Evening Star Newspaper, January 4, 1895, Page 1

THE EVENING STAR aeeeeneenpnintnds PUBLISHED DAILY EXCEPT SUNDAY, AT THE STAR BUILDINGS, —~ 1101 Pennsylvania Avenue, Cor. 1ith Street, by The Evening Star Newspaper Company, 8. H. KAUFFMANN, Pres't. New York Office, 49 Potter Building, pox teen So wien ‘The Erening Star is served to subscribers In the efty by carriers, on their own account, at 10 cents per week, or 44 cents bf month. — at the “ counter 2 cents each. By mati—anywhere in the United States or Canada—postage prepaid—50 cents per month. Saturday Quintuple Sheet Star, $1 per year; with foreign postage addled, $3.00. (Entered at the Post Office at Washington, D. C. as second-class ma‘] matter.) TF All mail subseriptions Rates of advertising ma Che Fvening Star. Te proof of te pudding is in $e eating, Pesferdar’s Star contained 35 cofumns of adverfisements, mare up of 561 separate announce: ments, Tfese advertisers foua§t pubficitp—not merefp Space. WASHI NGTON, D.C. FRIDAY, JANUARY 4, 1895-TWELVE PAGES. TWO CENTS. THE NEXT HOUSE The Probable Head of the Ways and Means Committee. EITHER PAYNE OR DALZELL A Strong Banking and Currency Committee Needed. CONFIDENCE IN MR. REED The nomination of Representative Bur- rows to succeed Mr. Patton of Michigan in the Senate takes from the republicans in the House their most capable parlia- mentary leader next to Reed. It will be a less to the party in the House on the re- organization at the opening of the Fifty- fourth Congress. He would unquestionably have been the next chairman of the ways and means committee. The selection for that place in the next House will now lie between Payne of New York and Dalzell of Pennsylvania. Payne ranks Dalzell on the committee as it is now organized, but it is believed that Reed, when elected Speaker, will select the Pennsylvanian for the chairmanship and the leadership of the House. Mr. Burrows’ resignation of his seat in the present House will soon be sent in. ‘This will cause a vacancy on the com- mittee on rules, which will have to be filled by a republican. Cannon of Iilinois will probably be selected by Speaker Crisp, though an effort will be made to secure the place for Dalzell. A Possible Presidential Candidate. The Michigan people here and other friends ef Mr. Burrows are saying that his election to the Senate will make him a conspicuous candidate for the presidential nomination. They say that he will un- questionably be preserted before the na- tional ccnvention as Michigan's favorite son. They argue that, as he is a sound, eenservative man of experience and abil- ity, he will be a strong candidate before the convention if there is a protracted con- test between Reed, McKinley and the cther candidates. It is said that McKinley would rather seo the nomination go to Burrows than to Reed. The Banking Committee. While the result in the senatorial fight in Michigan will probably have no further bearing on the affairs of the next House, the new complications that have arisen over the currency question will make the composition of the banking and currency committee both difficult and important. The new pending bill, it is thought, may even take precedence in popular interest over the new tariff bill. The roll call of the next House is being carefully studied, as well by out: financiers as by those who will sit as members in that body. It is conceded that the work wil! call for the services of experienced and capable men. The east, it is predicted, will claim the chairmanship of the committee, and will probably secure it, but there is no thought that the west will in any sense be rejected. As the work in nd will ly be that of recon- c ing imteresis and opinions, , It is peinted out, could not satisfac- torily be done without a just recognition of the rights of both sides to the ablest pos- sible representation on the committee. In this matter, as, indeed, in all matters, Mr. Keea’s friends express the fullest con- fidence in his ability to rise to the emer- gency. They point ie his thorough under- standing of the situation, as well as to his wide acquaintance with public men, and declare, moreover, that the assistance he rtain to r m business in- terests everywhere 1 him as much in hand when he again takes the gavel as will the assistance i the floor of the House. situation, it Is to be a strong and hearty ether for a retur nd business prosperity. ve THE WHITE HOUSE. Last Night's Dinner Has Furnished Feed for Much Gossip. There is much ado among the democrats in Congress about Senator Hill's having attended dinner at the V House la: evening. It is a universal subject of gos- sip. His colleagues are informed by some who attended dinner that the Prest- @ent paid him d attention, moving his chair up to him in the smoking room and chatting with him pleasantly for quite awhile, and that their manner toward each other was as aitable as possible. This is dwelt upon as If it were a-matter of the greate. yorta and an effort is made to at- to the aff It stion of the est ty between the said that Hill @ part in trying to help bill through the Senate if ds in pa: = a measure. k of the matter himself, » knows what were his pri from his cus- the President. urnished food for ion, beyond its im- s far as any one can see. ance Hil will and no one ve motiv ot ke [CT DAYTON. CONGRESSMAN-EF The Nan Who Will Succee som at the Capitol. “Show me the man who beat Billy W! * was the remark made on the ri e of the House today by curious sioned by the pres- Congres Mr. Wil- of i e+ THE COMING OUSE It Will