Capital Correspondence

The boune nd senate conferees have disn'ji' "il over the provUions of theproposed reta iatory measnrea on 'uñada, the hou-o manager wigfaing to add to the scope ot the M'iiatc bill the fuurth provisión tliat i ii case of Injnriiiustreatmentto American resselx in Hri tish North American waters it .-huil ,f witlnii the competence of tho Dnited States to (.top intorcourse not only bv w iter biit by land, tlnia cutting off the cODtinuoun movement of railway trains trom the Hriti-h pröYincM to any part of the United States. The foUowing is a recapitulation of the debt statement tnned on th lst of March. interest hearing debt, $l,129,948,748;Mebt on which interest has reased since maturitv. $K,632,210; debt bearing no interest, $o82j!i58,(24. Total debt: Principal, $1,708, - ;;n.ii i: Interest, 110,898,646; total. $1,719, fLJ5.977. Total debt loss avallable cash iteras, íl,359,líl (Wl. Net cash in treamrv. ny.l.USS. Hebt less casli in treasury March l. 1887, $1,881,082,038. Debt leas cash in the treasuiy Feb. 1, 1SS7, $1,882,408 decreaseof debtdurinx the month $1. 7 ■'. ; iloc-rii.'isp of debt since Jane 80, 1888, 5,104.'Jft7; cttsh in trensurv. available for leducllonof the public debt, $369,462,976; total ca h in tlie treasury as sliown by the treasnrer'8 general account, $145,170,'J-f.'. The nonierence report on the river and harbor bill h is been adopted by both honses, and the bill now awuits tho presi dent's signatare. The president bas signed the Bay City count bill in spite of the efforts of Mr. Tnr ncy to have tbe mensure vetoed. The senate ha ordered the preparation of au iodex to its secret jonrnal for the Myearj froiu 1829 to w.. Gen. Cutcfaeon ofïered in tho house the otber day "il imiondinent to thelegislative approprfation lill proyiding fortwentyiive adiMtional clerki in the oflice of the adjutantgeneral lor the purpose of disi osing of ihe clnims of volunteer ollkers ander bis master bill recently pased, and wbich iilTei-ts so many ex-soliiers in Michigan, i b ection was made, and (.eneial l 'iitchfon failtd, but he yet hopes to have this matter arranged in the tenate. The elerks in the adjutant gcnernl's oflice are two and a h.'ilt' reara behind in their work, And nnlesa the l'oroe i- incroased the claims cannot be handled beforo the expiration of the limit, which is June ;S next. 'ihe house, by a vote of 175 to 126, has retii'el to pass the dependent pension bill over the president;' veto. The debate on the report of the pension committee recommending the passage of the bill over the executive's veto. was the chiefevent in the houRe tbe past week. The oveut had been looked for, nnd the number of petltlons from the (!. A. R. trom Maine to orniti had nwakenod more than usual interest. It. i-, reportad that the name of Judge Cooley "f Michigan lias been considerad by tli Pre-ident for soiue time as a fitting oue to head the list of the inter state comnaerce cominiRsion. He is regarded as uniuenlly titted for the position, ba ving bad ninch experienoe in thls particular line of work. Conjeeture in rife as to the make up of the connuiision, but afier all. its only conjeeture, as thü üracle hath not vet spoken. 1 io conferonoe report on the Detroit postofttce bill has lieen adopted by the ho se, and the long and interesting flght on thls m:u.ter U ended. TIn' bill is now !wre the President lor bis signatura and it is expecte 1 thers will lie no oelay in this respect. This approprlation is thé largest blitial ajipropriation that congress nas ever voted for any public building. Tl ere is no one subject of more interest to the labor element thaa that of convict labor, and we append a synopsis of the report of Carrol! U. Wrignt, -]nmisiouer of labor, ou this subject. He says that the pri on population of 64,809 has a proportion of one in a thoupaud to the population of the l'nited States. Whatever competitlon, conidering the country at larce. hit-h comes from conviofc Inhor in any form, must come (rom this one convict in one thousaiul of the population - not the proportion to those engaged in mechanica] pur.suits in the vvhole country, which is uhout one convict to every flfty persons so employed. The United States prisoners inclnded in the above estímate number 1,240, and they nre distributed through the different States. Theindustry employing the greatest uumber is that of boot and shoes, the manufacture of clothing stamling next, then stone dressing, then farniing, gardemng. furniture, minng. lumber and carpeting in the order named. The total product of all penal institutions is fifty-four one hundredths of one per cent. of the total iiroducts of the indu-triesof thecountry. The report states that it is perfoctly evident from informatici) obtained that the eompetition arising from the employment of convicta as lar as the il hole country la