Rensselaer Republican, Volume 15, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 March 1883 — LEGISLATIVE NOTES. [ARTICLE]

LEGISLATIVE NOTES.

A new celerical journal—ll Goffredo—lately started in Rome offers to each annual subscriber the right of 600 masses, to be celebrated by any priest who may be chosen. It is suggested that any ordinary sinner may be able by not drawing out his premiums to save up enough masses to get his soul out of purgatory, but this economy will be unnecessary. Any prompt-paying subscriber to a newspaper is pretty sure to go to heaven anyhow. Advertisements, like the following are appearing in the Cincinnati papers: *A LIBERAL REWARD “WiD be given for any information of a wooden building, 40 by 60 feet, containing one new Gosling buggy and harness, one open buggy, tobacco screw, scales, cables, farming utensils, etc., carried off by flood on night of 12th inst. "Address R. L. YOUNG, Higginsport, O.” If any man has the above-described property concealed about his person, he should report at once and claim the reward. The owner would probably allow the finder to keep the building if the contents were returned in good order. A Woodstock, Vt, farmer’s barn-yard is bounded on one side by a stone wall ten feet high. Over this wall a few nights ago a panther “ lightly sprang, seized a young steer, and, leaped back. But his prey liappened to be tied by a stout rope to another steer, which, hurried from his legs and hurled against the wall, completely blocked the panther’s game. The farmer, aroused by the noise, hurried to his farm-yard, and there the steers were hanging stone dead on either side of the wall, like cats over a clothes line. The panther had escaped. No chromos. Mrs. Deewll, of Honesdale, Pa., has certainly not been doing well since the death of her husband eight weeks ago, and is described by her neighbors as a “widow bewitched.” The sainted Dewell was a Baptist minister, and the wife was, during his life, properly attentive to his comfort, and irreproachable in conduct. Notwithstanding her devotion, the minister was hardly cold before the susceptible widow was won by a handsome stranger, who coaxed her to sell her property and elope with him. This she did, and left behind her four little children without a cent between them and the almshouse. The latest immigration report issued by the Treasury Department shows a large falling off in the immigration for the month of January, as compared with the same month last year. In January, 1883, the arrivals were 12,940, while in January, 1882, they were 18,489. There arrived from England and Wales 1,935, Ireland 668, Scotland 266, Austria 339, Belgium 95, Bohemia 50, Denmark 72, France 179, Germany 3,526, Italy 1,143, Norway 32, Sweden 165, Dominion of Canada 2,646; all other countries, 2,250. Of this number, 8,464 disembarked at New York.

Tab President has sent to the Senate his nominations for three Civil Service Commissioners whose duty it will be to formulate a plan for lying out of the law passed in the early part of this session of Congress. Mr. Dorman B. Eaton, of New York, who stands first on the list, has devoted much time and thought to the subject of civil-service reform, and to his efforts possibly more than to those of any other individual the passage of the bill is due. Dr. John M. Gregory, of Champaign, 111., has been many years connected with educational institutions, and is a member of the Illinois State Board of Health. Judge Leroy D. Thoman, of Youngstown, 0., the Democratic member of the commission, is in his 82d year, and has been twelve years a member of the bar. He has served two terms as Judge of Probate, and was an unsuccessful candidate for Congress in 1880. Cuba seems to have entered upon a new era of prosperity. Within the last year the system of portioning out large estates among a number of farmers has been very generally adopted, and is reported to secure a much higher degree of cultivation. This, however is a trivial matter as compared with the success which has attended the dreaded change from slave to free labor. Emancipation in the planter’s mind meant ruin. The fear of its effects not only prevented the employment of foreign capital in the island but caused wealthy Cubans to send their ihoney to Europe and to this country for investment Now, however, fertile lands era appreciating in value, and the figures show that more machinery has been imported this season than in any previous three years. These are unmistakable signs of a return of confidence. Kalakua, known in this democratic country, when His Majesty was here, as “Calico Dave,” was crowned King of the Sandwich Islands on Tuesday, Feb. 20,

giving an ftcoonnt ff the eerttnomes says King Kalakua was dressed in tl.e uni-1 form of generalissimo of the Hawaiian forces, a white tunic and light Hue trousers. The wore a magnificent robe of ruby with d splendid train borne by two attendant ladies. The King was presented with a splendid cloak made entirely of precious yelloV feathers which grow under the Wings of a little mountain birth This is 'an heirloom of Hawaiian kings and presorted as an ensign of knowledge and wisdom. At the conclusion of all the speech making, Kalakua, with the noble example of the first Napoleon before him, took th crown into his own hand and crowned himself. Throughout the entire proceedings we fail to discover anything of Spreckles. Spreekies is the party who thought something of buying Mr. Calico’s little kingdom and presenting it to the United States. No record is kept of the quantity of artificial butter imported into England, and it appears that a close analysis is necessary to distinguish the real article from the false. “This,” said Secretary Jenkins, of the Royal Agricultural Society of England, “is unfortunate, as I feel convinced that if the amount could be ascertained it would startle every one by its magnitude. In 1879 the importations of foreign butter amounted to about 2,000,000 cwt., of which 656,000 came from the Netherlands. Probably one-half of this was artifical butter, and if we estimate the quantity that is imported under its right name at about 200,000 cwt., we get a total of 500,000 cwt. No doubt this is pure guess work; but if it be considered that there are manufacturers of artificial butter who send to England from sixty to eighty tons per week—in fact, the three largest in Holland send between them about 200,000 cwt. per annum, and there are at least fifty or sixty [factories in the country—the quantity just estimated may be regarded as within the mark. The effect of this competition upon the British dairy farmer is very serious. Last winter I was informed by a large factor that if it had not been for the importation of artificial butter the price of good fresh butter in London would have been at least 2s 6d per pound. Good artificial butter is much more palatable than bad real butter, and is quite as wholesome; and if it were sold for what it is instead of for what it is not neither the farmer nor the consumer could complain.”

