Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-12-15
House..

WASHINGTON, Dec. 14-In the house,
Mr.. Pound, of Wisconsin, chairman of the
committee on public lands, reported back
a resolution calling on the secretary of the
interior for information as to whether any
lands heretofore granted by congress to
any railroad company to aid in the con-
struction of its road to which such COM
pany was not entitled to patents at the
time that period expired which such rail
road was required to be completed have
been patented to such company since the
expiration of that period, and by whose
authority such patents were issued.
Adopted.
Mr.. Epson, of Texas, offered a resolu-
ton calling on the postmaster general to
report all failures to carry out or comply
with contracts for carrying United States
mails since the first of January. 1882, the
names of the failing contractors and to
furnish other information on tho subject.
Mr.. Lord, of Mich, presented a petition
OF tobacco manufacturers of Detroit, ask
ing for speedy statement OF the tax ques-
ton. Referred.
Mr.. Converse, of Ohio, introduced bill
granting the right of way to the Columbus
& Eastern Railroad company through Co.
lumbus barracks grounds. Referred.
Mr.. Caswell, of Wisconsin, moved that
the house go into committee of the whole
for the consideration of the postofice ap-
preparation bill. This motion was antagon-
ICED by Mr.. Kasson, of Iowa, who desired
to call up the civil service reform bill, and
by Mr.. Kelly, of Pennsylvania, who advo-
Gated consideration ofspecial orders, name
ly: Bills pertaining to the administration
of tax laws. He stated that while these
bills could be disposed of in about two
hours, they we're of great Importance to the
treasury department.
Mr.. Kasson thought that the civil service
measure should be considered now while
there we're four appropriation bills passed
by the house and Enacted upon by the SEN
ate. It would become more and more diff
cult to secure consideration of it as time
went on.
Mr.. Caswells motion was carried, $50 to
&c, and at 1890 the house went iuto COM
ana, in the chair, on the postofice APP
preparation bill.
Mr.. Caswel explained in detail the pro-
visions of the bill. 1t appropriates $43,-
94S,52O, being S2,792, $50 less than the es-
innate and $685., $3.50 less than the appro-
priations for the current year. For the
compensation of postmasters $9,25O,00O is
appropriated, or $4,000 less than the e.
Inmates.
Mr.. Robinson, of Massachusetts, in
quired whether there was any provision in
the bill for special mail facilities.
Mr.. Caswell replied in the negative, and
said heretofore the postmaster general had
been unable to obtain facilities extending
from New York to the West, and
had been able only to ex-
pend $184,O0O for the purpose
of extending mail facilities from
New York to Albany, from New York to
New England and from Boston down the
sea coast.
Debate continued on this point, and
finally Mr.. Blackburn contended that it
was "a slush fund.-"
Mr.. Mcmillan, of Tennessee, called at
teption to the fact that the appropriations
for the star service had been cut down
100000 from the bill of last year.
Either that bill was recklessly extravagant
or the present reprehensibly parisimon-
ious.
Mr.. Caswell said the cost of the ster
service under existing contracts WIS