The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-07-18
THE SENATE ON ECONOMY.
IN A MIDDLE ON THE RITER AND
HARBOR APPROPRIATIONS


Adding Three millions to the Bili, aud theh
Accusing the House OF Extravagnnce- An-
other Abortive Attempt In the HOUSE ="
Repeal the specie Resumption Act'
WASHINGTON, July 17.-ln the senate
Mr.. Maxey Dem, rcxas) presented Join' So
lutions Of the Legislature OF Iekas' "sH"H ~
such legislation by Congress "a VIII pio'e.. ",0
frontier Of that state against Indians ana MeAi
ems; and also an Appropriation to rein''urse
,ha state for monev expended In defending inc
frontier Referred to tn, Committee on Military |
Affairs. ,,,
Nr wright dlep.. Iowa) introduced bill to
amend section 2 1871 Of tn, Revised statutes OF
the United States. 80 as to allow tse payment ny
the Secretary Of the Treasury OF tonnage-taN
where n has been exacted In violation OF exist
Ing treaty. Referred.
MIR Logan tRep. Ill) presented the petition OF
e,ployees of the Bureau OF Engraving and
Printing Of the Treasury ID partment, asking
the passage Of law granting them short leave
of absence to attend the Centennial Exhibition.
Referred.
The senate then resumed consideration Of the
River and Ha-bor Appropriation bill, the pend
Ing question being on the motion OF Mr.. Thur
man Dem. Ohio) to recommit the bill to the
Committee on Appropriations. with Instructions
10 report n bill reducing the aggregate amount
of appropriations contained III II TO a sum hot'V
exceed 100000 ,..t,,, elm
un1ni.hed business and take up MI Tor Tue re-.
lief Of Mrs. James h. Polk. widow oil eh-ires'uen'
Mf. Edmuuds Rep VI opposed the motion
and said he had received some evidence toucns,
ing tue LOYALTY OF Mrs. Polk. his he had
placed ia the hands OF member Of the com.
niiee which reported the bill, ana he hoped
the biil would not he acted upon until the truth
OF tn.t evidence was Investigated.
After some further discussion, Mr.. Cameron
Mr. Logan moved to make the bill to equalizs
the bounties Of those VINO served In the late
morrow at one o'clock ReJected-yeas, 2l
nlys. 2O-two-th.rds not voting III the Affirmative
Mr.. kc, voted WIEN the Hepublicans IN fivOr OF
Inc motion. and Messrs. 10Th. Hamilton, and
Sargent with the Dcmoc ats. against It,
THE RIVER ANp HARBoR BILL.
The Senate then proceeded with the consider
ation II the tiv-r and HarDnr bill.
Mr herman (Dem.. n. " opposed the passage
Of the bill ether Us II anne from the House OF
X presentatives OF as amended by the senate.
What the use OF talking about economy
and reducing taxation If Congress would not
stop making such appropriations as was cou-
tsmplaied Nv this bill2 IL Appropriated money
In the lace Of reports Of engineers and officers
In many cases that there really was no need OF
appropr,aung ANYTHING at all. In a time like
tois. when business was depressed all over the
country. SO much money should not be appro-
pfiated. He favored the recommital Of the bill,
with Instructions to have the amount reduced.
Mr. Enmuuds (Rep.. VI said the House bill
WIS preposterous and extravagant In the last
decree. aud the Senate had ruaue u about twice
az bad as when II came from the House; there
at line House OF Representatives and say that
that body WIS deserving Of special malediction.
To recommlt the hill To the Committee OH Az
populations with Instructions To reduce the
amount would present to the committee bar
Tirrs which could not be overcome. He favored
the substitute submitted by him To appropriate
Under the direction Of the Secretary of War,
and said in 1859 the matter was placed In the
bands OF that oficial, and there never was a
period when the pubic money for rivers aud
harbors was more judictously expended.
Mr.. Morton Rep Ind said the oil, as IL came
fra.fu la Inns VAS "A al Illustration
tue appropriations OF the present session, me
members Of the Senate and House OF both par
tie, were not Influenced TO contract appropria-
tons where their own local interests were in
VOWED but, where the appropriations we're not
10 fleet them locally but were for the general
government. II was proposed TO cut them down.
