hardly be doubted that a semi-official denial signifies a postponement of the crisis. Lord Rosebe-y’s leadership would be far more satisfactcry to the country generally than that of any other Gladstonian. The Daily News says that Mr. Gladstone has taken no step in the direction of re- signing. The Earl of Rosebery’s visit to the queen had no relation, it adds, to the cur- rent political rumors. The Daily News, further commenting on the rumors about Mr. Gladstone. says that in view of his age it is only right that the MUberals should consider the future. If the infirmities of age make his onerous duties irksome, it would be inhuman to keep Mr. Gladstone at his post merely because of @ e of opinion prevailing in reference to the choice of his successor. The Daily News then strongly recom- mends the Earl of Rosebery, but adds that there will be no whisper of discontentment with Mr. Gladstone's supremacy so long as he is willing to remain supreme. ‘The Chronicle says that the retirement of Mr. Gladstone is imminent. It is almost an open secret that his eyesight is no longer equal to even the least important duties of a political leader. All stories of dissension or disappointment at legislation being balked may be dismissed as wholly unaf- fecting his decision. When Mr. Gladstone resigns the wand it will be because his hand can no longer wield it and fo> no other rea- son whatever. It is probable that no decis- ion has yet been reached as to the moment of his resignation. It 1s announced that Mr. Sexton, M. P., of Kerry, has already taken steps to obtain pledges with regavd to home rule in the event of Lord Rosebery or the Earl of Spencer becoming premier. The Situation Unchanged. After Mr. Gladstone's return from Buck- ingham Palace to Downing street, the As- sociated Press correspondent called at Mr. Gladstone’s residence and was received by Mr. Littleton, the secretary of the premier. Mr. Littleton informed the correspondent that Mr. Gladstone had not resigned, and that the situation remained unchanged. The correspondent then asked Mr. Little- ton if the situation is at present exactly the same as when Sir Algernon West tele- graphed from Biarritz after the Pall Mall Gazette first started the report that Mr. Gladstone intended to resign. After some hesitation, Mr. Littleton re- plied that the situation of affairs was the same as when the much-discussed Biarritz dispatch was sent. No Definite Statement Made. Later—Mr. Giadstone’s audience with the queen lasted half an hour. The queen returns to Windsor at 5 o'clock this afternoon. In spite of the host of ru- mors in circulation regarding the premier- ship, no definite statement is possible at the time (4 p. m.) this dispatch is filed. ie general opinion seems to be, however, that Mr. Gladstone has either resigned, or will shortly resign, the premiership. — FRENCH CATHOLICS PROTEST. of Injustice to Their the Northwest. QUEBEC, Que., Feb. 28.—In view of what it terms “the persecution which is driving its co-religionists out of the northwest,” the ultramontane organ here, the Verite, says: “Only two things remain to be done— either to insist upon our rights in the con- federation being respected or to leave the! confederation altogether. For men of heart there is no middle course.” Commenting on those remarks, the Elec- teur says: The question is misplaced. ‘Make | our rights respected?” confederation?” No. The true causes of th evil are our own cowardice, servility an lack of independent spirit. The painful con. dition in which the French element find themselves today is not the work of a day, but the fruit of a long series of shameful betrayals dating far back. The Evenement, edited by Mr. Joncas, a member of parliament for Gaspe, hitherto a supporter of the Ottawa government, says: “Has not the time come to assert ourselves with more energy and to ascertain who are fanatics? What is there to show us that in united and vigorous action we would not have forced the majority to do justi@2 to the Roman Catholics? Ah! Very guilty are the public men, who, looxing only to their own selfish personal interests, sacriti those whom it is their mission to defend. Yes. a masta iaias OPPOSED TO STRIKES. General Master Workman Sovereign Never Saw One Do Any Good. MINNEAPOLIS, Minn., Feb. 28.