Probably Be Afternoon. Mr. Holman & Mon y be called for 4 ernoen,” said Mr. Ho 2 had con risp and js the sit seus will be lay and te ta to fesue ive Springer con The petition for the ted by Mr. Mr. He 1 call tomorr to hold the many dem- ed best to to x tho yet been fe! nee from the tehings of the ted back to- tion ef a rule will ttee. t the WILL HARDLY BE RETIRED Isham G Harris is Almost Certain of Re- As they regard the | to business | eancus on the cur- election to the Senate. His Long Experience as a National Legislator and the Interest He Has Yaken in Local Affairs. ‘There was no meeting of the Senate Dis- trict committee today owing to the absence from the city of Senators Harris and Mc- Millan, the chairman and the most active member lof the committee. The terms of both Senators expire in March, and so they have hal to take off their coats and get into the campaign through the holidays. Senator MeMillan’s task is now done and he will be unanimously re-elected to the Senate for six years. Senator Harris has not such!an easy time of getting back, but he will probably pull through evenjually. In the first place, the legislature of Ten- nessee, which meets next Monday, is by no means s¢ overwhelmingly one-sided as t of Michigan, which contains but one de! ocrat. Tne Tennessee house and senate be demo+ratic on joint ballot by 16 or 18. The general calculation places the majority at the kitter fisure by including an inde- pendent, | who will probably vote with the democrats. Should he do otherwise, the majority; will be but 16, a very small dem- ocratic niargin for Tennessee. But Senator Harris’ friends claim that the closeness cf the vote! will not jeopardize the chances of their candidate, whom they expect to be nominated > the first ballot, if a caucus should bé held. The anti-Harris men among the democrats have been working in the hope of preventing a caucus, but it is not likely that they will succeed. The rule in Tennessee is that a caucus shall not be held urless two-thirds of the party in both houses attend. This rule will probably be strictly followed in the present instance and the program of the Harris men, it is understood, is to postpone the holding of the caucus until after the legislature has convened on Monday. ‘There will then be enough members in the city to insure a caucus. ‘The danger to Senator Harris is that by preventing a caucus his democratic oppo- nents may be at liberty to vote in joint bal- lot for whomever they choose, and so make possible a combination with the republi- cans. There is, however, no candidate in the field, it is thought, strong enough to make su¢h a program possible. The mar- gin of 1 votes is so small that a minor faction of the democrats may make a fusion with the republicans if a candidate could be agreed upon between them. But the opposition to Mr. Harris is not formi able. It has shown itself in each cam- paign in which he has been a candidate, and has regularly been swamped by the ex-governor’s tremendous popularity. ‘This opposition comes from two sources, the dis- affected persons who have not been pla- cated with offices at various times, and the few folks! who believe that Senator Harris, however faiti.ful he may have always been to the interests of his state in his public career, has been in office long enough to warrant his retirement in favor of a young- er man. | One of the arguments of the opposition fs that Senator Harris is not a citizen of ‘Tennessee, having a ranch in Texas and a Rouse in Washington. This plea, however, has very /little weight, it would seem, with the votvis of the state, for it has been brought forth unsuccessfully in each can- vass. The people of the District are quite as much concerred in the outcome of this fight, fori Mr. Harris has always taken a deep intefest in loca! affairs. He has twice been chairman of the District committee of the Senate, and has been a member of the comniittee during the prevalence of re- publican ruie in the Senate. Living here, as he has, for many years, he is thorough- ly acquainted with the situation and with the need} of the people. Amidst all the saults {hat have been made upon him in his politipal career not a word has ever been said|to affect his honesty or integrity. He is a terror to lobbyists, and is a firm believer jn the principle of letting bills | stand or fall on their meri A man pf strong ¢ eristics, the “old Senator,”|as he is fondly called by many of S$ associates, wovld be sadly missed from the upper, house if by some combination of factions he should be defeated next week. He is allvays very much in earnest and takes of every measure that he advo- cates with unrelenting and unremitting en- ergy. Helis one of the fiercest fighters on either side of the Senate. Since his election as chairman of the Sen- ate committee on the Disirict, upon the re- organizatjor of the Senate in March, 1893, he has plived great reliance and confid in tho fortwer chairman, Senator McMillan. These twe men, though of opposite political faiths, have always worked in harmony for the best mterests of the District, an: ly fortunate for the citizens of W of these two one has alres a new term and the other wili undoubtedly be so honored next week. + -+o- TARIFF z3= EE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS. Uncertain Whether They Will Be In- troduced at All. The democratic leaders of the Senate are still undecided as to when they will in- troduce tae proposed amendments to the urgent deficiency bill fer the correction of etrors in the present