concerned, would not of itself eonstitute a qnestion worthy of selious rli cussion. However, locally and in ccrtain districts. saysthe report, the competition muy beseriousandof h porportions as to claim the mot serious attent.ion of !ec;islatures. The commissioner conclndes tdot the system of hand labor. if introduced in thepri-ons, would reduce eompetition with free labor to the minimum. The socretary of the Interior hasailirmed i dici-i n ti!' the general land office of May 11, 1885, li lding for cancellation a list of abont I-.: 0 ■) acres of lana in townships 34, ." and ;i, nortli range 4 west, in the Keed City, Mich., district claimed by the JackMin, Lansing&Saginaw railroad Company under the a'ts of congress approved June ■■i, 1S56, July :), 18ü(i, and Marcli ::, 1871. President Cleveland has sent to the senute the name of James 11. Trotter to be Recorder of Deeds in the i íistrict of Colunilia in plaoe of James C. Matthews, twice rejected. Trotter is a colored citizen of Massüchiisrits. .il. out 43 years o( age. He is h niit1' rp of (Miio. but for the past 35 Le haa resided in the old Bay state, wherfl prior ti the war, he was a teacher. He !-ervedthrouiïli:Hit tluMvar, en tering as a private bnt at its close wearing the epaulette of a lieutenant. The senate has passed the house labor nrbitration bill, which was iutroduced 'nst si"-siin by Pepresentative O'Neil of Missouri. The measure now awaits the president's sinature. The bill to prevent the employment of onvict and alien labor upon public works and of convict lubor in the piejiaration of niatcriiils for public wtirks, has passed both housen and now awaits the president's signature. President Cleveland has signed the bilis making appropriatiom for public bnildi:"- :it Brooklyn and Troy, N. Y., and also the bill granting a right of way through the government farm at Minnenpolis. (ren. EMierman sent to tüe nouse ot repreentatives tho other day au invitatioii to rittend the iinveling of tho monument to Gen. Garfleld in Washington on May 12 next. (!en. Cutcheon has received a eommunicationfrom (ion. John Robertson,Adjutant! General ol' Michigan, in reference to the former's lili revising the statutes so as to nllow pay to oflicers during the war from t '..! il.-iy of taking commaud actuajly, in gtead of from the date wfaen eommissiqns wcre issueil, and Gen. Cutcheon has replied bv KiiKüesting that the Adjutant-General cali the attpntion of the volnnteers to the Tact that applications must be filed before Fnne 8, as they wUl be barred after that date lindar law. The senate bas pa-sed the bill an inquiry Int o ihi' manaffement of afl'airs of the lJuciliu railroad. The bill as passed provides for the appointment of the toree 'ommissioners with a compeusation of f780 ii month, traveling expenses and :ioiird bilis, with power to examine all 1-ooks, papers and methods of the railroad companles. It appropriates $1(X),OUO fqr the purpose of the investigation and it anthorizM the president (if deemed uecessary by him) to redeem or otherwise clear oir all prior Hens, mortgages or other iiicuinbranoes bv paying out of the treasuiy the sums duothereon; on which the povernment 1 1 .- 1 1 Ie subrogated to all the rtgntt of the first mortgages. Thesinking Cunda held in the trasury as security ior tho Indebtedness of the companies may be inve-ted in the subsidy bonds or in tho int oiortgage bonü-i of the compaoies. The following resolution was introducid in the euate the other day and laid away for future reference: That ït ís tbe judginent of the seuate that onder present circnnut mees no negotiation should be undertaken wlth (reut Britain In regard to exltiting difflcaltiea wlth her province of Canada, wbich lms tor its object tho reduction. cIihik-u or nbolition of any of our existing duties on imports By a gtrictly party vote Senator Ingalls haa been eleoted president pro tem of the tenate. Mr. [ngalls took Khe oath of office Batnrday, Feb . W li.-n Iid took the chair he said that. whlle be vrould Inevitably suffer dispai-Hgi-iniiit by contrast with tbe parllamentary learaine,skill,urbanity and aceomplishinents of his illustrious predecessor. he would strive to excel him in icrateful appreclation of the distinguished honor oonierred. The secretary of the treasury recommends that an appropriation of tl, i be made to refund t o Michigan expenses incurred in raising volunteers during the war. Tbe hou e has voted an appropriation for new war vessols. The appropriation calis for $2,470,000 for the construcüon of two swift doublé bottomed steel cruisers, piich of about 4,000 tona displacement of the type of the Newark, except boilers and macbinery: fonr of about 1,700 toris displiicement. of the type of gunboat No. 1, and one swift torpedo boat - said vessels to oost altogether, exclusive of armameut not more than S4,(i5i),00ü. The