The Portland daily press., 1874-06-08
Forty Third Congress-First Session.
HOUSE.

WARRINGTON. June 6.
The House took up the Senate amendments
to the Legislative. executive and judicial appro
| priation bill
A long discussion resulted in An item in re-
| gard to official reporters.
Mr.. Holman of lndianna made speech in
favor of economy and against the salaries fixed
for reporters, arraigning the Republican party
| for extravaganza in raising salaries.
Mr.. Garfield of O., replied that Mr.. Holman
must have extraordinary cheek to make such
charge in the face of the fact that this deficien
cy bill appropriates only three million as
against eleven million last year and against an
amount three or four times, and in one ia
and IN the face of the fact of an annual reduc-
ton of expenses to the amount of thirty mil
lion dollars, and yet the gentleman (Holman)
got up and sapg the old everlasting song about
raising salaries and increasing expenses.
A number of private bills that were consider
ed yesterday in the Committee of the Whols
were taken up and passed. Also q bill that
was before the House at the adjournment last
night for the sale of Kansas Indian lands in
Kansas.
The House also passed bill removing the
political disabilities of Geo. 8. Shryock Of st.
Louis, and then proceeded to the consideration
of the Senate amendments to the deficiency
bill.
Mr.. Holman OF Ind. again got the floor in
con injection with another item and read = lect-
ure to his own side of the House for its apathy
and for its willingness to vote with the MAORI
ty in all measures of extravaganza He spoke
for nearly . hour surrounded by members,
many of whom joined in the colloquoy that
was at times amusing bnt not particularly
noteworthy, the discussion having drifted into
reference to the harbor and river appropriation
bill.
Mr.. Conger of Mich, reminded Mr.. Holman
that the biggest item of that bill was a million
and quarter to pay an old debt on the Louis
vile & Portland canal, and that Mr. Holman,
because the matter Interested his own State
and district, had worked for that item, and had
lmportuned members to support it, and yet he
lectured the House by the hour and month up
on every little appropriation or increase of ap-
preparations.
Mr. Cox of N Y, declared that the great
body of the people was with Mr.. Holman.
Mr.. Garfield Of o., was reminded by Mr.
Holman of the boy (who stood on the burning
deck whence all but he had hed) His own
beloved young Democracy which had got the
had fallen away from him so that he stood Al
most alone, being able to rally only six votes
on his side and now he (HOlman) had assumed
the pIophesy foretold that all on the Repubi-
can side of the House were going to the dogs
and would soon lose their seats, while on the
Democratic side there would also be general
clearing out and only six of the present men,
bers left besides himself If such things were
done in the green tree what should be done in
the dry.
and conference committee ordered
The House then took up the bill reported
| from the Committee on the Mississippi levees
| providing for com missioner of engineers.
Mr.. Willard of VT, offered a substitute and
| proceeded to address the House in explanatory
| and in advocacy of it,
The bill provides for the appointment of a
| Commission of two officers Of the corps of en-
for permanent reclamation and redemption Of
the alluvial basin of the Mississippi, which re-
port the President il to transmit to Congress at
its next session with his recommendations
| thereon. ~
The civil members of the Commission are to
receive $4,000 . year each and travelling ex-
| penses, and . secretary 10 to receive $500 a
| month. NHf
Mr.. Willard's substitute is to have all men,
beTs OF the commission engineer Officers
Morcy, Lewis of Tenn, and Stanard in sup
port of the bill, and Mr.. Crocker of Mass,
| against it.
The number of civil engineers was fixed at
| two instead of three
The substitute proposed by Mr. Willard was
| rejected and the bill was then passed.
Mr.. Cannon of ILL.,, from the PostOff1ce Com.
mittee, reported bill for the prepayment of
postage on printed matter. 1t provides that
| on all newspapers and periodicals mailed from
| known ONCE of publication or news agency
| and addressed to regular subscribers or news
agents, the postage shall be on newspapers is
sued weekly or more frequently than once .
| week, which includes dailies, of one and one
half cents for each pound or fraction thereof,
| and on those issued less frequently than once a
| week, three cents pound or fraction thereof
| On their arrival at the mailing office they are
| to be weighed in bulk and postage paid by
special adhesive stamps to be affixed to the
| sack containing them. Single copies to sub
| scribers within the county where printed are to
go free but not be delivered by letter carriers
! unless postage is paid. Exchange newspapers
and magazines are also to go free in single
| copies. Publishers and news agents are to
| make afhdavits that they will not send through
the mails any copies OF their publications ex-
| cept to regular subscribers or news agents, or
as an exchange, without prepayment of post
| age at the rate of one cent for each two ounces
or fractional part thereof. Refusal to make
such affidavit is to be deemed misdemeanor,
punishable by fine not exceeding $1,000 for
each refusal. The wilful mailing Of any mat
| tiers without prepayment is also to be deemed
misdemeanor punishable by fine of not less
than 500 or more than $1,000, or imprisonment
| for three years, or both. Mailable matter of
| the third class, such as books, &C., are to be
| limited To four pound packages and are to pay
one cent for each two ounces or fraction there
| Of
After = speech by Mr. Cannon in explana-
| ton and advocacy of the bill he moved the
previous question which cut off all the amend
ments and debate The bill was passed, yeas
| 108, nays7 3.
Mr. Packer of Pennsylvania, from the Post
| Omce COmmlttee, reported Dill to prevent
what is called "show bids for carrying the
mails. He also reported . bill for adjusting
salaries Of post masters. 1t fixes the salary Of
the New York Postmaster at $4,000 and divides
| all others into four classes. Those whose sal
aries are not more than $4,000 nor less than
| $1,000, not more than $4,000 nor less than $4,000,
not more than $4,000 nor less than $1,000 and
those whose annual compensation is less than
| $1,000. The postmasters of the first three
classes were to be appointed or removed with
| the consent of tho Senate. Those of the fourth
class are to be appointed or removed by the
Postmaster General. The bill was passed
MT. Sener Of Virginia, from the Committee
on Expenditures in the Department of JUS
tice, made report in regard to expenses, dis
bursements, and general management Of the
west judicial district Of Arkansas since its
reorganization in 1871. The testimony covers
800 pages. The committee finds that the ex-
| penditures have been extraordinarily large and
not in all cases supported by appropriate
vouchers The judgment of the committee is
that the great measure of Arkansas is the
abolition of the district itself and Its annex
ton to the eastern district 50 that there shall
be but one district and one judge for the terri
tory now embraced in both districts. They
therefore unhesitatingly recommend the abol-
ishment of the present western district, the
annexation of its territory and the transfer of
lis business to the eastern district and that the
be known and called the District of Arkansas
Marshal. Adjourned.