tariff or whether they will introduce them at all. Somo of the republican Senators think the changes proposed should be made, and it is understood that some of the re- bers of the finance committee iin the number. When Se: ator Jones of Arkansas, who has the amend- ments in charge, was asked if he did not expect them to be ruled out on a point of order he replied: “Not if they are favor- ably reported upon by a regular commit- tee. The rule against amendments to ap- propriation bills not gerraane exception In favor of ame receive the indorsement of a committe If we dec de to introduce the ameudments we shali be pretty sure that they will re- ceive committee sanction. There fear, however, of republican | aiibusterirs, and the effort which is now being mace is to pr. this or to reduce it to a minimum. A republican member committee id today that vertain [of the finance | so far as he had been able to a: there wotld be no opposition among re- | publicans to the proposed amendment to the income tax law relieving corporations requirement to furnish lists of $ paid to all their employes, in- se receiving less than $4,000. that Senators Hear and possibly other Senators ose the proposed re of the Pn in the ty that a ray be ob holding this down se far as to cause the to feel justified in putting in ndment. It is generally under among them, however, that any d 4 epposition amounting to prolong- truction would defeat any amend- from th: out Approval. The act ‘o correct the military record of Alexander P. Magzan of battery H, fourth United Stetes artillery, has become a law without the President's approval. e+ Started for Raltimore. The old warship Dale, which has for many years served as a receiving ship at the Washington navy yard, today started in tow of a tug for Baltimore, whee she | will be used by the Maryland naval militia. POWER QUESTIONED Right of Commissioners to Exact Penalty on Overdue Taxes. JUDGE BRADLEY ON THE LAW A Matter Affecting Over a Million Dollars of District Funds. A LAWYER’S OPINION Have the Commissioners power to en- force the payment of a penalty of two per centum per month on delinquent ts payers, and is there any law. which im- poses such a penalty? These two questions fraught with im- pertance are now before the Commission- ers. Upon their settlement depends a large fortune—over a million and a quarter dol- lars. There is no disguising the Gomm! sioners’ position. ‘They are werried, and while they express great confidence in the outcome of the matter, yet the bare pos- sibility of losing such a large amount of money makes them anxious. Some days ago the Commissioners’ mail brovght a letter from Judge Bradley of the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia, pro- testing against the payment of a penalty of 2 per cent per month upon certain lots belonging to him, upon which the taxes had become deling « It a sum, but the underlying startling in its magnitude. Similar requests had been received be- fore, but they were simply referred to the assessor and his report settled them. <Ac- companying Judge Bradley's simple re- quest was the statement, boldly made, that there was no law warranting the imposi- tion of any penalty for: non-payment of taxes since the year 1878. Such a state- ment from a judge of the Supreme Court of the District, backed up with a declara- tion that he had carefully examined the law on the subject, filled the authorities with apprehension. Importance of Subject. Assessor Trimble was sent for and care- fully reviewed the laws regulating the sub- ject. He was directed to make a further examination of the statutes and report fully the facts and laws governing the levying of tax penalties. Assessor Trimble spent several days searching the laws and finally submitted lis report to the Commissioners, ending with the recommendation that Judge Brad- ley’s request be denied. This report sets forth the Importance of the subject and says if the contention of Judge Bradley is sustained the District will lose in refunds over one and quarter million dollars. A short summary of the laws bea: cluded in the report. The fi wou the subject was passed in 1877. Section 4 provides: ‘That if one-half of the tax herein levied upon the real and personal property taxed by this act shall not be y of December, 18% all thereupon be in rears and delinquent, and there shall then be added, to be collected with such taxes, a penalty of 2 per centum upon the amount and a like penalty on the first day of each succeeding month until payment of said in- stailment and penalty.” In this act it is also provided: ‘That this act shall remain in force as a tax law of the District of Co- lumbia for each subsequent year after June 30, 1878, until repealed.”” Permanent Government. The next year the bill providing for a permanent form of government for the District was passed, and here again there was a provision inserted which contin- ued the tax law of 1877 in force. The section provided: “Said District and the preperty and per- principle was ing on the subject is in- t s sens that may be therein shall be subject to the following provisions for the govern- ment of the same, and also to any existing laws applicable thereto net hereby repealed and inconsistent with the provisions of this ac Section 3 of the same act seems to clinch the positicn of the Commissioners, and upen this they will rest their case. That section provides “That all proceedings In the assessing, equalizing and levying of said taxes, the collection thereof, the listing, return d penalty of