The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-05-23
FoRTY-sTxTH CONGRESS.
The senate Has Healthy session-Tht
House Btlll Joking Over warmers SIT
yer Blll.
WASHINGTON, May %.
SENATE.

House sam Joking Over warmers SIT
yer RIII.
WARRINGTON, May %.
SENATE.
The bill To prevent tho introduction and
spread OF contagious diseases was taken up.
Mr.. ingalls, offered an amendment 10
the effect that the penalty mentioned in
the bill shall not be imposed unless II ap.
pears that notice Of the passage OF the act
was officially promulgated at the port 81
sailed. Adopted.
Mr.: Logan moved to amend by striking
out the words contagious or Infectious
diseases" and substituting the words "chol-
era, yellow fever, plague, smallpox and
ship fever" He thought there was dan
ger In giving too great discretion to the
Board. It might result in vexatious in.
reference with commerce. The amend
ment was rejected; yeas 20, nays 80.
MIR: Hoar moved 70 amend by striking
out all OF section one down 10 line nine,
as follows: THAT It shall be unlawful for
any vessel engaged In the transportation
Of goods and persons from any foreign port
where any contagious or infectious dis
ease exists, TO enter any port OF the Uni
ted States except in accordance with the
provisions OF this act, and all rules and
regulations OF State Boards OF Health or
sanitary associations recognized by this
act or made In pursuance thereof and
insert the following: "Whenever, in the
opinion OF the President OF the United
States, there is danger that the cholera
or yellow fever may be introduced from
abroad into any port or place within the
United States, or spread from State to State
within the same, and in his Judgment the
existing quarantine or health regulations
Of such places are insufficient, he NAV au.
thorize Boards OF Health TO make further
regulations Id such premises, which being
submitted to and approved by him shall
be valid and enforced" RejeCted-yeas
II, nays 90.
Mr.. Logan moved to amend so that the
money appropriated instead Of being dis.
bursed under the direction OF the Board
should be expended under the direction
OF the Secretary Of the Treasury upon
quarterly estimates by the Board accom-.
panied by statements Of its operations and
expenditures under the act. Adopted,
Mr.. Dawes said it now appears that for
5000 ship could be constructed that
would serve all the purposes intended to
be covered by vessel for which 100000
was recently appropriated on the recon.
mendation OF the Board. He thought 1t a
doubtful policy to appropriate all that is
asked for by the Board.
Mr.. Conkling asked Harris what had
become OF the disiniecting ship expert
ment, and whether Professor Gomge's
plan, which was first proposed 10 be made
part OF the bill lately adopted but stricken
out, was still under consideration?
Mi. Harris said the plan agreed on by
the Board had been submitted 10 the
Board OF Naval Engineers and Construc.
tors, and no contract had yet been con-
Cluded.
Mr.. Conkling said he asked because he
had good information that the Board have
rejected as impracticable the Gomge plan
which they were heretofore so well salts
fled with as to advise the Senate to adopt
it unconstitutionally. He thought this
pertinent to the question as showing the
fallibility OF the Board.
Mr.. Conkling pointed out what he
thought was false in the bill. One obiec.
ton was that the bill makes otfenses against
State laws punishable in the Federal
Courts; to another part such olIenses are
left also in jurisdiction Dofthe State Courts;
SO that the bill violates the principle that
no man shall be twice punished for the
same ofense. Another objection Is that
the fine imposed as penalty falls not on
the real offender, but on the innocent
owners of the vessel. This bill t led i'm
perfectly to do by cast iron and aIl.per-
vading system what should, to be practi-
cal, be done locally and in particular
spots. He should vote against the bill,
and did not feel under any obligation to
offer anything In its place, as he believed
the subject did not belong to the National
but 10 local legislation.
Mr.. Harris said that past experience
showed local legislation to be insufficient,
and under 1t terrible epidemics have rav.
aged the country. As to the other objec-
tions OF the Senator from New York, the
acts OF 1898 and 1873 contain the same
provisions as to jurisdiction, and all pre-
vious quarantine laws have proceeded on
the same plan. Regarding the method of
fine, the bill only imposes the fine with
out regulating the manner OF its collec-
tion. After further remarks by Mr.. Conk-
ling, Mr.. Edmuuds expressed wish to
examine the bill more at length, and, on
his motion, the Senate adjourned.
HOUSE.
WASHINGTON, May %.
Mr.. Goode introduced bill authorizing
the Secretary OF the Navy to place vessels
and hulks at the disposal Of the Commits
rnt kfEn ~ aN