Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-02-07
House Of Representatives.

ILLINOIS RIVER.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 6.-Air. Hayes introduced
a bill! appropriating S500,GO for the improve
ment of the Illinois river. Referred.
PENSION ARREARS.
Mr.. Cummings presented resolution calling
on the commissioner of pensions for statements
in relation to the amount required to pay ar
rears of pensions. Adopted.
WAR CLAIMS.
Mr.. Eden. chairman on war claims, reported
back the bill making appropriations for the
payment Of claims reported allowed by the
commissioner on claims.
Mr. Waddell asked Mr.. Eden if he would
yield to amendment providing that here
after any war claim of any sort should be paid
to anybody.
Mr. Eden declined to yield, stating that the
amendment would not be german to the bill.
The bill then passed.
ARMY APPROPRIATION.
The House went into committee of the
whole, Mr.. Carlisle in the chair, on the army
appropriation bill. The pending amendment
was Mr.. Whyte's offered yesterday, which COM
prsed most of the features of the army re-
organization bill. The amendment of Mr..
Beebe's authorizing the President to appoint
George Foster Robinson paymaster of the
army, was rejected, yea 60; nays 81.
Mr.. Garfield opposed Mr.. Whytes amend
mcnt, saying to add it on to the army appro-
priation bill the most miscellaneous method
Of legislation that could be devised.
Mr.. Ewing supported the amendment He
SAID the army in its present shape was unfit
for it purpose. This amendment would save
4l,CO0,OOO at once, and would gradually save
from SO, O0O,u 900 to S4O00,OO0.
Mr.. Fort opposed the amendment
Mr.. Banning, Ohio, said that when his col
league Mr.. Garfield had been chairman of the
committee on appropriations, he had reduced
the number of the army i'll the appropriation
bill, and he should not complain at an amend
ment now, which reduced the umber of Off
GERS. 1t was not too late in the session to accom-
plish reorganization, if it right, and it was
right
Mr.. Garfield asked what was meant by the
provision that general officers shalLbe selected
from the army.
Mr.. Whyte-Just what it says.
Mr. Garfield-That would exclude Washing
Mr.. Whytc-Washingto is in heaven
Mr.. Garfeld-And Grant?
Mr. Whyte--Gen. Grant will be the next
President, probably.
A vote was then taken on Whytes amend
ment, and it was agreed to, ayes ISL, nays 81.
Mr.. Whitthorne rose to a point of order on
the section of the appropriation bill which
prov ides that every officer no has been thirty
years in the service may, On his application, be
placed on the retired list.
The point of order was sustained and the
section stricken out.
mo, On motion of Mr.. Hewitt, of New York, the
'N s1ection which provides for the resignation OF
officers priorassitlle 1st of January, 1880, with
X three years full pay, was stricken out.
Mr.. Hewitt, of New York, moved to annul
section 2,C02 of the revised statutes, so az to
expunge therefrom the provision that the army
shall be allowed to be at the polls on election
day to keep the peace. Adopted, yeas 90,
nays 90.
Mr. Boone submitted an amendment for the
transfer of the Indian bureau to the war de-
partment.
Mr.. Conger raised the point of ORDER
Mr.. Garfield supported the point of order.
This system of lacking on legislation TO ap.
preparation bills was making the committee on
appropriations great dumping ground for all
other committees. Such committees might be
abolished and the committee on appropriations
be allowed to run the business of the country.
Here in the frat place the House had totally
yevolutionized tho army and restricted all
modes of appointment. 1t was now proposed
to cut out one of the general departments OF
the government and fling it bleeding, broken
and torn to the appropriation committee, and
tnmble it there and say because of some tech
ncal word or words declared that it was econ.
omv. it was therefore in order. The House had
never done more fatal thing to its
business than when it passed rule 12O: It this
amendment were ruled in order the House