Mr.. Maxey tDem., Iex) said he was In favor OF
Substitute of the Sen tor from Vermont (Mr.
Edmundsl. He could never vote TO give to one
man tire power to distribute S4OOOOOO. Mr..
iaxey then read from report sent TO the
House Of Representatives by the Engineer De-
ana narbor improvements from lss4 to 1879 to
show that New York had received during that
lie had paid to the State Of New York a larger
cum than called for oy this bill. Delaware had
ONO. e.. 40 g1s. Is, exclusive Of the amount Tor
III, improyement OF the ONO river. He con-
tended that liberal appropriations should be
ma q for the improvement Of rivers and har-
DEFENDING THE EMPIRE STATE.
Mr.. Conkling Qtep, n. " said the Senator
from Texas Mr. Maxey), in quess Of a sectional
comparison had fallen upon the State OF New
YORK, gong back hftv years and had brought
10 notice that 100000 had been devoted To
puohc improvements within the limits OF that
State. Mr.. Copkling argued that this a. ,OOO,OU
bA been expended upon great public im prove.
mtnts. great national highways. Down TO 1885
ninety per cent of all the revenues the gener,
Goyernment ever had were paid by or In the stat,
OF New YORK. hat period marked many ep0cas
OF trial Ootn In war and peace. IL covered tn,
epoch which brought the Senator'S state Cfexas
into the Union. Ii covered the expenses OF tb'
war fought or the admission Of that state int
The Union. when one half Of the country, IN
Clu.lng the state OF lexas, was arr.yed unde
tht banner Of revolt, the State Of New \ orl
yielded ninety per cent OF those loans and tho-
revenues which made the American republic
one OF the great powers OF the earth. After M
vol.me sho Id be closed, and the student Of
remote fu. unity looked over this fact, he woui'
hardy conclude that 1t became a representdtiy,
OF he State Of Texas to taunt the State OF New
YORK with the fact that millions had been ex
M. Maxey said he made no complaint about
these improvements in New York. He had II,
doubt the interests OF commerce demanded
Mr.. Conkline, resumine, said that he could as
lign good reasons for the expenditure OF this
ti,WO.OU which seemed to loom up before
III, senator from Texas. While the Income tal
existed. New'York with one-tenth Of the popu
OF the entire tax. Now New York, with a tent
OF eleventh Of the population, Yielded to the gen
er j Government One-thiFd Of the entire revenue
over sixty per cent. Of the entire customs rev
snne was collected a. the boTt OF New York
New York for improvements had been bestowed
hpun three works First there Hell Gate
s.mmorce Of the country; next there was tn,
hudson river, the great outlet for the cereals
end products Of the West. The Hudson rive
AM The Erie canal, which might be called a par
oi H. now uoat-d commerce tenfold create
6ln tnat Of the River Rhine, traversipg as IL die
SeNeh iSnties Of the continent of Europe
Tue third ~rk was the hsroor OF Buffalo
thht hMhor which landlocked and protected
~ onlS The prorelers Of New York, but th'
n.auhg properly OF every state, the produce
o. every wheat Held and OF every pas
Sur lying west Of the CITY OF Buffalo seekin!
TRANSPORTATION to udewater. II in reviewinl
the-e nSufes ana facts any Senator could daducs
arRhment In favor OF Improving a creek 10 10
Tan twenty inches Of water, 80 be IL.
ThE POWER or CONGRESS.
MI Cohklihg said he had no doubt Of the
gV"tT OF Congress To appropriate money 20 I'm.
tIVYe hhVlgahla rivers, and he had doubt o.
we WISDOM Of exercising that power. He wuu ID
g. RIe.t way In voting for these Improve
thehss' nut II should be Temem oered that frou
pdritively small he ginni Dgs great abuses had
s'pNh tie then referred In the River aud ar
APPROPRIATION bills since Hb9, as showing ar
thlre Sc, ana said II the members of the senate
would address themselves particularly 10 tbi,
pro- Of legislation, u would he corrected. IN
~. ms place survey was called for, and ike d