The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1882-02-22
XLVIIth Congress-lst Session.
oDN AIE.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 81.

WASHINGTON. Feb. q.
Mr.. Frye in presenting a memorial OF the
New York Chamber of Commerce in favor OF
a tariff commission, said the representation
that the so-called high protectionists favored
the bill for delay was fallacy. AS one OF
that class he heartily favored generali revls-
ion and amendment
Mr.. Lapham presented resolution OF the
New York legislature upon the necessity for
tax in form of head money for the inspection
of hundreds of thousands of immigrants land
ing from foreign parts in New York harbor.
Mr. Dawes presented two bulky packages
Hastily decorated with colored ribbons, enclos-
ing numerous petitions for better observance
of treaty stipulations with the Indians, asking
that they be given lands in severalty, &c.
Mr.. Dawes said these petitions were signed
by Governors st. John of Kansas and Long of
Massachusetts, VIM e. Dodge OF New York,
Judge Shipman OF Hartford, professors OF
leading colleges officers of charitable and edu-
cational institutions, members of church con-
gregations, numbering more than one hundred
Thousand citizens. He also read a lett er urg-
ing lust and humane treatment of Indians.
and that the nation shall keep its pledged faith
with them.
Mr.. Plumb denied their wealth or position
gave the petitioners any undue claim upon
congressional attention, and in view of their
distance from the Indians he believed the fact
would hold good in this as in other cases that
the sympathy lavished upon the Indians by
knowledge about them.
Mr.. Teller also spoke against the petitions
and the discussion was mainly between the
three above named gentlemen.
Petitions were referred to the committee on
Indian affairs.
A resolution was adopted providing for ad-
journment from day to day until Thursday as
mark of respect and honor to the memory OF
George Washington.
The Senate at 1.45 took up the House appor-
tionment bill. No amendmen was offered
but the enlargement of the House as proposed
was discussed upon general considerations. The
House apportionment bill finally passed with
out amendment by a viva voce vote.
The pension arrears resolution was tax en-
up.
Propositions by way of enlarging the scope of
the declarations of the resolution were sug-
lested and discussed by various Senators.
After remarks by Williams and ingalls, the
motion to lay the whole subject on the table
was carried 26 to %.
Several bills were introduced and the SEN
ate adjourned to Thursday.
HOUSE.
Mr.. Kasson, of Iowa, under instructions of
the Committee on Ways and Means, gave no
| tice that he would on Tuesday next ask the
House to proceed to the consideration of the
bill known as the tariff commission bill.
On motion of Mr.. Steele, OF Indiana, the
Senate bill to enable the Postmaster General
to delegate to the Third Assistant Postmaster
| C6uoEal authority 70 sign WARRANTS WAS paSSou
Mr.. Pound, of Wisconsin, for the Committee
| on Public Lands, reported resolution calling
ON the Secretary of the Interior to report to
the House the annual gross earnings and let
earnings of the several Pacific railroads from
| the commencement of their operations until
| the present time. Adopted.
The morning hour being dispensed with the
| House, at 1885, went into committee Of the
| whole, Mr.. Calkins of Indiana, in the chair,
On the post office appropriation bill.
ala fdARn bat
| propriating $10,655,0 for transportation by
| railroad routes of the United States mails.
| There were three proposed amendments pend
\ ing the first being by Mr.. Robson, of New
| Jersey, providing that the mails shall be car
| ried without extra charge upon the fastest
| trains run over the railroad by which they are
| carried whenever the Postmaster General shall
| deem it desirable. To this Mr.. Cameron, of
| Illinois, offered an amendment providing that
| If the railroad companies shall fail to carry the
mails on their fastest trains their compensation
| shall be reduced fifty per cent. AS substitute
for Mr.. Robesons amendment Mr.. Holman, of
| Indiana, offered a proviso that all land grant
railroads which have received in excess of 5000
acres per mile shall receive only fifty per cent
| of the compensation allowed to other railroad
| companies for carrying mails.
| Mr. Mills, of Texas, favored Mr.. Holman s
substitute, though it did not go far enough.
The Government was paying largely more than
| it ought to for carrying mails.
1 MI hlblOCky VI NOW LUX, OppUb6u oil p0uu-
| ing amendments. This was no time to legis-
| late on the question as to whether the compen-
sation paid to land grant roads for carrying the
| mails was too large. The amendments offered
| BIZ the gentlemen from New Jersey and Illinois
| (Robeson and Can non) would endanger the
! fast mail service and would do no good to the
| country, and he hoped that the committee
| would leave the clause as it had been reported
by the Committee on Appeals.
Mr. Holman substitute was rejected--65 to
| SO.
| The amendment offered by Mr.. Cannon was
| accepted by Mr.. Robessn and Mr.. Robson s
amendment as thus amended was agreed to-
1 IS to So.
The clause relating to Star route trapsporta-
| ton having been reached, several amendments
| were proposed and rejected.
| Mr.. Holman offered an amendment provid-
| ing that whenever any contractor shall sub-let
| his contract for transportation of the mails on
| any route for a less sum than he contracted to
| perform the service for the Postmaster General
may declare the original contract at an end
| and enter contract with the sub-contractor
| without advertisement to perform the service
| on the terms which he has agreed with the
/ original contractor to perform the service.
Mr.. Atkins moved TO amend the amendment
| by the addition of the following Provided,
| that the sub-contractor shall enter into good
| and sufficient bond, and the original contractor
| shall not be released from his contract until a
| good and sufficient bond has been made by the
| sub-contractor.'
| Pending further action the committee rose
and the House adjourned till Thursday
1