The constitutional amendments may now be regarded as things of the past The Senate, Thursday passed Mr. Voyles’ bill making it an offense punishable by removal from office for any county officer to charge illegal or constructive fees. The House, Thursday passed the bil which permits the re moval of the coun t seat from Vernon to North Vernon, a nings county, by a vote of 54 to 35. Mr. Cabbage has been vindicated at last The House Thursday passed Mr. Holler’s bill authorizing county commissioners to grant bounties for the scalps of woodchucks, owls etc., the provisions of which are almost identical with the famous bfj'last session. Both of the legislative committees have reported unanimously in favor sos allowing SIO,OO0 S Mrs. Sarah May for ser vices rendered by her late husband,Edwin May, as architect of the State House, and in the Senate, Wednesday, the report was concurred in by a vote of 37 to 12. The claim is generally regarded as a just one The special Senate committee appointed to consider the proposed location of the new insane asylums,Wednesday made two reports to the Senate, and the minority, which fixes one institution at Evansville, with the location of the two others to be determined by the commission, was adopted. Mr. Heffren has introduced in the house a bill drawn by Judge Stotsenberg, of New Albany, allowing a bounty to farmers who will plant the common yellow willow along the banks of the Ohio river ae a protection against floods. The willow is named at the suggestion of Pro fessor Collett The amount of the bounty is left to be fixed by the committee. The opponente to the proposed location of an insane asylum at Logansport have been circulating the report that the Smithson building, which it is proposed to buy, is encumbered. Mr. Q. A. Myers, a prominent attorney of Logansport, who is administrator of the estate of Elizabeth Pollard, from whom the property came, in a card to the Pharos of that city, says the title is perfectly -clear to the building. In the House, Thursday, considerable time was spent in the consideration of the bill which compels railroads and other corporations to pay their men at least once in every thirty days. A proviso was agreed to that such companies should be allowed to go into court' and show cause why they could not comply

with the provision and if in the judgment of the courfcltie reason is valid, then the company shall beallewed sixty ' days for the payment of their men. 7 The House committee on prisons re-' ported the result of their observations. Concerning the Southern Prison, they recommended various reforms, particularly that provisions should be bought by wholesale; and the deputy warden’s residence should be changed into a boarding house for the guards and other employee, to be operated for the benefit of the state and that the beds and bedding should be kept in a better condition, as they were now dirty and badly attended to. They found that the ventilation of the old cellhouse was very bad, but that the food was sufficient, of a good quality, and wellcooked. They also recommended an increase in the warden’s salary, and a better system of_ accounting for supplies. Concerning the Northern Prison, the report was far more favorable, for every thing there, so far as outside appearances go was in first class condition. The committee recommended the following appropriations: Five hundred dollars for the library at the Northern Prison, $5,000 (or heating apparatus and $15,000 for new bath house, etc.; $15,000 for furnishing the hospital at the Southern Prison $5,000 for new cell-house and $5,000 ior hospital there for insape prisoners from both penitentiaries. The report was referred to the committee on ways and means. The Indianapolis Journal thus describes an “mcident:” One of the most disgraceful scenes that ever occurred in the Indiana Legislature took place in the Senate Wednesday, Senator Jason B. the chief offender. At the bejjflpjpg of the afternoon session Mr. Null introduced the Mock apportionment bill by consent of the Senate, and Senator Brown savagely moved that the bill be rejected In the discussion which ensued Mr Bell spoke earnestly in opposition to the proposed disposition of the bill, but was interrupted by Mr. Brown with sneering and insulting remarks. Finally Mr. Bel|,turned to him and quietly said: “Brown, don’t interrupt me further. You are drunk, and I am talking to gentlemen.” Mr. Brown jumped up and excitedly exclaimed, in a tone that could be heard all over the chamber: “You are a G — dr— lying coward, and a hound.” The remark created the greatest excitement in the Senate, as there were at least fifteen ladies in the chamber, who could not help hearing the offensive and disgraceful remark. Senator Bell, who is under all circumstances a gentleman, very properly did not resent the remark as both the time and place would not permit of it, but kept his temper, and thus the matter rested for the time, the Senate taking no action upon it