The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1881-02-08

EE0|o ~-t 3D. y uAAO ADS SstssS
commerce bill, Cox for the reapportionment
Dill as 9 privileged question, and Sparks the
Fitz John Porter bill.
Cox said the a-pportlonment might save
from $2.O0O,eo0 to $8,OOO,OO0 expense, and
although Regan's bill was important, 1t was
not likely TO pass the senate even it did pass
: the house.
The house by a vote of "a to $50, refused to
consider the Inter state bill, aud
pending further action the speaker presented
a message from the President transmitting for
consideration and appropriate action by con-
gress, a letter from the secretary of the navy
recommending the appropriation of 100000
fol- the establishment of naval stations on
American lsthmuses.
Gin this paper" says the President, ''the
concurrent testimony Of prominent officers of
this government Tor a long series of years as
to the feasibility and necessity of establishing
such stations, and the great advantages to
flow therefrom to the naval and commercial
interest, are clearly set forth, and the considera-
tlons adduced cannot but commend them
selves. l am confident of the honest and
cheerful attention of congress. | am con-
WINGED OF the wisdom and propriety of the
suggestions thus presented, and recommend
to congress all appropriation of the sum
named by the secretary OF the navy to be al
his disposal at once for expenditure, as soon
as suitable arrangements can be made to the
proposed end. Ordered printed and referred
20 committee on appropriations.
The house then proceeded to the considera-
ton OF the apportionment bill without limit
or debate.
Cox explained and advocated its provisions.
Under it the old slave states would gain s
and lose 2 members the middle states would
lose y, and the western states would gain III
and lose :. The old slave states would make
a net gain of o representatives., while the rest
ofthe states gained 2 that is, the west would
gain =, while New England, New York and
Pennsylvania would lose B. Ii anyone COM
planned that it was sectional or partisan, he
might calculate the net gains north and south
to be from POO to $40 in numbers. The
south had not differed from the anti bellum
times more than 80 per cent. 1t might not
be accurate to say the southern states had in
creased more than the northern states,
though practically they had done 50 owing to
the defective census of 1870. Whether true
or not, such divisions of the north and south
had lost their significance and at any
event the north continued to exceed
the south In congress, in the electoral
college, in the senate and in population, but
the wonderful increase in the five states west
of the Mississippi was the main feature in the
census. In twenty years they had doubled
their numbers, leaping from one-tenth Of the
whole population to one-ifth. These five
states had increased 81 per cent. No state
east of the Mississippi had attained to so pei
cent, While the Pacific States had gained DC
per cent. during ten years. The orb of power
might be departing from the east, but YET
with its radiance full it was the star Of
empire holding its western way for new con-
quests. Along with it arose above the horizon
the southern cross to add its symbolic cluster
to the constellation. The federal representa-
tion of this country was in every sense ranub
!. lican in fact, form and spirit. 1t might be
> said that with all that popular basis and it,
results the people ofthe United States had the
same greed for gain, ambition to excel, love
' of rule, desire for intrigue and play of unruly
a prejudice, jealousy and passion that had made
= the history of older nations traslcal even il
, their decline and fall. Still, in spite of tina
a Generalization in its worst aspect, the answe
: might be made: Who shall compete will
, the United States in abundant h~arvests, on
: rich balance of trade, our increase in com
merce, expansion of labor, our influx o
. . precious metals, our inexhaustible mines o
. coal, copper, gold and silver, our unexamplet
expectations and importatiOns, our attractiY
. forces, our stupendous inter-communication
y and their incomes and outgoes by rail, canal
: lake, river and sea, our inventive faculty
{ with its miracles of manufacture, aud abov
all, and beyond all, what can rival the star
which, as it goes westward from every renew
ing center of restless population, has in on
J century added Al O0, 900 of people to its act
i've energies.
>, After much more eloquent eulogy on Amer
= lea in the same vein, which was loudly ap
plauded as a fair tribute to his native land
. and for which Cox received congratulations
the house without action adjourned.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 4.-Spa.ks, charime
of the committee IN military reported bac
the bill to organize a board of army officers
J for trial of incompetent officers calender.
. Some opposition was made to the consider
alton of the pension bill, and Atkins warne
the house that not much less than 100000
would have to be appropriated this year &c
y pensions. He would sooner undertake t
u )iuuidate the debit which had been impose