Democratic Sentinel, Volume 8, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 March 1884 — WASHINGTON. [ARTICLE]

WASHINGTON.

A sub-committee of the Senate Committee on Postoilices and Post-Roais examined William Henry Smith, General Manager of the As-ociated Press, in regard to the relations of the association with the Western Un on Telegraph Company. Mr. Smith explained that the Associated Press is a private business, enjoying no exclusive contracts; that its news is personal property; that its wealthiest members take upon themselves the largest payments for expenses; and that at some points it pays the telegraph company more than is asked from the papers receiving he reports. The House Oommitte on Public lands has decided to recommend the forfeiture of the grant to the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad lying west of Mojave and east of the junction of the Santa Fo Road. Since 2-ceht letter postage went into effect there has been a decrease in the issue of postal cards. From July last to March 1, 256,552,750 cards were issued, against 260,226,250 for the corresponding period last year. Herr von Eisendecker, the German Minister at Washington announces that he has received from Berlin the Lasker resolution which Bismarck would not let his Reichstag see. Eisendecker will send the insulting message to the State Department, and the matter will be before the House as soon as Frelinghuysen shall have recovered from the congestive chill into which the communication will throw him.

A. M. Gibson testified before Mr. Springer’s committee relative to his connection with the star-route investigation. He said he had received $5,000 for his services as counsel, and that it was a small compensation in comparison to what was paid to other parties. The witness further testified that in prosecuting the star-route men the Government took the most complicated case, when it was its business to take the simplest and plainest case. Continuing, Mr. Gibson said: “After Brewster was made Attorney General he said the duties of his office were so engrossing that he could not give time to cases of this kind. He had been in the case before simply to make an argument as to the legality of filing an information. That's all he did, and for this be received $5,000.”