The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1882-01-12
DOINGs OF CONGRESS-.

Congress reassemblcd, after the holiday 70.
cess, on Thursday, Jan. 5. The Senate roll.
call showed ifty-one members OF that body
ions were laid before the Senate. and mn
merous petitions we're presented for lcgisla-
ton regulating interstate commerce, and
for increased pay to the life-saving service.
On motion Of MIR. Garland, the Finance Com
mitteo was directed to inquire into the ex
pedency OF refunding the fees paid under tho
trade mark legislation, which has been de-
clared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.
Mr.. Anthony introduced bill to promote tho
efficiency OF the navy, and Mr. Maxey presented
one 70 increase the value Of the signal service.
In the House, Mr.. Orth rose to = question Of
Ing the recent appointment Of the committees
Of the House. Before stating the point speci-
dcally, he said: - ask indulgence to announce
that il ID my purpose at an early day to
introduce for consideration . proposition 10
change the method Of selecting committees.
tho country are al moro or less
affected by Congressional legislation and this
legislation, % is well known, Is almost exclu.
sively controlled by the action Of the commit
tees. For this reason their formation assumes
importance and is invested with responsible
ity too great to rest in the hands Of single
individual, however capable and honest
and patriotic such individual may be. A
now exercised, IL n emphatically one mans
power and such power il always dangerous and
In conflict with the principles Of our rcpubli-
can government It ID our duty 10 see that it
may not at some future period be used to tho
detrimert Of the best interests Of tho people"
Mr. Orth then made strong protest against
tho treatment he had received from Speaker
Kcifer, and closed by asking that he be ex-
cused from serving on the Committee on Rules.
The Speaker said: "The chair does not nm
6arat md fhaf ID m IN iux3i.
cate himself by saving anything in reply. II
must not, however, be Inferred because the
chair does not undertake to challenge the state
ments charging him with injustice trat tho
chair acquiesces in the views taken BY tho
61sss request @ ras granted, % tsnd he s.s es *.
oussd from further service on the Comlnittce
troduesd by Mr.. Hawk, Of Illinois,
providing for tho labelling Of oleomargarino
and other limitations Of butter with their truo
name. Mr.. Hawk also introduced = bill to 70
organize the militia. Mr.. Hewitt caused tho
adoption Of resolution Of thanks to the Khe-
dive Of Egypt for the gift Of Cleopatra's nee
die.
In the Senate, on the 9Th inst, with Mr.. Gar
land in the chair, Mr.. Maxey offered resolu-
ton instructing the Secretary Of the Intcro,
to furnish q report OF the survey Of tho Texas
Boundary Commission in 1858. Mr.. Sher,na \
moved TO take up his 3-per-cent. Bond hlii, but
wss sntagonizcd by Messrs. Beck and
McPhcrson. A resolution calling for infor-
nation relative to pension frauds Was passed.
An interesting and important document WAS
sent to the Senate. accompanied by \ comml-
nicati1n from the President, calling the earnest
attention OF Congress 10 tho dcsirabcness Of
immediate legislation amending tic POSTAL laws
relating to contracts for the star mail service.
1t has been discovered that tho Government
ia practically withou. protection against
wholesale system OF worthless bonds sub
mitted by bidders along with their proposals,
and that some lesisla.ionis necessary 10 enable
the Postoifce Department to examine into tho
snffciency Of these bonds. Duriug tie
Brady regime great numbers Of these WORTH
less bonds were accepted, and the Govern
ment was left without any remedy when the
contractors failed to carry ont their contracts.
The necessity for additional protection III this
matter Of stran-bonds was brought to notice
by Postmaster General James in his cxplora-
tons in the domain Of the star-rou.e frauds,
and the President is SO strongly impressed with
tie importance of the subject as to urge
upon Congress its immediate consi leratinn.
The President nominated to the Senate Samuel
c. Parks, OF New Mexico, to be Associate JUS
tice III Wyoming, aud Joseph Bell. OF New York,
to be Associate Justice in New Mexico. The
Sanate adjourned to Monday, 9th. The Houre
was not in session.