The Portland daily press., 1874-03-18
Washington News and Gossip.
MONDAYS BILLS

MONDAYS BILLS
A new bill has been introduced to facilitate
the circulation of public documents. The bill
provides for the regular publication of lists of
public documents, together with the cost and
postage of the same, which shall be posted in
every Post Office of the United States, that the
officer of the proper department or superinten-
dent of the document room, upon the receipt of
the cost price and postage of any document,
shall transmit the same to any applicant. An
other resolution was introduced in the interest
of the Changers 1t provides for the prevention
of discrimination in the charges of railroad
companies, and directs that classified lists of
freights per mle on all classes of freight. shall
be posted at all railroad depots, from which no
deviation shall be permitted
CHANGES IN THE KITTERY NAVY YARD.
The following changes have been made at
Kittery Navy Yard, upon recommendation of
Representative J. H. Burleigh: Captain Nc
Comb has been ordered to take command as
Chief Engineer in place of Williamson. Cap
tain Young has been ordered to be Executive
Officer, in place of Captain English. VIM.
Binson to be Foreman, in place of Handbook.
INTERSTATE COMMERCE.
At the evening session of the House Mr..
Kendall, Democrat from Nevada, made an ex-
cellent speech in support of McCrary's railroad
bill He argued the constitutional question,
and showed the evil effects of discrimination
upon commerce. His constituency declared
that regulation, not ownership, is the true
province of government in regard to inter State
commerce by railway. Mr.. Orr of Iowa snp-
ported the bill IN very clear argument He
showed that the unquestioned and unchalleng-
ed power OF Congress to regulate interstate
commerce had been exercised over water routes
ever since the organization of the government
The existence of this power was never doubted
until it was sought to be applied to railways in
the interest of the producers of the country
he showed the OversbadOwing power and in
nuence OF mono .olies; how half dozen men
d gan aepreGlate the values of agricultural pro-
uGctions an over the West; showed the utter
Iaiiacy OF the idea that States can remedy tbeso
evils, ana declared that they cannot even con-
.ioi roads Duiit under State charters. becansa
they are subsequently leased or sold ont he
States were powerless to remedy these or;,a ne
AN IOWA LIQUOR CASE.
Justice Miller of the United States Srnror,o
Court has just delivered an important decision
of that court, relative to the application of the
fourteenth amendment to property in liquors
The case was that of Bartemyer VS.. State of
Iowa. The plaintiff claimed to be owner of
the liquor prior to day on which law for the
of intemperance, under which he
was indicted, was passed. He maintained
that the law of the Legislature of Iowa, on
which thelprosecution was based, violated the
Constitution of the United States. The case
being moot one, the question was not fully
decided The court, however, hold: First.
That the usual and ordinary legislation of the
Safes regulating or prohibiting the sale of in
toxicating liquors raises no question under the |
Constitution of the United States prior to the |
fourteenth amendment of that instrument
Second, The right to sell intoxicating liquors |
8 not one of the privileges and immunties of |
citizens of the United States, which by that |
amendment the States were forbidden to
bridge.
Third, Bnt if a case were presented in which
. person owning liquor or other property at the
lime law was passed by the State absolutely
prohibiting any sale of it, it would be a verv
,rave question whether such law would no,
70 inconsistent with the provision of that
amendment which forbids the State to denrive
my person of life, liberty or property, without
Iue course of law. '
Fourth, While the case before us attempts IN
present that question it fails to do it.
Fifth In such a case, where the Supreme
court Of the State to which the writ of error is
ERECTED has not considered the question, this
curt does not feel at liberty to 60 out of il
leual course to decide it.