taxes in arrears, the advertising for le and the sate of property for de- linquent taxes, the redemption thereof, the proceedings to enforce the lien upon’ un- redeemed property and every act and thing now required to be done and performed and in the manner now provided by law.” Sent for Opinion. Again, when it is recalled that Congress has from time to time remitted the tax penalty of 2 per cent per month end al- lowed the samo to be settled within a specilied time at 6 per centnm per annum, it would appear that it presumed the law governing the case sufliciently mandatory. Whi the Commissioners approved the opinion of Assessor Trimble in general, it was deemed wise after consultation | to send all papers in the matier to the attorney for the District, M: . T. Thomas, with instructions to furnish as soon as possible al opinion upon the validity of the Nothing to Say. Judg? Bradley, when questioned about the matter today by a Star reporter, declined to be interviewed. His letter to the Com- missioncrs, he explained, was more.in the nature of a private communication than anything else, and he remarked that he was surprised to learn that it had been made public. Judge Bradley said that he ad mot refused to pay the penalty, but had merely questioned the authority to en- fcrce the penalty. Commissioners’ Rights. Referring to the matter, a prominent member of the District bar, said that he very seriously doubted the right of theDis- trict Commissioners to impose any penalty whatever. He was of the very decided epinion that no penalty could be enforced subsequent to the time when the property n errears became subject to sale for such ars. As he understood the law, X upon real est: beceme due on the first of November ‘At that time, while the tax for the whole year nt be paid, if the owner of the property si alty could only be imposed thirty days thereafter on the first half of the year’s tax. ‘The second half of the tax, he said, became due the ist of May following, and on the Ist of June the penalty for non-payment of the second half of the annual tax began to run. The law, said the lawyer, further provided, it seemed, that no sale for non-payment of either half of the tax could be made until the Ist of July following. Hence, it seemed, explained the lawyer, that if a penalty for non-payment of the tax could be enforced it could not be enforced subsequent at all, to the the District Comm! to sell the property on which the tax for the preceding year was in arrears. If the property was or was not then sold, con- tinued the lawyer, the penalty for the taxes in arrears for thq preceding year ceased, and no further penalty could be en- forced until thirty days after the first half of next year’s tax had become due. Other Opinions. Mr. S. T. Thomas, the attorney for the District, to whom Judge Bradley's letter has been referred, stated that it would express any opinion in the matter. If the penalty could not be enforced, the matter would, however, be a surprise to him, he said. It was true, he explained, that he had not yet carefully examined the law, although he would do so at once. He understocd, however, that the District assessor had no doubt in the matter, the latter official being of the opinion that there is emple authority in law for impos- ae and enforcing the complained of pen- alty. A Star reporter conversed with several other members of the bar, but none of them cared to express any opinion in the matter previous to a careful examination of the law. Said one of them: “Judge Bradley is a very able and well-informed lawyer, ard if he questions the legality of the penalty, he must have found very ex- ie t and substantial grounds for so do- ing. DISTRICT IN CONGRESS Want the Aqueduct Bridge Widened to Accommodate Street Railways. The Proposition Explained to the House Subcommittee on Appro- printions This Morning. The House subcommittee on appropria- tions today gave a hearing to Maj. A. D. Anderson in behalf of the appropriation of 0) for widening the Aqueduct bridge, as to permit street railways to cross sO the river and come into the proposed cen- tral railway station in Georgetown. The plan is that the government shall build an addition to the bridge to permit the railway companies to occupy it, and the allway companies are to collect a toll of one cent on each passenger carried across the bridge to reimburse the government. Maj. Anderson said that the Potomac river is at present a Chinese wall between Washington and the Virginia shere. There are three electric railways on the other side of the river, existing and projected, that desire to have access to the three rail- ways on this side of the river. The people of Virginia are anxious for better facilities for getting into the cityy and the George- town Citizens’ Association is in favor of of the plan, Maj. Anderson said that the proposed extension of the bridge would benefit the government by enhancing the value of the land on the Arlington reser- vation and by providing better facilities for reaching Fort Myer. He said the toll of one cent on each passenger would pro- duce a revenue to the District of $10,000 a year, which would relieve the government of further expense in the care and repair- ing of this bridge. Maj. Anderson said that the District Connnissioners had recommended the ap- propriation. Wants First Street Paved. Gen. Stanley, governor of the Soldi Home, appeared before the subcommittee of the House appropriatigns committee having charge of the District appropriation bill today, and urged the