Daily globe., 1882-04-20
The Senate.

WASHINGTON, April Ex-senator Allison,
from the committee on finance, reported IA
vorable the senate bill to allow the invest
ment of the funds of the Agricultural college
of Iowa. Passed.
The time assigned to the calendar was
largely occupied by discussion on the bill to
provide for the sale of part of the reservation
of the Omaha tribe of Indians of Nebraska,
the point in controversy being as to the valid
ity of the provision exempting from taxation
for twenty-five years thereafter those portions
of the lands sold to Indians.
Ingalls, moved to strike out the provision
by way of testing the opinion of the senate
on the question and after some discussion the
subject went over.
Sherman presented petition signed by the
governor, members of the assembly and other
citizens of Ohio, setting forth that the en-
franchisement of freedmen had imposed upon
the government the obligation to qualify
them for citizenship and praying in view of
this fact and the appalling illiteracy of the
voting population, as revealed in the last CEN
sus, that liberal appropriations be made for
the education of the people of the states. Re-
ferred.
Discussion of the Mississippi river improve
ment bill was resumed and Jonas, La.) argued
in favor of applying part of the appropria-
ton to immediate repairs on the con-
struction of such levees as in the
Judgment of the Mississippi river
commission will assist in deepening the
channel and improving navigation. Jonas
argued from the gigantic and national char
acter of the work, no individual efforts of the
states or districts would avail, and that with
out the Intervention of the federal govern
ment, the vast alluvial region of the lower
river must be relegated to the wilderness from
which it was redeemed. He was unable to
give any estimate of the cost OF complete
levee system, but in his opinion $50 600, 600
would be cheap expenditure if thereby the
threatened valley was protected, and this
sum would be repaid ten fold to the general
wealth of the country in the increase in the
valleys population and of the agricultural
products. He said the movement of grain by
the river for export from New Orleans in.
creased In a single year, ending August 81,
1880, at the rate OF 80 per cent. in corn, and
1856 per cent. in wheat, and this with low
water and dangerous navigation.
Garland spoke in advocacy of his amend
ment increasing the appropriation to 5,0C0,-
600. He urged that experience demonstrated
| the economy of sufficiently adequate appro-
priation in bulk rather than periodical out
| lays. He eulogized the recommendations of
| the recent message from the president favoring
! the additional sum asked for by the river COM
mission and especially endorsed the suggestion
that it would be eqtable for the government
| to return by this method to the population of
the lower Mississippi valley engaged in the
production of cotton,a portion of the SOS, ,O00,-
GOO as tax on that product. he would make
sufficient appropriation and leave its dis
bursement, whether for levees or outlet, to
| the commission.
Frye remarked that the votes of the northern
members against any appropriation for the
repair of levees ought not to be construed as
Indicative of sectional hostility on their part.
| The bill then went over till tomorrow.
Miller (Col.) }, from the committee on foreign
relations, reported with amendments the house
| bill to execute treaty stipulations relating to
| the Chinese. He stated the report was not an
| unanimous one, and he would ask for its con.
| sideration tomorrow.
On motion of Plumb the senate without a
dissenting vote insisted upon its amendment
to the postofice appropriation bill for rata
BILE transportation of special mail facilities on
trunk lines, and Plumb, Allison and Beck were
reappointed conferees. After an executive
session the senate adjourned.