The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-02-05
sg7 CONGRESS-
SENATE. - a
WASHINGTON. Feb 4.
D4NKRUPr AND OTHER Bills,

IEepUELeu lIOn Tue rInAnce COMMITTEE
yesterday TO secure equalization .ol Nat
lonal Bank circulation was taken up, anC
he explained its provisions pending thC
discussion. The morning hour expired
and the bill went over.
The Senate then resumed the Considera
Lion OF the bankrupt bill, the pending
amendments being OF Mr.. Oglesby tc
strike out the words "or who has stopped
or suspended and not resumed payment
Of his commercial paper within the period
Of forty days" 80 that the persons OF tha,
class should not be considered bankrupts.
Mr. Edmunds opposed the amendment
and argued that the bankrupt law would
amount 10 nothing without such pro-
vision.
The amendment was opposed by Mr..
Thurman, who said OF all the letters re.
ceived from various partsoI the country
by the members Of the Judiciary Com
mittee, not one complained that the
amendments were too harsh. The only
objection he had 10 the bill was that 1t
was so much in favor of the debtor class
that there was contingency Of the whole
law being in operative.
The motion Of Mr.. Oglesby 10 strike
out the words above indicated was reject.
ed. M sgC.rF gis'r .i,lTF
Dir. Sherman moved snamendment lin.
iting the operations OF the S9lh section oil
the original, as amended and reported by
the Committee, TO persons owing over
$4,000. He argued that in small cases
the creditors get little or nothing, and IN.
necessary penalties were inflicted on debt.
ors. he said that il that amendment
should not be adopted he would submit
another 10 extend the period OF forty
days within which person having
stopped or suspended aud not resumed
payment, his commercial paper should
not be forced into bankruptcy 10 sixty
days.
MIR. Thurman opposed the amendment
oil his colleague.
Mr.. Sherman, thought the matter
OF little importance, as there had
been but very few cases where the in-
debtedness did not exceed 5000. He
gave notice that at 9 proper time he
would offer an amendment to the original
law so as to provide for the proving Of
the accounts before Justice Of the Peace
or Notary Public, instead of before q
Register in bankruptcy or the United
States Commissioner, as now provided.
Pending the discussion on Mr.. 6herman's
amendment the Senate adjourned.
..a a. HOUSE.
.l. sUNDRY RESOLUTIONS.
The Speaker called attention 10 the
fact that the resolution Of the House di.
recting the Secretary Of the Interior to
furnish copy OF the paper on irrigation
sent by Mr.. Marsh, u. s. Minister to
Italy, was responded to by statement
that the paper was in the custody oil
the Commissioner OF Agriculture, and
therefore was not within the control OF
the Department Of the Interior. The
Speaker seemed TO intimate that It would
be news to the members to learn that
the Department or Bureau Of Agriculture
was an independent Department oI the
Government, and not under control of
Of any other Department.
A resolution was then offered by Mr..
Kasson, and adopted, directing the Com.
missioner on Agriculture TO furnish o
copy Of the paper In question.
The House then took up the resolution
from the Election Committee, declaring
Asa Hodges entitled prima facIa TO seat
as Representative from the First Con-
gressional District Of Arkansas. was
adopted without debate, and MIR. Hodges
took the emodifed oath as member.
The bill from the Committee on Public
lands giving to Holt county, Missouri the
bed uf certain lake, thereafter explained
by Mr.. Parker, Of Missouri, was passed.
The House then resumed.the considera.
tlon Of the Army Appropriation bill.
TRAVELLING EXPRNsRs ONLY.
Mr.. Beck offered an amendment to 1t
for transportation, providing that only
actual travelling expenses shall be al.
lowed any person whatever in the ser
vice of the United States, and declaring
illegal all allowances Tor mileage or
transportation In excess Of the amount
actually paid. i "t '-
Mr.. Wheeler assented 10 the amend.
ment If the provisions were added
that 1t should not be construed to al.
low more than ten cents per mile, the
present allowance.
Mr.. Beck modified his amendment &C.
cordingly.
In the discussion which followed, It
was claimed on one sioe that the greatest
abuses were committed under the pres.
ent system. .... u-.
Mr.. Beck instsncing the case where
the Treasury officials had made trips
from Washington to Boston and charged
mileage, 1st. From Washington to Bal
timore, then from Washington to Phil.
adelphia, and then from Washington to
New York, and then from Washington
to Boston, and It was claimed on the
other side that II would operate very un.
fairly. Finally the amendment as mod.
lied was agreed 10. s..
o.. GOVERNMENT TRANSPORTATION.
Mr.. Holman offered an amcndmen, for.
bidding the payment out of the appro-
priations in the bill, Of any money Tor the
transportation Of property or troops OF
the United States, or Of military officers
on duty, over any railroad which was
constructed In whole or part by aid Of
land grants, on condition that such road
should be a public highway for the use
OF the Government free Of tolls or other
charges. He made a statement In sup
port Of his proposition, stating among
other things, that the Illinois Central had
charged nearly $4,000, for government
transportation during the war.
Mr.. Hurlbut explained that the amount
paid to the Illinois Central during the
war was under contract with the Govern
ment, by which some two.thtrds or three
quarters Of the ordinary charges were al.
lowed, the Government having the first
right Of way, exclusive Of all other busi-
ness. . .,..,.4 e. s,.4.s
q. F. Hoar suggested 10 Mr.. Holman