—The lec- ture of General Master Workman Sovereign of the Knights of Labor here last night | was full of sensational utterances. He said he would not give up his right to free @peech, but did not believe in strikes, as he never saw one which did not do harm. He had not yet found a motive sufficiently aggravating to warrant him in advising the Northern P: ic men to go on a strike. “So,” said he, “Judge Jenkins may con- gratulate himself that his injunction has mot been violated.” Rosebery nor Sir William | “Break the | dex to advertises ments will be found om Page 3. THE TARIFF seas Gossip as to the Strength of the Opposi- | tion. The New York Senators and the Two Populist Senators May Vote Against It. Since the democratic Senators went into caucus on Monday, the gossips of the Capi- tol have been busy making estimates as to the possible strength that may be mus- tered eventually against the Wilson tariff bill. Calculations have been made with a view of ascertaining the utmost votes that may be cast against the bill if it should come into the Senate in the form which was given it by the subcommittee of the finance committee. It is surprising how many there are who believe that the bill will not be passed by a majority of more than four or five votes in case there are no amendments made in the Senate. Indeed, there are some prophets who contend that there is a grave possibility of the bill being defeated on a direct vote. This is based on the belief that Senators Hill and Mur- phy, Peffer and Allen will vote against the bill as it stand8. Mr. Hill has recently been quoted as saying that he could not vote for the bill with ie ines amendment added, and with other provis- jons that are now in the bill unchanged. It is generally conceded as votes Mr. ul, So votes Mr. Murphy, and this defection of two votes would indeed be a serious loss to the friends of the measure if the two popu- list Senators named carry out their an- nouncements that they will fight the bill in its present shape. The attitude of the | Populists is being watched with great in- terest by the canvassers on both sides. Mr. Peffer is perfectly frank as to his position. He said today to a Star reporter: Whut Senator Peiier Says. “I am perfectly willing to announce my intentions as to the tariff bill. All I want is to be treafed fairly. I consider that it would be unfair for the bill to put wool on the free list and yet to levy a tax upon manufactured articles, If this should be| done I must antagonize the bill. I want to see the bounty on sugar retained, and that article placed on the free list. I think that the bounty law ought to be allowed to go to its completion ard the provisions of the McKinley act in this respect to be carried to their conclusions. We have promised a bounty to the sugar growers and we should pay it. To discontinue the bounty now would seriously cripple our beet sugar tn- dustry in the west, and I do not think that it will be fair to those people. I was one of the original advocates of sugar, with the view of ultimately making absolutely free sugar. I think that is a perfectly proper plan that can be carried into effect now. I should have to antag- onize the bill if it places suger on the free list and removes the bounty without plac- ing manufactured articles on the free list. 1 should fight it because of its discrimina- tion against us and because it is unfair. I do not pretend to be any more fair than any one else, but I want my people to be treated fairly. That is exactly my posi- tion.”” Mr. Allen is said to take a somewhat similar view of the situation, and he has announced himself as being so fairly in favor of the bounty that he will fight the bill if it should not contain such a pro- vision. The hopes of the friends of the measure that the income tax provision would serve to draw the populist votes in its support do not seem to be well founded, as the third party men in the Senate are prone to take offense at provisions and schedules from which the least danger was anticipated in this direction. THE PATENT OFFICE INQUIRY. ne tax Meetings of the Senate Committee In- terrupted by the Caucus. The Senate inquiry into the methods of the award of the contract for the patent office printing has been interrupted by *he | democratic caucus, and it is not certain just |when it will be resumed. The meetiag | scheduled for today had to be postponed. Mr. Gorman, chairman of the committee on printing, that is conducting the investiga- tion, says he will call a meeting just as soon as the sessions of the caucus have been concluded. It is understood that the inquiry will take a much wider scope than was originally foreseen, and sensations may be the order of the day when the committee finaily get down to work. Cor- respondent Curtis will take the stand at the earliest opportunity to say that he has au- thority to give the names of those trom whom he obtained his first information con- recting Josiah Quincy with the contract. He will name Correspondent Wm. Me- Bride and