committee to make an appropriation fer paving Ist street northwest. This street has been graded, and when It is payed will furnish pasy access to the Soliders'*Home. ee PROVIDED For THE COLD. No Fear of Japa Soldiers Suffer- ing From the Weather in China. The Japanese authorities here have not received any word concerning the reported extreme suffering of the Japa: soldiers from the cold n China. Chancellor Naka- yama of the legation staff sald today tat s was fully understood that the rigors of the climate in Manchuria would prove hard on those Jafiunese soldiers coming from the south ef J ‘The soldiers from the northern island are a hardy class, accus- tomed to six fect of snow and ice in the winter. ‘The first army corps in Manchuria is made up of mixed regiments from the nerth and south. Mr. Nakayama says, however, that full precaution has been taken agamst the cold. ‘The army is provided with ample suppies t skins, et Moreover, so many towns that it ; temples, etc., re left exposed in tents. upply ef wooed y at Fort Arthu circumstance tne hardsuips will be those ter campaign, but thet have not, 9 far as reports are re- sd, indicated an extreme of suffering might tnreaten a repetition of Val- ley Forge, or the memofable repulse of Napoleon's army by the snpws of Russia. of woule has capt shelter in the p ainple he arn Tr in China. Vitable to a ¥ es JAPANS CHOWN / PRINCE. as toa Dise: election ef a Wile ted Here. Officials at the Japanese legation in this city emphatically discredit the report that envoys of the mikado’s government have been instructed to watch the chances among European princesses to get a bride for the crown prince, Yeshihito Haruni- a, with the added provision that, in default of an eligible European princess,an ican heiress will do. ‘he young heir to the Japanese throne is only thirteen years of age, and his matrimonial prospects wili not be consider- ed for some time. It is moreover a well- defined custom for the princes of Japan to seek their wives among the distant branches of the imperial family, and, when he gets old enough, Yoshihito doubtiess will follow this custom, Yoshihito, by the is the son of the mikado, not an adopted son, as stated. SS A CURREN Conflicting Reports at the Capitol in Regard to It. ‘The reports at the Capitol concerning the President's sending a special message to Congress are directly in conffict. In some quarters the President is quoted as saying that he does not contempiate sending a message; in other quarters he is quoted as saying that he will, and it is said that the matter was discussed at the cabinet meet- ing today. The declarations on both sides are made with great positiveness, and there is utter confusion as to what is the fact in the ca ‘There is apparently the best of authority for both statements—that he will and that he won't. None of the leaders of the House have yet been informed that a age is to come. Members “close to the Wy ent,” or “close to the Secretary,” are autherity for the statement that it will. ries HESSAGE. Pensions G ‘Among the pensions granted today were the following: a District of Columbia—Wm. J. Shaw, Georgetown; George W. Murphy, Roger McBride, James J. Costello, Eliza J. Con- ‘Sfaryland—Singleton Flanigan, Taylors- ville, Carroll county; John J. Smyth, alias Jacob Maurer, Baltimore. “Virginia—William L. Sperry, Winchester. Se ‘The Luncaster’s Modern Battery. The board of navel bureau chiefs has de- cided to equip the Lancaster, now at New York, with a fine battery of modern five- inch rifles in place of the old smooth bores which she has carried since the war. The vessel will thus be completely equipped for hardly be proper for him at this time to! the instruction of naval apprentices. A NEW PLAN pared a Financial Measure. I PROVIDES FOR A BOND ISSUE The Interest to Be Two and One- Half Per Cent. TO REDEEM U. 8S. NOTES Representative Coombs of Brooklyn has prepared a financial plan, which he has submitted to Secretary Carlisle, and which has been favorably commented upon by the Secretary. It has not yet been introduced into the House, the purpose of Mr. Coombs being not to antagonize the bill now before the House, but to wait and see if it can be gotten through. The bill provides that the Secretary of the Treasury b2 authorized to issue and dispose at not less than par in coin, or its equivalent, bonds of the United States in such denominations as he may prescribe, bearing interest at the rate of 2 1-2 per cent, payable quarterly and re- deemable at the pleasure of the United States twenty-five years after this dat provided that the total issue of bonds under the provisions of this act shall not exceed the amcunt of United States notes and treasury notes of the act of July 1, 3890, now outstanding. The principal and interest of the bonds herein authorized shall be payable in coin of the present standard value of the United States; and both principal and interest shall be exempt from federal taxation and all taxation by cr under state, local cr municipal author- ity. Section 2, That the proceeds of the bonds herein authorized shall be applied to the redemption of United States. notes or treasury notes of 180, or said bonds may be exchanged at par for said notes, and the United States notes and treasury notes of 1800 redeemed or exchanged as herein p vided shall be canceled and retired; pro- vided that the amount of said bonds out- standing shall at no time be more than 000,000 in excess of the amount of United States notes and treasury notes of 1890 canceled and retired. Section 