Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-07-06
AT THE CAPITOL TO-DAY,
EXCITING SCENES IN THE HOUSE,
MIR. ROBEsON AND wHITTHoRNE
FEE BILL PASSED IN THE COURSE OF DEBATE
Sen ate TO.fiay.

and Atlantic AMI the Washington City and Point
Lookout r. r. companies to extend railroads into
and within the District OF Columbia were reported
| adversely in the Senate to-day and indefinitely
postponed
Mr.. Hoar. from the judiciary committee, reportaG
with an amendment the Senate bill fixing the =
aries OF the JUICES OF the district courts OF the
United States at 5000. The bill as amended
merely adds $500 per annum to the salary of each
Judge, except in the district or California Mt
Hoar a5ke1 unanimous consent for the present
consideration OF the measure. Mr. Salisbury Oh
Jected and the bill went to the calendar.
MT. Morrill,, from the finance committee, reported
Win amendments the House bill to reduce inter-
nal revenue taxation. Ordered printed
conference committee was ordered upon the
REDUCTION OF $4,000 by the House in the bill for
pu6llc building aPou5hkeepsle, New York
Inc senate, after an ineffectnal effort by Mr..
took UP
THE RIVER AND HARBoR APPROPRIATION BILL
Mr.. Mcmillan, chairman o. the committee on
commerce, stated that as it came from the House
the bill appropriated SIT, 7,367,S75.
The Senate committee added So 096, 100, making
tue total Sl9 9453,I5. He enumerated the principal
items OF this increase. Eight hundred and seventy
pTopriat'on for the Improvement of the Mississippi
river under the direction OF the river commission,
OF 5he OF ass 9
| OF the river s5,00O,C00. For the Improvement of
the Missouri from its mouth to Sioux City 800 600
additional had been voted and for the survey from
the mouth or the river to Fort Benton 15,0O0 The
canal around the cascades of Columbia river,
Oregon, had received $4,000 more, and
engineers rs to its necessity, the amount allowed
1or examinations surveys and incidental repairs
OF nafDQrS had been increased $4,000 For the
waters OF New York harbor and the rivers ard har-
bors OF New York the items OF increase amounted
10 $lOI COO and for the hartOrs on the shores Of
Lake Michigan s1O2 COO Among others the harbors
at Wilmington. Del, and Calumet, ILL.,, had re-
Cc!yed s10,OC0 and $4,000 additional; the one at
Wilmington, Cal, $4,000, and that at Woods Hole,
Mass, s52, ,O00 The committee had inserted pro-
vision authorizing the Secretary OF War to lay out
and construct canal from point on the Illinois
river at or near the town of Iennepin. TO the Mis-
SlsSlppl river at or above Rock Island, and had
appropriated 100000 for the work.
The Dill was then read and the amendments Of
Cue committee concurred In as reached.
House of Representatives.
On motion Of Mr.. Singleton, OF Mississippi, the
Senate bill was passed In the House to-day au-
thOr1Zing the New Orleans and Northwestern rail-
road company, to construct bridges across the
channels OF Pearlriver and lake POntchatrain.
COMMON PRIME MERIDIAN.
Mr.. Belmont, of New York. called I'D the motion
to consider the vote by which the House refused
to order to a third reading the Joint resolution
authorizing the President to call an International
conference to fix on and recommend for universal
adoption a common prime meridian to be used In
the reckoning or longitude and In the regulation
OF time throughout the world. The vote was re-
considered, and the joint resolution read the third
time and passed.
The House then resumed consideration of the
naval appropriation bill, and adopted In gross the
amendments agreed TO in committee OF the whole.
Mr.. Holman moved TO recommlt the bill. with
instruction to the committee on appropriations TO
report back the same with prOviSO that the work
to be done on the monitors shall be done under the
direction OF the Secretary or the Navy, under con-
tract let 10 the lowest responsible bidders The
motion was lOSt-yeaS, IS; nays 10I
Mr.. Robson then took the floor to close the de-
bate on the bill.
Mr. ROBESoN AND MR. WHITTHORNE-THE LIE PASSED.