evils resuiting trom the want of a peiiitentiary under the direct supervisión of the United Shitos for the eontinement of United Status prisoners, has been [ioiii-euiy nrouguc to tno attention ot congress, hut nothing has ever been aeeompllshed to chonge the present practice of boarding tliem at difl'erent f-tate institutions. The houso committce ou jndiciary havo iven the matter some attention but the committeo refuse to recommend thut a government prison slinll be built r.nd run by the governinent. The minorlty report containe a statement relntive to the Detroit house of correction, whicb we give as au item of interest to our rei&ders "In the house ot correction at Detroit there were on Jun 80, 1885, 2S4 United Statea prisoners contincd. To this institution are commltted bj the authorities of the city of Detroit only off enderí ngainst and vlolatora of thelaw, convicted of pet i y otfenses and senteneod to torms not exceeding one year. In tliat institutiou the manufacture of chairs is extrusively carried on. and to such an extent as to work Kioat injury to the furniture manufacturers of that city and state. The manufacturera who have their capitil iuvested manufacturing furniture in Miehij Kan, as well a the workmen, complain at this unjust competition. It is obvions that were it not for the long term prisoners in that institution some of them under seuttnee for life, this industry would not be, as it i. practicaUy ruined, outside of the prison. It is estimated that one-third of the prisoners receivod at the Detroit house of correct ion. ouside of Wayue county, are United iStatei prisoners trom other states and territorios. The Detroit house of correction is a city institution, and is not on the contract plan. The United St&tea irKoners are all longtimers, none ot them le-s tliau a year, and most of them from iive years to life. Kach United States prisoner representa a day's work every workingday in the year, and, in view of their long senfences and killed workmanshlp, they are kept by the institution without, charge to the government. while any county of Michigan, including Wayne, outsideof Detroit, pays a inininimum rate of SI per week for board. The labor of the prison is devotéd entirely to chair. eradle anrf bedstead making. 80 much detriment lias resultad to the industries of that state trom the concentration of United States prisoners at this institution that the legislature of the state has LUKfu jivMi ui iue suuject ana pa.ssea a law nliRohitcly prohibiting the importation of prisoners to that instituí ion. We f hink the time hns come when the government should adopt measures to take care of its own con vfot s. Wherever United States prisonors are i-unfined in any numbers in prisons not directly under control of the governraent they work grent hardship to honest enterprise and labor, and are a proh't only to the prison contractors and authorities. The house of representatives by a vote of 1HS to lü practically decided tiiat there shall be no retaliatory legialation at this session of congress. The vote was on tbe lïelmont substitute for the bill which passed the senate four weeks ugo, and by this voto the house determined to substituto tho more radical for the more moderate measure. Jielmont wanted absolute uon-intercourse bet ween the twucountries. and to briug this uhout he was willing to extend the embargo to the rolling stock of ('anadian railroads. The debate on the matter extended f rom 11 o'eloek a. m. to 2 p. m.. and cnlled forth nll sorts of patnotism and eush f rum tho ablo representatives on the floor. The members from New Kngland were far more moderato in their demands tlian tho e from the southern Btates, Masgachnsetts' and Maine's renresentatives declared that the flahermen most intnrestad did not ask for the Belmont bill, but would be entirely satisfied to apply the saine treatuient to Canadian vggselg that Canada metes to those sniling umier the ITnitoil States flag. But the house was not disposed to pay any attention to the wants of New Kngland, and the northwest, which is directly concerned in the proposition to exclude Canadian oara and engines, cut no figure in the conteoversv. Ihe bill as amended was passed by a vote of 252 to 1. The bill to créate the department of agriculture and labor has passed the senate: The bill creates au exocutive departraent to be known ns tho deparl ment of agriculture and labor, wiih aseeretary and asistant secretary to he appointed by the president, by and withthe advice and consent of the senate. The secretar; is to receive the same salary as the hends of the other executive departments and the assistant secretary th ■ sa as the assistant secretary of thn Interior department. The bureau of labor and the weather service of the signal service bureau are to be transferred to tho dupurtment of agiiculture.