Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1882-03-11

points In the interior remote from
Memphis and points on the Missis-
sippi, and that small boats were re.
quired for this purpose. Hundreds
of sufferers were on the point of
starvation, and the people of the
West and South and Southwest were
generously responding for their re-
lief. The object now was to render
certain boats under the control of the
government engineer corps, available.
Senator Cockrell had read teie~
gram from the Merchants Exchange
OF st. Louis, urging that the assists
ance of the government be contin
ued, in view of the discouraging
reports received from the inundated
districts. The resolution passed.
Senator Dawes reported back the
fortifcation appropriation bill with
out amendments.
Senator Brown introduced a bill
appropriating $4,000 for the i'm
provement of the harbor of Savan>
nah.
Senator Jones, of Louisiana, offered
a resolution calling for an estimate
OF the expense of permanently closing
what are known as the Albaus Her
veys sale, and the Memphis and
Kountz canals, being the outlets of
the Red River above Shreveport.
Adopted.
The bill for commission on alco-
holic liquor traffic, which again
came upon the calendar, was discuss
ed upon the pending amendments,
Senator Bayard said the suppression
of pure alcoholic stimulants would
increase the use of spirits and drugs;
that such had been the expression of
the medical profession. He moved
an amendment to include an inquiry
into this point, among others to be
assigned to the commission.
Being intercepted by the expira-
tion of his five minutes, he insisted
that the question was too large to
be be considered under the five min
utes rule, and he accordingly claimed
precedence for the tariff commission
bill.
Senator Congor moved to proceed
with the liquor commission bill.
Adop ed--yeas 26; nays, "a a party
vote askcept that Senators Maxy and
Davis, of Illinois, voted aye with the
Republicans. Senator Malone also
voted aye; Senator Morrill, voted ;Ess
with the Democrats. The liqu >
commission bill was then proceeded
with, and pending amendment
offered by Senator Bayard, was lost
by party vote-ayes, "a; noes 25
Senators Cameron, of Wisconsin, and
Davis, of Illinois, voting aye with
the Democrats. The bill was then
reported to the committee of the
whole, and Senator Jones, of Florie
da, opened against the power of
Congress, under the Constitution, to
regulate or interfere with the liquor
traffic in the State.
Senator Sherman replied that the
bill did not propose any interference
with the license or sale in the State,
but merely instituted an inquiry as
to the best mode of dealing with the
evils growing out of the traffic He
thou 1t it a sufficient answer to the
objection, to say that information
was needed to enable Congress to
deal with the District of Columbia
and the Territories, and to regulate
the revenue.
Senator Maxey corroborated and
elaborated the view expressed by
Senator Sherman.
The number of the commission
was fixed at seven, in order that the
diverse sentiments on the temper
ance issue might be sufficiently rep
resented. And the time within
which the commission shall report
was fixed al Is months.
Alter some further discussion, the
bill was passed-ayes 81, noes IA
The following is the vote:
Yeas-Senators Aldrich. Allison
Blair, Coke, Conger, Davisof Illinois
Dawes, Edmunds, Ferry, Frye, Gar.
land, George, Groome, Hale, Har.
rison, Hawley, Hill of Colorado
Hoar, Lapham, McDill, Mcmillan
Malone, Maxey, Miller of California
Mitchell, Morrill,, Platt, Plumb, Rol-
Inns, sawyer, Sewell, Sherman, Tel
| ler and Walker-34
Nays-Bayard, Beck, Hampton
Harris, Jonas, Jones, Morgan, Pen,
dleton, Pugh, Ransom, Slater, Vance
Van Wyck and Vest-14.
Senators Kellogg, Jones, of Ne
vada, Window, Cameron, of Wiscon
sin, and Teller, in favor of the bill
were paired with Senators Farley
Williams, Davis, of West Virginia
jackson and johnson, against the
bill. Senator Brown was paired
with Senator Saunders.
The bill provides for the appoint
ment by the President and conir
nation by the Senate of commits
sion of seven persons, not more thai
|
political party, nor be advocates o
prohibition, to hold Office not ex
ceeding two years, who shall investi
gate, alcoholic liquor traffic, it's re
lation to revenue, and taxation, anC
its general economic, criminal
moral and scientific aspects il
connection with pauperism, crime
social vice, public health and genera
welfare, and wAo shall inquire as t
the practical results of license an,
prohibitory legislation. The CON
missioners are to serve without
salary, and\a to report within 1
months after the passage of the ac
An appropriation of $4,000 is mad
for their expenses.
A protracted struggle for pre-
cedence of consideration for pend
ing measures, in which the respes
tive merits of the tariff commissio