The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-01-07
TELEGRAmS
FORTY SEVENTH CONGRESS-
REGULAR SESSION.


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Washington, 6.-Maxey offered q
resolution instructing the secretary
Of the interior to furnish a report on
the survey Of the United States anC
Texas boundary commission, made
under the act of June 5th, '5s, and
no final report has been made by
the commission to report the fact
with the result of the work so far as
prosecuted. The object of the sur
vey was to fix the boundary between
the United States and Mexico under
the treaty of 1928.
Bills were introduced by Beck.
directing the secretary of the
treasury to inform the Senate al
once what reason, if any, he has fol
failing to comply with the Senate
resolution of December 21st, 1881, re.
lating to the tariff duties imposed on
English and American goods by
France, Germany and Mexico.
Hear asked that the resolution 90
over one day under the rule. So
ordered.
BY Logan, amendatory of the pen.
sion law.
1licPs resolution for special COM
Mite on the mode OF electing the
President and Vice-President, and
OF counting and certifying the vote,
was disposed of by reference to the
committee on elections.
The resolution of December Is,
offered by Davis, of West Virginia,
relating to pension frauds, calling
for statements, the nature and
character, what amount of arrears
had been paid, the number of cases
added to the pension roll under
the arrears act, number Of applica.
lions Hereunder, estimated annual
expenditure required, estimated total
cost of arrearages paid. and to be
paid, and the total rebate pension
roll after arrearages had been deter
mined, came up and some discus
sion ensued upon an amendment by
Edmunds, striking out the direc.
ton to the secretary of the interior
to report his opinion upon such
legislation as he thought advisable
Edmunds argued that the President
alone was empowered to recommend
legislation.
Hill contended that while it was
the duty of the President TO do this
there was no limitation or power Of
Congress to get an opinion from
others
Davis, of West Virginia, in the
course OF sheeaebate, said the secre.
tary had estimated that $10O,oOO,OO
would be required for this year, to
pay the pension roll, and this eSti.
mate, he learned, had been increased
by the commissioner to $120,Oo0,0O0
Nobody knew where the increase
would stop, and next year, for aught
we knew, would reach $150,O0O,O0O
He Davis had stated last year that
the arrears Of pension bill would
cost government sum greater than
the national debt, and the statement
was laughed at. The present indi-
cations seem to fully justify the
statement he them made.
Logan said the statements were
not based on accurate information
and should not be allowed to go tC
the country uncontradicted. The
assertion that pension arrearages
would cost more than the national
debt was certainly not based on any
correct estimate. The inference
from what had been stated would
be that our pensiC n roll would con.
time to cost 100000, 600 per year
right along with a probable increase
The report OF the commissioner
showed that with a certain force at
his command the arrears of pensions
could be paid il two years, and that
after these were paid the roll would
be reduced to $4,000. 600 or not over
e50,O0O,000. The senator from West
Virginia could not help knowing
this, for the report was before him.
There was, therefore, no reason to
alarm the country, by statement
such as the one the senator had just
made.
The resolution as modified by Ed
nunds' amendment was adopted.
Sherman moved TO take up his
bill for the issue of three per cent.
bonds.
Beck antagonized it with the tar
if commission bill, to be reported
on Monday.
Mcpherson gave notice of an
amendment making the bonds re-
ieemable after January 1st, 1891,
instead of payable after January
Ist 1888. and extends the time Of
payment TO thirty years.
Plumb gave notice Of an amend
nent directing the use Of all funds
low held in the treasury for the re-
Iemption of United States notes, in
he excess of 100000 900 for the re-
Iuction of 81 per cents.
The resolution Of Davis West
asking information rela-
i've to pension frauds, passed.
Executive session. Adjourned to
donday.