Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 January 1896 — WASHINGTON. [ARTICLE]

WASHINGTON.

The House Committee ott Public Lands has received from Secretary Smith a 'strong adverse report against the free homestead bill. The measure is a sweeping one and land office its passage would involve at least $30,000,000 of cost to the Government and $18,000,000 in Oklahoma alone. This is the amount paid to the Indians for the. relinquishment of their lands there. Washington dispatch: Col. 11. E. A. Crofton, commander of the* Fifteenth Regiment of Infantry at Fort Sheridan, 111., has neen mriforf In retire fnom the arm*. Secretary Lainont sent him a letter saying that on account of certain evidence revealed in the Pague court-martial trial the President would be pleased to grant his application for retirement. In six months more Crofton could have retired upon his own motion. Much anxiety is shown at the State Department over Clara Barton’s Red (’toss expedition to Armenia, in face of the orders from the sublime porte. Miss Barton has been denied special passports, and will be given no recognition by tlie representatives of the American Government in Constantinople. Secretary Oluey regards her mission under the circumstances as a grave mistake, which is likely .to embroil this country in further difficulty with the Turkish Government. If Miss .Barton is peacefully ejected the Secretary of State will not enter protest. If she is maltreated our Government will undoubtedly Interfere. While Secretary Olney approved of Miss Barton’s mission when at first proposed, and, in fact, suggested it, he does not approve of undertaking it iu face of the protests of the sultan.

Ex-Congressman Hatch, of Missouri; J. Ilcwes, of Maryland, and H. C. Adams, of AVisconsiti; have established in AA’ashington in behalf of the National Dairy Union, Which represents interests aggregating $0,000,000,900, for the purpose of procuring the passage by Congress of a bill to limit the effect of the commerce clause of the constitution with respect to the oleomargarine, and filled cheese, or what is known to tlie dairymen as the Hill-Apsley-Grout bill of the fifty-third Congress. Another bill aims at the regulation of the manufacture and sale„of filled cheese, while a third provides for the registering of State .trade marks. It is thought that all three measures can be successfully pushed through Congress at its present session, although strong opposition is anticipated from the manufacturers and wholesale venders of fraudulent dairy products.