3. That any national bank or any bank duly chartered and doing business in accordance with the laws of any state may deposit United States interest-bearing bonds with the treasurer of the United States to an amount not exceeding ® per cent of its capital already paid in, and shall be entitled to receive from the controller of the currency in exchange for the bonds so deposited and to issue circulating notes to an amount equal to the par value of such bonds, and the form of such notes and the ations for their issue shall be prescrived by the controller of the cur- reney, subject to the approval of the Sec- retary of the Treasury; provided that none of said notes shall be of a smaller denomi- nation than § d provided further that unlawful for controler of the currency to deliver to any bank and for any bank to issde bank notes of less denomination than 310. Section 4. That from and after the age of this act the issue of the cu: y authorized by the act of June 172, shall be discontinued and such cer- tificates now ou ding shall be redeemed, eled and retired as rapidly as po ‘ection 5. That the amount of silver cer- I hereafter at no time exceed the suin of Secretary of the Tre: ized and directed to coin from time to ti zch amounts of standard silver dollars a3 may be to maintain a free re- serve of st: silver dollars of the amount of provided that here- er, no silver certificates shall be issued of ger denomination than $5. That the c e uthorized to having United S s bonds on deposit with the tri of the United States in ac- unce with this act bank notes to be known as emergency culation to an 0 per cent above the alue of the bonds of such banks so osited; provided, at interest at the rate of 21 per cent per annum upon the smount of such emergency circulation shall be charged to each bank receiving them and so collected quarterly by the proper t, the amount not exceeding: officer of the Treasury Departme amount so collected to be accounted and covered into the treasury; and fy reula- a vided, further, that the emergency ¢ tion hereby authorized shall constitute first lien upon the assets ¢ such circulation, not inc the bonds deposited w rer of the United States and before issuing such em: 3 tion to x the controller of tt rency under the liv of the state wherein such bank is locat circulation may lawfully such em yency constitute a first Hen. Seciion 7. That the bunk notes authorized this act and the natienal ba: notes now ci g shall be redeemed by the banks of provided by existing law, except that redemption shall hereafter be instead of lawful mor ticr at the kk note: vi is act shall be exempt from t aposed by the act of F ruary S, 1875; that all bank notes author- ized by the iaws of the United States shail be receivable in payment of all debts, both iblic and private; that when surrendered y the bank of issue to be retired, they may be reissued to such banks at any time, and that the federal tax on circulation be re- duced to one-half of 1 yer cent per annum, which tax shall be paid by all banks is- suing notes under this act or other laws of the Unit States. ction 9, That all acts and parts of acis h the provisions of this act Mr. De Guerville Says There Was No Port Arthur Massacre. A. B. De Guerville, the Japanese war correspondent of the New York Herald, is in the city direct from Port Arthur. He denies in positive terms that there was any massacre at Port Arthur, either of non-combatants or of Chinese soldiers after they had surrendered, by the Japan- ese soldiers, of whose magnificent disc pline and fighting qualities he speaks in the highest terms. Mr. De Guerville’s letters and dispatches from the war have excited wide comment. He is a Frenchman by birth, but a citizer of this country by choice. Efforts are on foct to have Mr. De Guerville give a lec- ture in this city on the eastern war. The lecture will be given.for some charity. Se ea aes OUNDING THE HOUSE. How Mr. Springer is Ascertaining the Strength of His Bill. Before circulating the call for a caucus Mr. Springer is making a canvass of the Hcuse by delegations for the purpose of ascertaining as nearly as possible the strength of his bill. His plan of canvass fs to have one man of each delegation sound the sentiment of his colleagues. If this canvass is not satisfactory he will probably try to still further postpone a caucus, so as to give opportunity for the administration influence to ke brought to bear upon those members who are ascer- tained to be not set in their purposes as to the measure, Representative Coombs Has Pre- A MINORITY REPORT Mr. Smith's Objections to the Contagious Disease Hospital Site. Why He Docs Not Think Reservation No. 13 a Suitable Location for the Proposed Buildings. Mr. Thomas W. Smith, the dissenting member of the board of trade committee of nine appointed to select a suitable site for a ccentagious hospital, this afternoon submitted to the Commissioners his minor- ity repert. Mr. Smith sets forth in his re- pert that on December 18, about 4 p.m., a vote was taken and reservation No. 13 selected as the site for the hospital. Eight’ members of the committee were present and seven of them voted in favor of the proposition. “There was but little deliberation or discussion. The majority of the commit- tee seemed to have but one object in view, and that was to pass upon a question which had been called to their attention within three days prior to the convening* of the committee. The site selected was the only one 2 majerity of the committee had been cailed upon to visit, and