Proprietor John R. McLean of the Cincinnati inquirer, both of whom will be summoned as witnesses. AREA Me Nominations of Postmasters. The President today sent the foliowing Nominations to the Senate: Postmaster—A. M. Bell, Monticello, Ark.; Wm. C. Philips, Redlands, Cal.; Robert L. Rich, Cobden, Ill; Thomas J. Hudson, Winterset, Iowa; J. J. Davis, Manhattan, s.; B. F. Meeks, Eldorado, Kans.; Theodore F. Rager, Erie, Kans.; Thomas W. Morgan, Eureka, Kans.; Alfred M. McPherson, Galena, Kans.; James A. y, Ottawa, Kans.; Charlies E. Gifford. ‘enter, Kans.; Albert Morrall, Wame- go, Kans.; Charles A. Patmor, Pittsburg, Kans.; Cornelius S. Mace, Saint John, Kans.; Simon G. Gary, Winfield, Kans. Geo. W. _ Stoors, rings Kans.; John A. Duplan, Patterson, 3 John Rusk, North Brookfield, Mass.; Thomas F. Gorman, Whitinsvill Mass.; Caspar Wackman, Detroit City, Min 8. E.| y, Wabash, Minn.; Edward Barrett, | ueur, Minn.; Mat Mahorner, Macon, dward F, Wirick, Clarksville, Mo.; Jones, Washington, Mo.; H. ©, Clancy, Glendive, Mont.; Charles H. Proe- tor, Bristol, N. john 'C. Swallow, Peterboro, ; John F. Bartlett, Sun- cook, . H.; Frank Doolittle, Havana, N. Y.; George W. Knott, Oxford, N. ¢ E. Cochran, McConnelsville, Ohio. Ben S. Leonard, West Liberty, Ohio; Jos. |Delehunt, Houtzdale, Pa.; Thomas C O'Connor, Mahanoy City, Pa.; Isaac H.| Hollister, Mount (¢ ¥ n F.| | Early, Osceola Mills, Pa. Logan, | Vernon, Texas; Charles heimer, | Victoria, Texas: Wm. A Va.; John S. Grayson, Lur: r, Roanoke, Va., Ric Herbert, Portsmouth, Va.; tom, Wis.; Lewis S. Darling- Bailey, Oconto, Wis. oes | Army Orders, The leave of absence granted Capt. Rew. Robert u ; ant surgeon, is extended one month. | Second Lieut. Robert G. tenth | cavairy, will proceed to Va. and report in person to th | Virginia for temporary duty | governor of 1 pertaining to the militia of that state To Investigate United States Judges. | Resolutions were presented to the House yesterday by F of Wisconsin to investi eral Un injunct mi- nent among them, J the | Supreme Court. They nited | States Judge Taft of Ohio, jJudge Pardee of Texas, Jv Beatty of | Idaho and Judge Dundy of Nebraska. ered ni Cash Balance. sh balance in the treas- | bank ‘Treasury The available « Jury today is $ | received notes al revenue, miscellaneous, a ant Secretary Curtis’ Return. Assistant Secretary Curtis, who has been in New York for several ds Washington this morning. I New York, which ts now occupied by e Secretary Tracy, caught fire while he was | in that city and was badiy damaged. ‘ returned to house in| HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS Senator Frye Reviews the Testimony Given Before the Committee. MUNISTER WILLIS COURSE CRITICISED Lively Colloquy With Senator Gray, the President's Defender. CURIOUS DIPLOMACY In the Senate this morning Mr. Voorhees (Ind.) offered a resolution appointing Sen- ator Mills of Texas to the finance commit- tee in place of Senator Vance. Mr. Hoar objected to its immediate consideration, and under the rules it went over until tomor- row. " Mr. Frye on Hawaii. Immediately after the reading of the journal Mr. Frye (Maine) addressed the Sen- ate on the Hawatian testimony taken before the Senate committee on for eign relations. He said that events had been recently enacted im the Hawaiian Islands in which the Ameri- can people were deeply interested,and which were intensely humiliating to this country. The relations between these islands and the United States were clore and peculiar. He sketched the civilization of the islands and the part which American men and women had played ] their evangelization. Ameri- can men and women hi trate the dark cloud of paceesion arian ‘at pe ganism which hung over them, and they had reaped a rich harvest by their mission- ary work. isipe chiefs of royal blood had died out in when Kalakaua was ‘ing. After that, for a eye the islands. Lilivokalanti’s Schemes. But he named his sister Lilivokalani as Successor to the throne, and she immediate- ly began scheming for the overthrow of her brother. She was unsuccessful, but death made her ruler of Hawall. He referred to the effort of the Louisiana lott foot-hold in Hawaii, and the company Siters ed the queen $500,000 and an annuity if she would get the company established on the islands. She yielded to the temptation an@ made every effort to this end. Her consti- tutional powe- was not sufficient to accom- plish this while the legislature was opposed to it, so she endeavored to assume absolute Power by overthrowing the constitution. “Made mad by her success, Liliuokalant took the final step which forever ended Monarchy on the islands.” She undertook