New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-02-11
NEWS FROM WASHINGTON.
CoNGREss AND ms WORK.


CONGRESS AND ITS WORK.
pyBATE THAT BIDS FAIR TO MAKE CALLED
SESSION NECEssARY-A PRACTICAL FUNDING
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. LAwLEssNEss.
The managers of the River and Harbor bill
failed to secure its passage in the House, ana
the debate which was begun yesterday oids
fair to continue for sey eral days and perhaps
long enough to make called session OF Con-
gress necessary. The Funding bill, as re-
ported to the Senate by the Finance Commit
tee, is commended as q practicable measure
Further information is received of violence In
Colonel Bisbee's district in Florida
A LONG DEBATE BEGUN.
FAILURE OF THE TACTICS OF TIE MANAGERS OF
THE RIVER AND HARDoK BILL-SrRONG OPPOSE
TON MANIFESTED.
IDY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.l
WASHINGTON Feb. 1O-The plan of the managers
of the River and Harbor bill to t through the
House without any considerable debate and without
amendment has faised and the prospects OF Its pas
sage are more doubtful than ever before. Chairman
Reagan not only did not secure the ruling he sought
that the bill need not be read IN Committee OF the
Whole by sections-but on hs appeal from the de-
cision of the Chair, that the bill must be read the
decision was sustained by an overwhelming majority.
q, Mr. Atkins chairman of the Appropriations COM
mittee raised warning voice that il tue debate
could not be stopped extra session would be in-
evitable. The alarm was not without cause. The
River and Harbor bill has entered upon very
stormy sea- and struggle has begun which may
lead TO bitter and prolonged political debate. Mr.
Reagan and other advocates Of the measure still i'm
pum the motives of those who are making the fight
aaaipst it, Whatever their motives may be, they
have dealt powerful blows against the BILL and have
made Its fate uncertain
There was a good deal Of opposition, OH the
ground that the committee had not made fair dis
tribution of the money appropriated by the BILL
Mr. Page, of California for example. insisted that
the committee had not recognized the fact that the
United States extended west of the Mississippi
River, and had only given $4,000 for the LOO
miles of Pacific Coast, with its great rivers navi-
gable for hundreds of miles; while 100000 had
been assigned to the Great Kanaw ba III West Vr-
ginia. The most radical objections were that the
proposed appropriations of $1,600,000 for the I'M
provement of the Mississippi River between Caro-
and New Orleans was not properly limited and that
under it 1t would be very probable that the entire
amount would be appropriated for filing the gaps In
the levees instead of for the Improvement of the chan
mel of navigation. Mr.. Robinson, of Massachusetts,,
who obtained the floor under great difficulties and
held it resolutely in the midst of a parliamentary
Storm was the leader of this movement, aud his op-
position created d,smay among the Representatives
of the Lower Mississippi.
Mr. Robson, of New jersey, introduced poti-
cal feature into the discussion by suggesting to the
Representatives from the Lower Mississippi States
that it was we'll for them to consider that there was
something more in the nation than n purse, ard
that national appropriations for those States i'm
piled recognition of national authority throughout
alt their borders and the maintenance OF Govern
ment where American citizens should be free. The
tain wi
earnestness that the appropriations wele in no
sense intended for the 1evees but Mr.. Chalmers of
Mississippi disturbed their calculations by the frank
admission that 1t expected that the money
would give what he called incidental protection 10 The
owners of the Glluvial lands; and that the sugar
the Government keep the water within the channel
a. New-England mauuiacturers were entitled TO
tBe benefits of protective tariff
The debate can hardly be limited except by
compromlse and If this great bl which covers forty
pages Is to be considered paragraph by paragraph
the discussion will last at least week he friends
OF the bill are very much alarmed at the situation
and many fear both that the bill will fail, and that
there may be danger tSs % an ds1 e1sra Ssnoe
were interesting and exciting. Mr. Cox re-
newed his rasping assaults upon the bill,
to be a personal difficulty with MIR. Reagan. lie
latter rrtsted at the successful opposition led by
Mr. Cox was not IN good hnmor' mnen MI MI NoagaU srU
bitter feeling between himself and Mt Cox who re-
mained in the House and stood by the Union. 10
this Cox referred today when III passion was
With the South. very nearly placed himself
in nth the same category with General Bragg by this
reference to the rebellion which was greeted with
ieers and hisses on the Democratic side. Finally,
Mr. Cox turned Mr.. Reagan's anger into Laughter
aud convulssd the House by stating that ne would
not say he did not care what Mr.. Reagan would say
here or elsewhere but if he wanted to ma e trouble
with him outside of the House he should choose har-
poons and would then have great advantage. Mr.
Reagan Is q very large man and would present pet
ter surface for harpoon than Mr. Cox, who is cx-
ceedingly small. The grotesqueness OF the retort
created roar Of laughter III which MIR. Reagan
himself Joined and the incident passed
MOB VIOLENCE IN FLORIDA.
LATEST REPORTS FROM COLONEL BIsBEEs DISTRICT
THE TAKING OF TESTIMONY FogC!BLY STOPPED
FOR IHE PRESENT.