was visited and inspected at the instance of and with Mr. Warner. The grave and re- sponsible duty placed upon this committee should, in my opinion, have received mp consideration by the distinguished gentle- men composing the majority. our honorable body has had this ques- tion before it for three years, careful consideration in many board meet- ings, and after consulting authority under you, and after mature deliberation at many public meetings of citizens, decided that the locating of a hospital for the treat- ment of infectious and contagious diseases should not be located on land in square 1112, 700 feet farther west than the site proposed by this board of trade committee, and farther removed from the malarious condition existing along the banks of the Anacostia river. This committee proposes to locate it as near the United States jail and 1,00 feet nearer the swampy flats, iin- mediately along the side of the smallpox barracks, and over the graves of the pau- per dead, and, still more infamous, over the graves of those who died of smallpox and were buried many years ago in the northwest corner of the recently dedicated ground for the reception of the indigent dead of the District.” Mr. Smith refers to the act of Congress approved August 6, 18%), transferring to the control of the Commissioners all that portion of reservation 13 lying 600 feet east of the east curb line of 19th street east, end south of the south lihe of B street uth, for the purpose of the burial of the ént dead of the District. He says this act was a wise one. Mr. Smith calls attention to the close proximity of the jail, the unhealthy at- mosphere and miasmatic cnd malarious condition of the swampy flats of the An: costia river, and concludes his report by calling attention to the need for a hospital where unfortunate men, women and chil- dren attacked by minor infectious diseases can be cared for—a place where the sur- roundings are good and provided with all conveniences. Such a site, provided with proper! autified walks, trees, shrubbery and a modern hospital thereon, would co: ute no eyesore to any locality in th: and would be welcomed by all fair-minded citizen: eS PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATIONS. Quite a Good Sized Batch Sent to the Senate Today. The President today sent to the Senate the following nominations: Postmasters—Frank Nicholas, Athens, N. Y.; Lemuel Matthewsen, Avoca, N Y. James A. ¥.- Charics Charles R. k Bennett, Dew B. York, Smith- F. Wright, ingtown, Pa ington, Pa.; berg, F tobert Iyverstown, Pa.; GeorW. Cope, Nazezreth, Pa na G. W. bster, Willia D. H. Mason, Williamstow Alfred South- worth, Braintree, ; Henry A. Con- nolly, Nutley, N. J.: Thos. Littlejohn, Gaff- ney, S. C.; Beverley S. Ferguson, lis, George W. Doak, Taze . Johnson, Alva, O. 'T.; Augustus G. Jone Cumimi W. Moyle, Tecum: resford, 8. D. Thomas T. Mary R. Fi Saxton, Eilswerth, W: Lake, Wis.; Frank L Mary Bostwick, | bert Guilinger, Florence, Col.; Wm. Fla.; John C. Richard, . Stanley, Dublin, Ga.; | erspoon, Madison, Starke, Fla.; Vivian Cha: . Palmer, Astoria, IL; Lewis Gowen, Lawrenceville,UL; Martin M. Herr,Genev: Ind.; Wm. I. Beast Linton, Ind. Thompson, Tahlequah, I. T.; Henry Lieb, Alton, Iowa, Stephen A. Sm Hartley, To John F. Huntington, 0; land, Iowa; James B. L Ser Iowa; John Barbour, t L. Price, Wapelio, East Grand For selberg, Grand Rapids, Poppitz, Heron, Minn.; Alex. A. McLanj lin, Kenyon, Minn.; Patrick’ Mc’ Minn.; Moses H. M dden, Sa Chas. Richardson, Wisner, Neb.; Briggs, Forest, Ohio mon F. Richardson, Spencerville, Ohio. Inte: John B. Fleming Wisconsin, to be ster of the land ce at Eau Claire, Wis.; Wm. E. Saum of Kansas, to he receiver of public mcneys at Wakeeacy, IXansas. War—-Lieut. Col. Mershall I. Ludington, deputy quartermaster general, to be colonel and assistant quartermaster general; Maj. Asom §. Kimball, quartermaster, to he lieutenant colonel and deputy quar- termaster general; Capt. Joshua W. ‘Tacobs, istant quartermaster, to be major and quartermaster; Major Wm. M. Wherry, sixth infantry, to be lieutenant colonel; Captain Chas, W. Miner, twenty-second infantry, to be ma- jor; First utenant Stephen C.. Mills, twelfth infantry, to be captain; First Lieu- tenant Theo. Mosher, twenty-second infan- try, te be captain; Second Lieutenant Mark L. Hersey, ninth infantry, to be first lieu- econd Lieutenant Walter L. Tay to be first lieu- a . Abert, late major corps of en- be major in the army (act Con- gress, August 1 ; Dunbar R. Ransom, late captain third artillery, to be captain in the army (act Congress, August 1, '04). Navy .. H. Lamson, to be lieutenant in the navy (act of Congress, approved March 27, 1871). ee Oe Spring Maneuvers in the West Indies, / Orders have been issued attaching the cruisers Cincinnati and Raleigh to the north Atlantic squadron. This is part of the plan for an extended set of naval ma- neuvers to be held this winter in West Indian waters. The Atlanta has already set sail for Jamaica and she will be joined by Admiral Meade in his flagship New York and by the Mortgomery, Raleigh and Cincinnati about the middle of this month. The Columbia, which is probably now on the way home from Kingston, return to join the squadron as soon’ as she can be cleaned and painted at Norfolk, making a flesat of six vessels under Admiral Meade’s ccmmand. ‘The Columbia, which was ordered home from Jamaica on the Bist by Admiral Meade, is expected to arrive in Hampton Roads today. She will be docked at Nor- folk and after cleaning and painting will return to the West Indies. and after | ASYLUM IN FLAMES Water Plugs Found Frozen When Wanted for Use. WORK OF REMOVING THE INSANE All But One of Six Hundred Patients Safe. MANY HURRIED ESCAPES ANNA, IIL, January 4.