to promulgate a new con- stitution, taking from the people the rights of suffrage, depriving the white men of their property and reducing the best men and women on the islands to abject slavery, Pres t Clevela: Prayer. Mr. Frye read the letter of President Cleveland to President Dole, ending with the words: “May God have your excellency in His wise keeping.” “Mr. President,” said Mr. Frre impres- sively, “I believe that God heard that prayer of President Cleveland and answered it, The magnificent courage of that little band of white men which enabled them, con- fronted by the whole power of the United States, represented in that harbor by two great ships of war, time, there was peace on never surrender,’ enabled them to fortify their government building, to call for volunteers and to de- termine deliberately that it would resist the landing of the United States marines to the very death and, if need be, to fire on that flag they loved better than they loved their lives—such courage could have only been divineiy inspired. Mr. Frye read from the code of naval ime structions, in which it was said that naval officers should “consult” with the United States representative in the country im which they might be. He said the orders of President Cleveland giving a private citi+ zen paramount authority over the military forces of the United States was unparal- jeled. Mr. Gray (Del.) thought a parallel case was to be found in the instructions given by President Grant to Minister Babcock, clothing him with absolute power over the forces at San Domingo, pending the nego- tiation of a treaty of annexation. Mr. Frye—“President Grant sent to Babcock, “I will place at your the naval forces.’ ” Mr. Gray—“What does that mean?” Mr. Frye—“It means under the law and under the regulations of the navy.” Mr. Gray thought that such an in’ tation was taking a good deal for granted, Secretary Herbert's Orders Unparale leled. Mr. Frye, continuing, read some of the testimony of Admiral Belknap before the | investigating committee, the tenor of which |was such orlers as Secretary Herbert ise sued to Admiral Skerrett were without |paralleL He touched lightly on the inch | dent of the hauling down of the flag, holde ing that Mr. Blount, as a private citizen, had no right to issue such orders. He then referred to the speech of Minis; ter Willis to President Dole, in which th@ former expressed the hope that th waiian Islands might soon be into the family of free nations. “What do you understand by free?” ing quired Mr. Gray. “I mean a free nation,* replied Mr. Frye. < “I think that was'a pretty good said Mr. Gray, “and not inconsistent wi n intention to gobble them up afterward,’ he added, sarcastically. Mr. Frye—“I do not doubt that the Sena tor considers it a good speech. But I thinl it was well that the Senator made hi speech !n support of the administration , fore he had the testimony, because he was 5: | then hampered in the least, and was ni limited or prohibited by facts. (Laughter the gallery). I admire the enthusiastic s port which he always gives, under any all cireumstances,no matter what the dent does, to President Cleveland's di macy. Is that diplomacy?” he asked, re | ferring to Minister Willis’ speech. Minister Willis’ Course Critleised. He dweit at some length on the state of uncertainty and apprehension existing i Hawail, owing to the course of Ministe Willis in regard to his intention to use of not to use force. The minister could havg calmed this apprehension by assuring Pres§ dent Dole that no force would be used ty carry out the President's policy of restora, tion. President Dole was trying in vain get assurance on this point, and this end of the line Minister Thurston wi z to find dut what President Clevela jed to do—whether he intended to wu ,0ps or not. Minister Willis knew t President could not use force without thi authority of Congress, and he also kned t ss would never consent to um se Mr. Willis say #0 rye, sarcastically, “$ ey to Mr. Willis’ speech wel Referring coming Hawail 1 tamily of nationg Mr. Frye said th lle he was uttering these words of friendship and good will hb ed in his p ver that £0 cket imstructions to destr: rnment which he was fusively welcoming © President's ¥ “Are you proud of th: askeq of it; directed by the President 6 35,0040) People, of a country probably tht most powerful on this earth, his ministe | is contriving, scheming, assiduously worl ing night and day, to restore a rotten mom archy “Interviewing again and agin a self-d¢ throned queen, listening to talk from so barbarous and savage the Gent did not dare send

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