The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1882-01-21
TOPICS OF THE DAY.
News frem Everywhere.
PROCEEDINGS.

CONGRESS reassembled on the 9th. In the
Senate, bills were introduced. BY Mr. An
thony-To promote the efficiency of the Navy I;
by Mr. MaSev-To increase the efficiency of
the Signal Service of the Army; by Mr..
Plumb-To provide for the disposition of a
portion of Fort Hayes Military Reservation,
Kansas. In the House, Mr. Ortiz rose to n
question of privilege, stating it grew out OF
and affecting the recent appointment of com
mitteeS of the House. Before stating the
question specifically, he said: - ask indnl-
genceto announce that it is my purpose at an
early day to introduce for consideration and
action proposition to change the method of
selecting committees. The vast and diversi-
fed interests of the country are all more or
less affected by Congressional legislation, and
this legislation, as is well known, is almost
exclusively controlled by the action of the
committees. For this reason their formation
assumes Importance and is invested with re-
sponSIbil1ty too great to rest in the hands of
single individual, however capable and hon
est and patriotic such indiviual may be. AS
now exercised it Is emphatically a one man
power, and such power Is always dangerous
ana In conflict with the principles of re-
publican government. 1t is our duty to
see that it may not at some future period be
used to the detriment of the best interests oil
the people: And now as to the question OF
privilege You have seen fit sir, to assign me
two committees, namely, second place or
Rules, and Chairman of the Committee or
Civil Service Reform. BY the kindness and
unwavering confidence of my constituency
have been for twelve years Il member of this
House, and am now entering onmy seventh
term of service here. With two exceptions
there is not another Republican member who
has thus long represented his people
During that time 1 have served as mem
Dor and Chairman on the Committee
Der of the Committee on Ways and Means,
and for ten years as a member of the Com
mittee on Foreign Affairs, part of that time as
Its Chairman. With one exception, possibly
two, am the only Republican member who
ut any time prior to this session, has ever
served as Chairman of any committee of this
n V Of ia fQ ~ SI1bJ 81
Speaker in his recent action has done an in
justice to me and my constituents, for the re
constituents are so clearly interviewer thai
injustice to one Is necessarily an injustice to
the other. They naturally leel pride and
interest in the proper recognition of then
Representative, snd especially when such
recognition iS regarded by custom as attach
ing to lonl, years of service. For this injus.
tee there IS, however, no remedy All that
can be done is to protest against it, as | dc
now for myself and constituents, and foI
reasons that Go not require specification,
respectfully ask the House to excuse me from
service as a member of the Committee on
Rules" The Speaker: 1.-THE Chair does not
understand that 1t is necessary for him &c
Vindicate himself by speaking in reply. II
must not, however, be inferred that because
the Chair does not undertake to challenge the
statements charging him with injustice, that
the Chair acquiesces in the views taken by
quest was granted. Mr.. Hewitt On. " was
relieved from service on Committee on Public
Bu1UlngS ana GrOunuS. Ar. Hewett (Ala.l OF
fered resolution reciting the fact that the
khedive of Egypt had presented to the United
States the obelisk known as Cleopatra's Nee
die, and rendering to his Highness the khe
dive the thanks of the people of the United
States for a gift which only the oldest of ma
tons could make and the youngest could
most highly prize. Adopted.
In the Senate, on the 9th, Mr.. Davis vaca-
ted the chair for the day to Mr.. Garland.
resolution by Mr. Maxey, instructing the See
Rotary of the Interior to furnish report oil
the survey of the United States and Texas
boundary Commission, made under act o1
June 5, 1888, and If no final report OF said com
mission was made to report that fact, togeth-
er with maps of surveys, and report of the
work so far as it was prosecuted, was adopt
ed. Mr. Window introduced a bill apprOpri-
ating money for the selection of a site and 10
cation for Government building in Mime
apolis, Mimi. Mr.. Hale's resolution tor special
dent and Vice-President and of ooun-
ting and certifying the vote was
deposed of by reference to the
Committee on Privileges and Elections The
resolution relating to pension frauds, offered
by Mr.. Davis wv. Va.), Dec. Is, having been
called, discussion ensued upon the amend
ment by Mr.. Edmunds, striking out the direc-
ton to the Secretary of the Interior to give
his opinion ON such legislation as he thought
advisable. Mr.. Edmunds argued that the
President alone had power to recommend
while it was the du'y of the President to dc
this there was no limitation on the power oil
Davis CIV. Va in the course of debate said
the Secretary had estimated that one hundred
millions would be required for this year tC
pay the pension roll, and this estimate he
learned had been increased by the Commits
sioner to $120,0O9,0 900. Nobody knew where
the increase would stop, and, next year, fol
aught know, it would reach $50, 600 600
He (Davis) had stated last year the arrears o.
pension bill would cost the Government sun
greater than the national debt and the state
nent was laughed at. Present indication
seemed to fully justify the statement he theI
made. Mr.. Logan said statements not baseC
on accurate information should not be al
lowed to 90 to the country uncontradicted
The assertion that the pension arrearage
would cost more than the national debt wa
certainly not based on very reliable basis
The inference from what had been stated
would be that our pension roll woulC
continue to cost $780, 100000 a year RICH
along and will probably increase. Yet tn,
report of the Commissioners showed that
with the force at his command the arrear
ages of pensions could be paid in two years
and that after these were paid the roll woult
be reduced to forty or not over fifty millions
The Senator from West Virginia could no
help knowing this, for the report was befor
him. There was, therefore, no reason t.
alarm the country by statement such as TIL
one the Senator had just made. The resolu
ton, as amended by Mr. Edmunds' amend
ment, was adopted. After executive session
| the Senate adjourned till the 9th.