The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-04-24
XLVth C0ngress-ReguIar Session.


on the retired list OF the army, and that the commit
tee be dischaI ged from further Consideration.
Mr.. naxey, from the Committee Military Az
fairs, reported letters of the Secretary of War and
The Genetal of the army, in regard to the amend
ment of sections 1926 aud 1886 Revised Statutes of
the United States together with bill to amend sec.
ton 1916 to authorize the President to grant
certificate of merit for distinguished services to
private soldier. non-commissioned officers and musi-
clans; also bill to amend section 1885, grantiug So
per month additional pay to those holding such GER
tIcates of merit The bills were placed the cal
endar.
On motion of Mr.. Conkling the Committee on
Commerce was authorized to sit during the recess.
Bill prohibiting the coinage Of silver 20 cent pieces
was passed.
The amendment of the Honse to the bill granting
pension to Gen. James Shields SO as to increase
his pension from $5p 10 100 per month, referred
to the pension committee.
At the conclusion of the morning business the
Senate resumed consideration of the bill to extend
the time for the construction of the Northern Pacific
railroad.
Several amendments were adopted and the bill
passed without discussion.
Mr.. Saunders entered motion to reconsider the
vote by which the bill to provide for the appointment
OF Is additional commissioners to the Paris exhibi.
ton was indefinitely postponed few days ago.
Mr.. Window, from the Committee gu Appropria-
lions, reported without amendment the House bill
appsprating $2J0O00 to supply the deficiency in the
appropriation for public printing and binding during
the present fiscal pear and asked for its present
sideratiOn but objection was made and the bill was
placed on the calendar.
The Senate went into executive session and when
HOUSE.
After some time spent in determining the point Of
order and amid good deal of confusion the House
permitted the protest presented by Mr.. Cox OF Ne
York against the passage of the river and harbor bill
to be zad. The reading OF The protest was unnter
rupted until these words wee re tched, "And this
courages similar attempts on the Treasury to crafty
local Interests
Then Mr. Conger oojected to these words as i'm
puguiDg The motives of the members, and Mr.. Cox
declared amid some applause and laughter) that he
would not take that back.
The Speaker ruled that the words complained oil
were not disrespectful to the House, they only
conveyed the iiea that there might be combna
tion of local interests.
The reading of the protest having been completed
Mr.. Hale submitted the question whether it present.
Ell question OF privilege.
Mr. Reagan argued that it not a question oil
privilege, and quoted rules and precedenls against
its being so considered
He was interrupted by Mr.. Hooker. who objected
to discus sion on the meri,s of the bill.
Mr. Reagan however rgei that he was merely de-
Tending the honor of his committee and the integrity
OF the House. and asked whether it was expected
deliberate assaults to be made on himself and the
commiJtee on commerce. He went on to argue that
the passage of the river and barbor appropii alton
bill under he suspension of the rules not an I'M
usual thing but That on the contrary all bills OF that
character which had been passed in the last 6 or Is
years td been passed under suspensiouof the rules
without debate One Of the greatest difficulties the
committee had was to keep down appropriations. He
denied that the commit tee influenced in the
vote for the bill, and asserted that it had been nu
enced only by considerations of public good
Mr.. Cox OF New York di.claimed any intention to
reflect on the integrity of the members of the COM
miJee on commerce but he claimed the right if pos
sbe of reforming this bad practice of leg slation
The committee not acting in its inIere SITS in
driving this bill through under whip and spur lie
proceeded to quote pr cedent in support of the par
liamenary privilege of the protest, and said that in
this it resorted TO in the interest of the pub
lie to stopf possible nsi ious and almost core upt
system Of legislation de found in the bill PROPOSE
ton for the survey of rivers where there was not
water enough to make mill race. On some of them,
a, had been said man could not find dam by the
mi site and could not find mill by damned
sight (Laughter) Most OF the rivers provided for
10 the bill were not worth dam. (Laughter.) He
found in the bill provision for river in Kentucky,
and he was told by Kentucky member that to
make river thoroughfare it was to. macadamze it.
Laughter.) He referred to the general distribution
of The appropriations in the BILL Iemarking that even
New England had some nice little douceurs in it,
Reagan-New York has more OF them.
C0x-Then you see how good am to oppose the
Kenna of West virginia-Perhaps it was not for
your district.
Cox-My district is Tin one sense) the United
States of America, daughter ami applause,) but my
friend from West Virginia gets 100000 for the
Great Kanawaha and $l80,OOO for the Little Kama
waha that is where his district comes IN and why he
supports the bill. (Laughter)
Mr.. Ellis referring to the remarks of Mr.. Reagan
about disappointed member who had not got as
large an APP reputation as he wanted and who ihere-
upon signed the protest, said the members name was
Ellis aud he came from louisiana In regard to the
protest he could not see why any one should object
to it Mr.. Ellis continuing said the committee voted
$4,000 for the improvement of the harbor OF New
Orleans, while it rad given large appropriations for
unmenli ona0le rivers 10 Pennsylvania.
