Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1881-12-22

select committee of eleven members, to audit all
claims for services and expenses growing out of
the illness and burial Of the late President Gar
field, also consider what allowance pension or
privilege should be granted to the widow and
| family Of the late president.
| Bills introduced-To repeal the internal reve-
nue. tax on matches, bank checks, snuff, cigars,
and spirits distilled from apples and other fruits;
| for the appointment of colored men to inquire
into the intellectual condition the colored peo-
pie of the south; making the trnde dollar legal
tender; abolishing the tax deposits of savings
banks; to repeal the tax on bank checks to equal
ize bounties; also tax on oleomargarne; propos-
ing constitutional amendment for the election Of
postmasters by the people.
TUESDAY, Dec. Is.
.Senote. Petitions were presented for the pro.
hibition of unjust determinations in railroad
charges. Sen. Hoar, from the committee on
| rules reported back the resolution for n select
committee of seven to be appointed by the chair
| on extension of suffrage to women or the removal
of their legal disabilities. A resolution was sub
mitted directing the secretary of the interior to
furnish statement of the pension department
| showing what frauds, if any, have been dlscov-
cred, and what legislation can be recommended
to protect the government from such fraud and
the honest pensioner from fraud and extortion.
resolution adopted to inquire what legisla-
ton is needed to enable widows and heirs of sol
diers to receive the benefits of the bounties of said
soldiers while living and remaining unpaid at the
time of their death.
WEDNESDAY, Dec. IA.
.Senote--In the senate to day number of bills
were presented, among them one for ascertaining
and settling private land claims in certain states
and territories.
resolution was submitted calling Tor informa-
ton % the War Department, relating to the con-
struction of ship canal across the Florida pen
lnsua
AT the close of the morning business the subject
OF Presidential succession was brought up and
Beck addressed the senate to illustrate the mr.
gency for legislative action.
THURSDAY, December l5
Seuate-A resolution was submitted instructng
the committee on pensions to inquire and report
what increase of pension if any, should be al
| lowed the widow of Jas A, Garfield
Senator Garland addressed the senate on the
question as to when presidential inability arises.
lie said that congress was unable to pass iudg-
ment in such cases that it was a question to be
determined by constitutional amendment The
clause of the constitution simply gives congress
the right to say what officer shall act and neither
in that nor any where else is congress empowered
to pass on inability The truth is, it was intend
cd 10 be left to the president and vice president,
the matter is to be settled between them. IT Vice
President Arthur had been in full accord with
| President Garfield, did any one doubt he would
have been called on to act in the presidents stead
| within ten days after the president was shot be-
cause 1t was then generally known, despite the
| dispatches that went out from Washington to the
| contrary, that the president would not survive.
FRIDAY, DEC. Is.
| Seaote-A bill was introduced and referred for
the suppression and prevention of pleuro-pneu-
| mona in cattle.
| Three thousand citizens of Nebraska, pettioned
| for the passage of an Interstate commerce bill,
to prohibit railways from discriminating in rates.
| House-Bills were introduced relating to wo-
man suffrage; - protect the purity of elections;
| to prevent fraud in carrying mails; to exchange
| the trade dollar, for the standard silver dollar;
| to abolish the tax on brandies made of apples,
peaches and grapes giving all religious denomi-
| nations equal rights in the Indian territory; to
| reduce letter postage to one cent fixing the rae
of duty on barley and malt at twenty five cents
per bushel to promote the efficiency of the life
| saving service to establish court of pensions
| for the discharge in bankruptcy of one or more
| innocent members in partnership when another
partner has been found guilty of some illegal act;
| to regulate suffrage in territories and fix
tain qualification for office also to provide for
oaths of Jurors in trials for bigamy in territories;
also. relative to the crime of bigamy erl proof
| thereof; also to provide for the regulation of
Utah territory also to reorganize the legislative
powers of Utah also, granting pension to the
widow of the late Gen. Custer
MONDAY, Dee. 10.
!Seuafe--After fifteen minutes were spent in re-
ceiving petitions, the senate went into executive
session and unanimously confirmed the nomina-
tons OF Brewster as attorney general, and Davis
as assistant secretary of state
The house concurrent resolution for adjourn
| ment over the holidays was referred to the com
, mlttee on appropriations.
| On the expiration of the morning hour. the sub
ject of the presidential succession came up, and
Mr.. Jones (Fla.) resumed his argument He held
hat w No
thing temporary inability. He assumed emphat-
icaly that when a vice-president entered the
presidential Office, the is such grave nabi-
ity to justify that step which he holds it is ir
| rcvocably for the balance of the term.
| The d ebate was terminated by the pending res
olutions of instruction to the Judiciary committee
to inquire into and report legislation on the sub
ject with bill, and the matters referred to
| that committee.
| Ho,se-0n motion q Mex nney the senate bill
| granting franking privilege to Lucretia r. Gar
| field was passed and the call of the states re-
| sumed.
| Bills we're introduced to provide for drawback
Of 10 per cent. on all goods hereafter imported in
| American built ships owned exclusively by citi-
zens of the nted States; to regulate custom du-
| ties on sumac to regulate duties on sheep and
| goat skins imported for purpose of making NOR
| rocco, TO abolish the export tax on tobacco; for
| the admission of Dakota and Washington terri
| tories into the Union as states.
| Mr.. Hawkins introduced bill providing for
the protection of the person of the president of
| the United States. 1t provides for the punish
ment by death, Of assault with intent to kill. !
it shall be sho that the assailaut was irrespon-
sbe at the time he shall be confined in an asylum
| for the insane for life Referred.
! Mr.. Springer, amending the rules OF the COM
mittee on Mississippi leyees. Mr.. Springer's OBJ
| iect is to place the commerce and improvement OF
the Mississippi river in charge of a special com
mittee which will consider and report on all meas
ures carry on work under direction of the Missis
| sppi Improvement commission.
| Messrs King and Gibson presented similar
| amendments to the rules and Gibson further
| presented amendments OF the act for the APP
| pointment of the Mississippi river commission.
Short and Long Hauls on Railroads.
Last summer the New York Cham
Der of Commerce propounded some
leading questions to the railroad mana
gers of the country in respect to the
charges on freight and transportation,
and among them was the following
concerning long and short hauls:
What do you think of the practice of