—The center build- ing and south wing of the Southern Ilinois Hospital for the Insane caught fire at 11:50 jlast night. The building contained nearly 600 patients, all of whom, it is thought, were gotten out safely, with one exception, that of a lady, who is supposed to have perished in the flames. She was observed on the fourth floor of the center building, dressed only in her night clothes. None cf the atterdants or patients had time to secure their clcthing, and the snow worked a great hardship in transferring the patients te other quarters. | It is now thought nene of those confined jin the esylum are at large, though desper- ate aitempts to escape were made dur’ j the prcgress of the fire, and it was Ww great difficulty that the poor cre. | Were confined to their quarters. Th crowded into a new building, already near- ly full. The patients will be taken care of jin the best possible manner under the cir- umstances. loss will exceed $300,000, The fire iro is here, and put the control, The center buildings and south wing are completely destroyed. Terrible con! ion prevailed @uring the fire, and it is miraculous that many lives were rot lost. All the old buildings escaped fire a few years ago were entirely destroyed. ‘The north wing is all that remains stand- ing. In this the patients are huddled out of the prevailing severe weather. The fir | was under complete subjection before day ight. ‘The flames were first discovered near the roof of the main building, and cannot te accounted fer. The asylum has its own ater works, but for some reason the sys- tem ‘as ineffective in fighting the fire The plugs seemed to have frozen. pliceeaaoceth MORGAN DENIES IT. MR. The Story About His Opposition to Secretary Carlisic. NEW YORK, January 4.—A representa- tive of the Associated Press called on Mr. J. Pierpont Morgan at his office today, and, after showing him a printed Washington dispatch reiterating alleged opposition to Mr. Carlisle as Secretary of the Treasury, asked him if he had any connection with a request for Mr. Carlisle's withdrawal, as the dispatch stated. “I have never had any connection with the matter in any shape or form, direct. or indirectly,” Mr. Morgan said, positivel: “If I had been asked concerning the truth of that story befcre it was printed I should have said then as I do now, there is not a word of truth in it.” — BROCKLYNS BIG CELEBRATION. An Effort to Recover the Money Spent la 1 BROOKLYN, N, Y., January 4.—Corpora- tion Counsel MeDenald on behalf of the city of Brooklyn has commenced a number of actions for the recovery of the money allegéd to have been illegally spent in con- nection with the Columbian celebration in Brooklyn in 1892. He has caused com- plaints to be served on the followin George F. Miller, $1,289, “refreshments; Peter J. Montague, $331, “whisky and ci- ankel & Lansing of the Clarendon “refieshments;” Thomas R. » ic; Patrick H. Ros: d stand, and James O'Connor, claims interest jon the ember 1, 1892. The ce: forth that the claims were sented by the mayor, con- plaints set wrongfully p troller an y the then city tre ¢ that the common sropriated the mon tates that all clail neil iMegal cha and the city y to pass them. The cl not allowed y res At the time termed, *Colunz! sented they caused sicn. considerable discus- ——___ FOR HONEST ELECTIONS. Preparing for the Conference at New Orleans. ng Star. Special Dispatch to The Eve: MONTGOMERY, Ala., January 4.—J. C. Manning is again in Montgomery, but leaves tonight for New Orleans, to look after the arrangements fer the coming con- ference of ballot reform agitators. Letters from leading politicians in all parts of the country are pouring in indorsing his Ballot Rights League movement. Today ke sent letters of invitation to Gov.-elect Evans of Tennessee, Marion Butler of North Carolina, Mayor Van Hoose of Bir- mingham, Ala., and other well-known gen- tlemen, asking them to be present in New Orleans January 18 and 19 and address the conference. He says prominent politicians from the north will be at New Orleans to watch the preceedings and to mect the southerners who attend. Manning says over 500 dele- gates will attend the congress. —— SUICIDE ENDED HIS DEBAUCH. A Cabin Passenger on the Scandia Shoots Himself. NEW YORK, January 4.—Adolph E. Fischer, a native of Cassell, Germany, aged twenty-seven, a cabin passenger, shot himself in the right temple while seated in his state room on the steamer Scandia today, while the vessel was in quarantine. ‘Death was Instanta Fischer had been drinking heavily Christmas, but showed no symptoms of a disordered’ mind. He was en route for Mexico, where, it is understood, he had friends. Richmond Tobacco Factory Burned. RICHMOND, Va., January 4.—The build- ing occupied by Hargrove & Co. as a te- bacco factory and E. T. Crump & Co. as a stemmery was destroyed by fire this morn- ing, together with all the stock of both concerns. The loss will probably reach 400, and is covered by insurance. Sty Can Use Railway Passes. ALBANY, WN. Y., January 4.—Judge Park- er of the supreme court has decided that the railroad commissioners can use rail- road passes issued by the secretary of state, and that the new constitution does not prohibit the legislature from providing that passes may be issued to state olficials when traveling on official business,