III the course Of his speech in defence OF his ad-
ministration OF the Navy department, Mr. Robe
son referred to the investigation carried by the
committee OH naval affairs of the 44th Congress-
ami, Without mentioning him by name, alluded In
terms OF deepest contempt and insult to Mr. Whit
thOfne. speaking OF the men VINO headed the
committees in that Congress- he said that ''if
Iherc was q man who was accused OF stealing
school funds in his own state he came to the
front"
At these words up started Mr.. whitthorne, and
facing Mr.. Robson in the space in front of the
Speakers desk, exclaimed "that is lie, whoever
tells 1t or whoever repeats it."
Mr.. Roheson.-I have alluded to no man by
name. Ii any man recognizes himself by the de-
scriptOn let him step forward and deny it.
Members congregated around the two gentlemen
and there was a good Zeal OF exciterlent in the
hall; but the matter dropped, although Mr.. Robe
son continued In his attack upon WhitthOrne.
THE NAVAL APPROPRIATION BILL PASSED
The naval appropriation bill has just passed the
House-yeas, 119; nays, IS.
MR. wHITTHoRNE REPLIES TO MR.. ROBSON
After the passage OF the naval bill Mr.. Whit
thOrne obtained the floor upon question OF privi-
lege. He charged that Mr.. Robson had gone out
OF his way to speak untruth. He denied that he
had anything to do with the Tennessee school
fund or chat his brother, as charged, had a con-
tract under an administration to which he was
POLITICALLY 1nimcal. His brother did take con-
tract under the District government, but he had
according to his beler, that Mr. Robeson had been
member or the firm or \. G. Cattell & Co, and
that the aforesaid firm had the ramification all
through the Navy department. He alluded to his
previous poverty before becoming Secretary and
his subsequent prodgal investments, as a cause
sufficient for the investigation conducted by him
self (Mr Whilthorne) as chairman of the naval
committee in the 44th Congress- In speaking OF
Mr. Robeson, Mr. Whtthorne alluded to him as
Mr. WhitthOrne said, Il tax upon the hoary head
OF that meInb r tpointing to Mr.. Robesonj false
MR.. RoBEsoN's CLOSING REMARKS
Mr.. Robson in few sentences said, and in an
impressive manner, II am willing to act on the
record, and will not reply to the gentleman who
recognizes himself in the portrait have drawn"
THE sUNDRY CIVIL BILL
At two O'clock the House took up the sundry
civil appropriation bill 1t will be passed, 1t is
thought, this week. After it is disposed or, the
South Carolina election cases Will be called up
The District in Congress.
Mr.. Aidrtch presented in the Senate to-day a Pc
tltion from Patrick Cook, asking for allowance of
amount awarded him by the board OF experts of
the late board audit for damages to his property
Referred TO District committee.
MEETING OF THE SENATE COMMITTEE
The Senate committee on the District of Colum.
bia, at their regular meeting to-day ordered that
the House bill 10 efrectually suppress gaming in
the District be favoraby reported. with an amend
ment which was merely verbal. The bill provides
that every person who shall keep set up any
gaming table or gaming device, or who shall en-
uce or permit any person to bet or play at such
table or device IN the District, shall be punished
by imprisonment not less than two nor more than
ten years. 1t also puniehes every person who shall
rent buildings or rooms for gaming purposes and
all persons who deal, play or are in any way con-
nectef with gaming, ana prO5iieS that all devices
at Which money or any valuable is bet iS gaming
within the meaning OF the law. Mr. Butler re-
ported the bill favorably to the Senate.
The committee agreed to substitute for the
Senate and House bills for the relief of William
Bowen The substitute permits Mr.. Bowen to take
his claim before the Court of Claims.
The committee ordered adverse reports upOn the
bills to authorize the Washington City and Point
Lookout railroad and the Washington and Attain
tic railroad to enter the District. They were SO
reported and indefinitely postponed.
An adverse report was ordered upon the House
Joint resolution 10 provide for the suspension OF
the collection or special assessments In the Dis
trlct until the improvements which said assess
ments were made to pay for are fully completed
ana IL was so reported to the Senate.
The committee ordered favorable report upon
the petition OF George r. Herrick. This petition