New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-04-22

BILL.
The Geneva Award bill, after first being
amended to exclude the claims OF the insnrahce
companies, was defeated in the Senate yester-
day by the adoption of motion to indefinitely
POSTPONE IL. Much dissatisfaction is expressed
at the failure to decide on the final disposition
of the award. The deadlock In the House over
the Special Deficiency bill continues the DEM
ocrats, while refusing the Republicans an hour
for debate granted time for tariff speeches
new measure affecting the tariff has been
agreed upon by q Democratic subcommittee
DISPOSAL OF THE GENEVA AWARD BILL.
THE INSURANCE ADVOCATES DEFEATED AND THE
BILL INDEFINITELY ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
TON ON ALL SIDES.
TBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRTBUNE.I
WASHINGTON, April 21.-The Senate has disposed
of the Geneva Award BILL for The present at least
and I'm u way which pleases nobody. The debate
upon It, which until to-day has been participated IN
by only few leading Senators, who are pronounced
advocates of one of the three classes Of claims,
showed that there are In fact almost as many shades
Of opinion with regard to this matter as there are
Senators Under this state of affairs with dispo-
stion among all who are opposed to any one method
to combine against It. when it is made the subject
of vote it is evident that radical change of opn-
be reached.
When the bill came up at 1880 p. m. to-day the
pending question was the amendment submitted by
Senator Hoar several days ago TO strike out tho
clause which repeals the prohibition against the in
suranee companies. This the essence Of tho bill
as it came from tho committee, and 1t was submitted
to vote without discussion. Notwithstanding the
exhaustive advocacy of the claims of the insurance
companies by Senators Thurman, Carpenter and
Davis the amendment was carried by vote OF 80
to 49, Thercupon Senator Thurman abandoned the
custody of the measure declaring that so pronounced
a verdict In opposition to what he deemed the only
lust and equitable proposition rendered it impossible
for him to vote for the measure whatever form 1t
might take, and his leadership in the matter would
therefore be inconsistent
Senator Edmunds then proposed number Of Ver-
bal amendments having in view tho perfection Of
the bill upon the new basis
Something of debate ensued upon q proposed
amendment by Senator Edmunds providing that no
claims shall be presented to the court that were
within its jurisdiction as 1t was originally consti-
tuted.
Senator Hamlin wished to have the court SO con-
stituted that claimants who might have presented
claims before the Alabama Claims Commission, but
who, from any good reason, failed to do so. may
have another chance
Senator Edmunds opposed this proposition, on tho
ground that there should be sono limitation to all
such matters and that to reopen the courts for the
same class of claimants who had access to them be-
fore would be to invite the manufacture and presen-
tatlon of fraudulent claims.
Ex-senator Hamlins proposition was lost, and tho
Edmunds amendment was adopted.
Senator Eaton, who last week gavo notice that no
would offer an amendment providing that the un-
distributed balance of tine Geneva Award be paid
- Al, T.9t Ql.A.a
that he had done so under a misapprehenson Of the
facts, and that many other Senators appeared to
have been laboring under q similar misapprchon-
sion. He had believed that there fund in the
Treasury known as the Geneva Award Fund, which
was lying there drawing interest and awaiting the
action OF Congress. He had learned that two years
ago this fund was covered into the Treasury, and
that to acQuiesce in the demands Of any class Of
claimants now would require appropriation
This being the case. he thought the money was
now where it ought to be. For the purpose of
making final of disposition of tho whole matter
be moved that tho further consideration of the
Geneva Award bill be indefinitely postponed.
Upon this the yeas and nays were taken and the
insurance men, who had just been defeated joined
hands with the "anti-war-premium Senators,
carrying the motion for Indefinite pOstpOnement.
The vote would have been carried by only ma
jority, but Senator Blaine changed his vote from
negative to an affirmative vote, for tho purpose of
moving O reconsideration. The vote when an
nOunced stood 81 to 20.
Senator Blaine moved q reconsideration of tho
vote 1t was then about o'clock and although the
measure had been disposed of beyond all hope Of any
change during the present session. the debate was
continued very spntedly until half past 4.
Senator Blaine and Senator voorhees, dwelt with
emphasis upon tho STAN which must iall upon the
honor OF the Government when il wns known
ahr that COLLECTED England
| the ground that individual citizens had suffered
loss, had been g zcd by the Government, and pay
| ment 70 the sufferers refused
Senator Hill Of Georgia, spoke for an hour. taking
the ground that the losers had no legal claim against
| Great Britain. Their legal grounds of action were
really against the cruisers, or against the Conicd-
eracy, but the Government had cause for complaint
against the British Government because Of the v9-
laton Of neutrality The losses had been considered,
not in order TO collect the money for tho losers, but
| In order to arrive at some measure of damages.
Tho insurance advocates, Senator'S Thurman,
| Whyte and others. vehemcntly protested that they
did not vote for indefinite p0stpOnement for the
reasons advanced by Senator Eaton, when he made
the motion, namely, to arrive mt "A final settle
ment of the affair, but in order that the pending
bill might be gotten ont OF the way. and give an
opportunity, at some future time, Tor pTesenta-
tiOn Of the claims of the insurance companies again.
Among the propositions which have been made
| and limited ~, but which were not acted on, wcro
the following; TO dispose of tho undistrtbutcd
mainder OF the original award. without paying ary
accrued interest, to the war premium claimants as
| a first class and the insurance men as second
class to pay the remainder of the award to the
sufferers by the eXcupatOd cruisers and to return
the uneXDended balance to Great Britain.
1t Is not probable that anybody really enter
tanned the last proposition, but it advanced by
Senator Bayard and Senator Voorhees,. an alter
native which would be preferred to some Of tho
methods which were proposed aud earnestly adVO-
Gated.
The final action upon tho bill was yea and nRy
vote upon motion by Senator Thurman to lay Mr.
Baines motion TO reconsider upon the table. II
was carried by vote OF 33 to 2S. The division
was nearly upon party lines, although politics did
enter at debate,
three Republican Senators, Edmunds COnkInR
md OF do win tod in 4Ia off tiyya