New-York tribune., 1872-05-25

L
Grant ana Greeley alone, aud the latter will win.'
CURRENT TOPICS AT TIE CAPITAL.
PROCEEDINGS IN THE HoUsE-woRK OF THE
COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC LANDS-rHE BRA
ZiLIAN STEAMSHIP sUBSlDY-kEPORT On IhE
SENECA SANDSTONE.
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TGIBUNE.1
WASHINGTON May "a, 1877.
The House today paid Mr. Whittemore, the Texan
contestant $4,000 for expenses passed Dill 10 reIuhu
Mrs Farragut $4,000 for the expenses Of the AdmaPs
funerals ordered the printing of the report on emgra-
ton in the German and French languages; passed bill
appropriatng 100000 for public building at Atlanta,
Ca Senate bill appropriang s2O0o0O for building at
Utica N y and resolution 10 pay to the County OF
Ontario N ", $4,000 for the perpetual use of oneha
OF a Court House and PostO1ce building, under con-
tract made in 1906 but which has been fulfilled by
the Government All TINS ana VaIie.H Yl M ooheT % JUL
of minor Importance, was transacted by suspeh
sion Of the rules An resolution was passed on
motion OF Mr. Banks, providing IOr the aolnt NJ vi "a
Committee Of five members with the speaker as IndH-
man, 70 M during the vacation OF congress ana IeNso
the rules of the House with view 20 facilitating reports
from Committees and providing a plan Dy whlch az
."sted ia Greatly needed under the present rules
more than thirds of all the business of the House is
disposed of with almost no knowledge OF It's import ny
any members except those OF the ConInIt'ess wHcn
often obliged to take the word Of half dozen men that
nm Is honest and needfu and pass It without the least
Mr Garfield the crippled soldiers the employ OF the
Housc were ordered TO be retained during the VACATION
and their salaries paid out Of the contingent fund The
rest of the day spent in dspOsing of business from
fbe District of Columbia Committee and IN the discus
son of tEe Brazilian steamship subsidy. which up
the report O te Conference Committee On the fOst
O@ce Appropriation bill.
bill was passed through the House to-day, from the
Wavs and Means Committee of great importance 10 all
brewers but Of little interest other people The bill
provides for change in the system Of entries IN the
books which the required to keep by the In
ternal Revenue law, the notifications being In the
brewery interest and the requested by them. 1t
also introduced system of permits for removing malt
liquors from the brewery to the warehouse, requiring
permit stamp be affixed TO the casks kegs while in
transit, instead Of tax-paid stamp now required.
The bill further permits the sale OF malt liquors from one
brewer another in the purchasers kegs and also Of
WOrts,' beer in the first stages Of fermentation.
These changes i'm the present law were all asked by the
brewers and acceeded 10 by the Treasury Department,
upon the recommendation OF which the Committee acted.
There is probably Committee Of Congress that has
accomplished more important work during the present
session than the House Committee Of Public Lands,
under the Craftsmanship Of Gen. J. H. Ketcham ofNew
York The Committee. against the efforts of minority
of ts own members, and after repeated struggles in the
House. have entirely destroyed the practice Of granting
public domain to railroad corporations 10 assist in
building their lines Of road practice which has existed
for nearly quarter Of century. The advocates of the
land grant system put forth extraordinary efforts to
it from destructon great moneyed interests were in
vOved In its continuance, and the influence and power
Of corporations and capitalists were freely put forth 10
defeat the Committee. The famous ST. Croix bill
the test question: If it had passed, host Of landgrab
schemes stood ready pour through the breach thus
made Since its defeat, few spasmodic efforts have
been made to extensions Of old grants but all
have failed and il Il now acknowledged on all hands that
the land grant system dead beyond any hope OF revival
The corpoIatons seeking grants recognize this fact and
many OF them nave recently asked the Committee for
acts giving them the right OF way only through the
public lands with the privilege Of cutting timber upon
and taking stone from the same This action gives up
the whole controversy and virtual acknowledgment
that railroads can now be built in the West without
Government aid, and that TO longer continue the land
subsidy system would be lagrant abuse and useless
squandeng Of the future homesteads OF the poor for
the benefit only OF favored corporations To have
pshed this important revolution securing as II does all
that remains OF the public domain TO homestead settlers
by Tescung it from the threatening grasp Of corpora
tions has been work Of no small difficulty, and Gen.
Ketchams Committee deserve much praise for the lead
ing part they have taken III it.
The Conference Committee on the Post-Ofice Appro-
praOn bill completed its labors and reported to both
Houses to-day. The Committee able 10 agree on
every provision in the bill except one, the Brazilian
steamship subsidy. The amendment making II q penal
ofense for officer, clerk employe in any Of the
Executive Departments TO act as attorney agent
for claim IN that Department within two years after
vacating his position so changed as to declare II
unlawful for any person hereafter appointed 10 act
such agent within two years after he has held Office in
the Department, but afxing penalty for the viola
ton OF this act The permanent Appropriation OF
100000 10 pay the cost o. transporting free matter
through the mails is abolished and the cost
OF such transportation Is hereafter TO be paid ont OF
the annual appropriation The Senate agreed TO ask
conference the amendment increasing the subsidy
Of the Brazilian Steamship Company from $4,000 10
5000 year, though the sentiment OF that body,
shown by vote on going into Executive session while
the matter still pending, is pretty evenly divided
Tie House agreed 10 the report Of the Committee and
Mr. Wood moved that II recede from its
the Senate amendment increasing the Brazilian subsidy
the effect Of this motion being II carried, pass the
bill with the increased subsidy. Upon this long debate
arose. Messrs Wood Banks, Butler, Sbeabarger and !
Others advocated the increase, upon the ground that
the Brazilian line was the only American
line upon the Atlantic coast; that 10 came in |
competition with powerful English and French lines
and that could do little toward successfully competing
with them so long as IL only made monthly trips x
steamer arriving in NewYOrk from Rio de Janeiro 10
was stated is obliged TO leave her return trip in two
OF three days, thus giving time FOR filling the orders
The result OF this Is that the European lines running
once week. take the business. and much the Amerf
can exports TO Brazil first TO England 10 be reshpped
there IL was argued that II the line were made a SENT
monthly one the trade between the two countries would
greatly increase Mr.. Kerr and others denounced
proposition TO increase the subsidy scheme for tax
ing the peoples money and giving IL 10 millionaire
No vote reached when the House adjourned the
discussion will be resumed tomorrow.
The House Committee on Public Buildings and
Grounds, to-day decided unanimously the conclu
be embraced in its Report the investigation
into the Of Seneca sandstone In the new State De
partment building The points to which the inquiry
directed by the Committee were first the character
ing; second was the Seneca stone used |
in the foundation OF the building, contrary |
the resolutions OF the Joint Committee on Public
Buildings and Ground and by whose authority the stone