Mr.. Roberts handed Mr.. Ellis COPY of the bill
and challenged him to name river in Pennsylvania
to which he alluded.
Mr.. Ellis looked at the bill and spelled out the
name "Kiskimmtas.'
Mr.. White of Pennsy lvania here broke into the
discussion and declared that Mr.. Ellis education
p,rtS ST. aun hnav a+ad h.,
where the Kiskimmitas river was. (Laughter) That
was the old Indian name OF river in western Penn
syvania. 1t was one Of the tributaries OF the ALLIE
ghany river which one of the arteries of wealth
OF western Pennsylvania.
Mr.. Southard asked White whether there had
ever been boat on that river.
Mr.. White replied that steamboat had run from
Pittsburg up to JOhnstown. a.
Mr.. Wright OF pennsylvania asked his colleague to
state where that trout stream. the Kiskmmtas, was
and also where the Connemaugh was. (Laughter)
Mr. White-The gentleman aspires to be a candi-
date for the chief executive office of Pennsylvania
but if be does not know the geography of his state
position. daughter and uproar.)
b, Wright-lt ! have to support the appropriations
Tor the navigation of trout streams do not want to
be governor of Pennsylvania. (Applause)
White-rhe people of Pennsy lvania NAV agree
with you in that respect. Uaughter) Will my col
league say before the House and the country that
he does not know the location of the Ksklmn itas
and Connemaugh rivers in Pennsylvania?
Mr.. Wright-They are new names to me, never
aeard them before. cloud laughter and great con-
Mr.. Wnite-In old Democratic days it was the
kiskmmitas and Connemaugh rivers that made the
western limit of the Pennsylvania canal region
which used to contribute to the power of the Demo-
crat party
that wat the Monongahela tuat always heloed tbe
Democratic party. Continued laughter anu uproar.
Mr.. Wight want to know whether that appro.
priation was made at the desre of my colleague.
, MI White-IG was, anu am proud of my success
Laughtero
Mr.. Wright-Are they navigable rivers?
MIR. White-They ars.
Mr.. Wright-How wide they.
MIR White-tstre ching out his arms to their fu II
extent which members assumed to be a
Mediate laughter lover 200 rods. My colleague eond
not swim across either of them. He would lose his
WIND before be gOI across. ~
Mr. Bridges of Pennsylvania asked Mr., White
whether in low water person could not step across
them. '''
Mr. White -IndigaantIy sir. You could not
tep across them. The gentlemen oughC to know
something about the great oil region Of Pennsylya.
liza.
Mr.. Bridges-I do know something about it.
MT. Whte-I want it known to the peopls of
thai the gentleman has li6elled NV
art IT. OF That state Laug9ter and uDroar.)
MT. Ellis, resuming the floor, referred TO the fact
hat Messrs Bridges and Wrish h 4d ueyer heard Of
he Kiskim m'tas, and added that the Speaker had
:sured him that he had no knowledge of such
The Speaker-I stated did not think it was n,vi-
able Aa'i-
White Ito the Speaker)-I am glad that you made
hat explanation for your own sake. DAUGHTER
Mr. Kenna asked Mr.. Ellis what harm Could no
lone by Including the names of inconsderabIe
treams among those that should be examined and
uryeyed If they were navigable the engineer de-
al tment would SO report He also asked how
ommittee could be blamed for acting on the assur.
noes Of members as to the Importance of streams in
heir districts. D'' III
Mr.. Ellis replied that that was the very reason
,hy the light Of discussion should be let upon such
ills In the committee OF the whole. N'n
Mr.. Springer argued il favor of the right of MEM
ers TO protest against what they cousier improner
egslatlon AM 10 have that protest placed upon the
)urnai. f 'no
ME- HartseI suggested that perhaps the appro-
rlduon IoI the Illinois river was not sufficient RI
btain Mr.. Sptinger's vote tor the bill W
Springer have not exami ed how much this hill
ppropl 'tes for The Ilin"is river which washes mo
lstilct Tor 70 mics never went befJte a commit
ee and log rolled for it, but L suppose thev bava
~ action al all nnuelce
nr' Hew tt of New York said he had STONED tbo
rote = because he had not had chance to siudx tbe
III Inc Oil TOOK out OF the Treasury 81 ono 01O hv
the people. N'u e"ineo hohey
ne question was finally put to the House whether
~ paper IN Itself presented question of privilege