The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-03-30
From Washington.
TIMBER THIEVES.

| LINDEN
The senate, on the 22d, after a caustic debate
cut down the 100000 appropriation asked by
Secretary Schurz to enable him to prosecute
the timber thieves on government lands to
5000, and added an amendment prohibiting
the prosecution of settlers who cut government
timber for their own Use Schurz Is disguised
with the action, and says it is equivalent to a
proclamation to the timber thieves that they
may 90 ahead and strip the public lands of all
the timber upon them.
THURMAN'S BILL.
The only two speeches during the week
worthy of note on the bill to compel the Pa
cfc railroads to provide sinking fund to pay
their Indebtedness to the government were IA
strong speech in its favor on the 22d by Senator
Mcdonald, and very violent one against it
by Ben Hill, OfGcorgla. Hill said Thurman 5
bill involved gross violation of the cOnstitu.
ton and was altogether mOnstrosity. Thur
man resented this language as an imputation on
the committee that had reported the bill and
intlmated that Hill was very poor authority on
constitutional law anyhow.
HOwE'S sCREED.
The only sensation of the week was Senator
lIowcs splurgc in the senate on Monday
against the President 1t was based on a rcso.
luton asking the President for information
whether Judge Whitaker, who had presided at
the trial Of Anderson in New Orleans, was not
a detaulter to the government. Howe lam.
pooncd Secretary Schurz with especial bitter.
ness, and as to President Hayes, he said his ad.
Iministraion was more inimical to republican
principles than Tilden's would have been
that he had destroyed the party in the south
and SO weakened it in the north as to deprive
it of all power for good. Howe spoke for over
three hours, but the general verdict is that he
oyerdid the business and the President is so
little disturbed that he requests his friends in
the senate not to dignity it by arerly.
CURRENCY LEGISLATION.
The house on Monday, by refusing to fix a
day for the consideration Of Stephens's bill for
the issue Of silver certificates, and by sundry
other votes, indicated determination to con.
slider no more currency Legislation at this SEES.
sion.
THE FISHERY AWARD.
Blaine on Monday, on the occasion of NOV,
ing the reference of the correspondence in re,
gard to the Halifax fishery award to the for,
eign affairs committee, took another tilt at that
notable John Bull grab. He said while we
had been tricked into the award and could hard.
ly evade its payment IN an honorable way, he
desired that the senate should at least put on
record its deliberate opinion that it was an I'M
just eXtOrtion. He read statistics to prove that
all the profits of the American fishermen on
the fish taken for which the government was
paying 100000 u year amounted to less than
100000 year.
DEAN-FIEID.
The contested election case for seat in the
house between Dean (dem.) and Field (rep.)
sitting member, from Boston, over which the
house spent two or three pretty noisy days this
week, finally ended on Thursday by the oustlng
of Field and admission of Dean by one major.
ity. 1t was a sort of returning board case.
Dean had the most votes, but Field had the
returning board certificate behind which it was
supposed congress would not dare to go. But
you see they did!
WHISKY TAN.
The senate on Wednesday passed the house
bill to extend the payment of the tax on distil-
ed whiskey in bond to three years.
BANKRUPT LAW.
Senator Chrstiancy on Wednesday reported
to the senate from the judiciary committee a
bill to repeal the general bankrupt law. The
general impression is that the bill will pass. 1t
proposes to leave all pending cases in bank
ruptcy untouched
TARIFF
Woods tariff bill wa. on Wednesday made
the order of the day for April 4th.
Tramp vigilance committees have been
in some of the western cities, in
view of the SWarmS which the warm sun of the