New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-07-30
GARRULoUs SENATORS WASTING TIME

lBf IELEGRAfH TO HE IhlBDNE'l
WAsHISGTON, July 29-Ihe garrulity of few
Senators is keeping Congress in session unneces-
sary An example of the useless talk in which
some of them indulge was the debate begun by Sem
ator Williams and continued by Senator Logan
to-day about the date of the origin of the rank OF
commodore in the Navy These gentlemen, assisted
occasionally by Senator Jones' of Florida, man
aged to consume two hours without reaching any
satisfactory conclusion upon question which mad
no relevancy to the pending measure, and was OF no
especial interest in the abstract.
Senators who are not gwen to untimely oratory
and they are a great majority gather in the cloak
rooms and bewall the fate which detains them.
Their families for the most part have long since de-
parted for summer quarters TemperS have become
sOured by the protracted length of the session and
the hot weather, and seedlings and chickering's are
of hourly occurrence. The absurd position into
which the Senate thrust itself yesterday will prob
ably give rise to further delay The Naval Com
mittce was plainly right in claiming jurisdiction
over the reorganization features of the pending
measure yet it was an Appropriation bill,
and of necessity went to the ApproprIa-
lions Committee with all that the
House put upon it. Had the matter been met
by the Appropriations Committee in a more concilIa-
tory way, it is probable the points of order which
were made on either side would not have been
brought up. As the matter now stands, the House
under its rules finds it difficult to pass contested
measures except upon appropriation bills, and the
Senate under the new rulings cannot add any new
legislation to appropriation bills or perfect that
which they already contain. The hopes OF both
Houses must under this condition of things centre
in the conference committees.
The Naval bill is being amended so that 1t can
hardly be recognized by the House. The appropria-
too for the repair and completion of the ronclads
begun by Secretary Robson, has been cut down to
100000 from 81. zoo, 900, and amendment
adopted that no further steps be taken
tracts entered into or approved for the repair or
completion of any of the four rOn-clads aforesaid
until the further order of Congress"
The Naval Advisory Board is directed to report
upon the expediency of continuing the work. The
provision abolishng the grade of commodore was
stricken out by a vote of q to D. Senator
Miller's amendment, upon which this action was
taken provided for the substitution Of provision
creating a commission to report upon the matter,
bur the insertion was ruled out on point OF ORDER,
leaving only the motion to strike out, which was
adopted. Other provisions OF the bill relating TO the
organization of the personnel OF the Navy VIII
senate gets through with the bill 1t viii
be satisfactory to nobody. It will
90 to a conference com nttee ana me House pTOFl-
sons may perhapI there be restored. An agreement
has been reached in the Senate that hna vote shall
be taken upon pending amendments aud upon the
bill beginning at 3 o'clock on Monday.
The Sundry Civil Appropriation blll VIII be ready
for action the Senate as soon as the Naval ApprO-
praton bill IS dispOs OF, but may be held back to
give an opportunity Tor action upon the Knit Goods
bill, about winch there is considerable anxiety, II
wise the Sundry Civil bill will be pressed at once
to action.