The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1882-01-14
NEWS I'm BRIEF.
Compiled from Various souroeA
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS,

CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS.
CONGRESS reassembled on the 9Th. In the
Senate, bills were introduced: BY Mr. An
thony-To promote the efficiency of the Navy;
by Mr., Maxey-To increase the efficiency OF
the signal Service of the Army; by Mr.
Plumb-To provide for the disposition of q
portion of Fort Hayes Military Reservation,
Kansas .In.the House, Mr. 0rth rose to a
question OF privilege, stating il grew out OF
ana Affecting the recent appointment of COM
mtteeS OF the House. Before stating the
question specifically. he said; / ask indul'
gence to 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 aud diyersi-
fed interests Of the country are all more or
less affected by Congressional Legislation, and
TINS legislation, rs Is woll known, IS almost
exclusively controlled by the action of the
committees. For this reason their formation
assumes Importance and is invested with re.
sponslbility too great to rest in the hands OF
asingle individual, however capable and hon
est and patriotic such indiviual may be. AS
now exercised it is emphatically a one IMAM
power, and such power is alyays dangerous
and in confict With Tho rrinn{n,as - re ra
publican government 1t is our duty to
see that 1t may not at some future period be
used to the detriment of the best interests of
the people,; And now as to the question of
privilege. You have seen fit, sir, tolassign me
Two committees, namely, second place on
Civil Service Reform. BY the kindness and
nnwavering confidence of my constituency
have been for twelve years member of this
term of service here. With two exceptions
there is not another Republican member who
mas mas thus long represented his people
During that time 1 have served as mem
Der and Chairman on the Committee
on Private Land Claims, as q mem.
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 tme rs
its Chairman. With one exception, possibly
Two, am the only Republican member who,
Mt any time prior to this session, has ever
served as Chairman Of any committee of this
House. In view of this fact submit that the
speaker in his recent action has done an in
Justice to me and my constituents, fot,the re
latons between n Representative and his
G0Institaents are 50 clearly inIerW9yen that
the other. They naturally lieella pride and
Interest in the proper recognition of their
Representative, ana especially when such
recognition is regarded by custom as attach
ing to long years of service. For this inius-
tlce there is, however, no remedy. All that
can be done is TO protest against it, as do
now for myself and constituents, and for
reasons that do not require SPECIFICATION, 1
respectfully ask the House to excuse me from
service as a member of the Committee on
Rules" Tie Speaker: "The Chair does not
understand that it is necessary for him to
n6t Rse by "a spe;a2 tba reply
the Chair does not Undertake to challenge the
statements charging him with injustice, that
the Chair acquiesces in the views taken by
the gentleman from Indiana" Mr.. Orths re-
quest was granted. Mr.. Hewitt (N. " was
relieved from service on Committee on Public
anu NrTOunuS.. 'Mr. heWett (Ala.) Oh
fered resolution Ieciting the fact that the
hhedive of Egypt had presented TO the United
states the obelisk known as Cleopatra Nee
die, and rendering TO his sHighness the Khe-
dive the thanks of the people of the u nited
states Tor a gift which only the Oldest of ma
tions 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. A
resolution by Mr.. Maxey, instructirg the Sec
Rotary OF the Interior to furnish a report of
the survey of the United States and Texas
boundary Commission made under act of
june 3, 1893, and il 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 bill appropri.
atfng money for the selection of a site and To-
cation for Government building in Mime
apol1s, Mimi. Mr.. Hale's resolution tor special
committee on the mode of electing the Presi-
dent and Vice. President and of coun-
S ting ana Of certifying the vote wa. was
Committee on Privileges and Elections. The
resolution relating to pension frauds. offered
by Mr., Davis wv. Na.), 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. MIR. Edmunds argued that the
President alone had power to recommend
legislation. Mr.. Hill (Ga.) contended that
while ii was the duty of the President to do
this there was no limitation on the power of
Congress to get opinions from others. Mr.
Davis CIV. Va in the course of debate said
the Secretary had estimated that one hundred
millions would be required for this year to
pay the pension roll, and this estimate he
learned had been increased by the Commits
sioner to Sl2O000,0O0 Nobody knew where
the increase would stop, and, next year, for
aught we know, it would reach $50 600 600
lie (Davisl had stated last year the arrears of
pension bill would cost the Government sum
greater than the national debt. and the state
ment was laughed at. Present indications
seemed to fully justify the statement he then
made, L. Logan said Stntpmpnfs ha
on accurate information should not be al
lowed to go to the country uncontradicted
The assertion that the pension arrearages
would cost more than the national debt was
certainly not based on n very reliable basis
The Inference from what had been stated
continue to cost 500 100000 a year right
along and will probably increase. Yet the
report of the Commissioners showed that,
with the force mt his command, the arrear-
ages of pensions could be paid in two years.
and that after these were paid the roll would
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 a statement such as the
one the Senator had just made. The resolu-
ton, as amended by MIR. Edmunds' amend
ment, was adopted. After executive session
the Senate adjourned till the 9th.
JANUARY 9th was a busy day for Congress-
Some of the measures introduced in the SEN
ate Were BY Mr.. Teler-For the deposit of
silver bullion at the Treasury of the United
states, and he issue of certificates therefor
by Mr. Roll1ns-For the organization OF the
TERRITORY of oklahomai by Mr.. Butler-For
the creation OF body of parliamentary at.
uorheys; Dy MI. misunderstanding $50 acres
OF pubic land TO each survivor of the Noun
tam Meadows massacre or their heirs; by Mr.
Noorhees-Granting pensions to prisoners of
the war; by Mr.. Logan-To apnrOpriate and
eXpend the entire income derived from in.
ternal revenue taxes on the manufacture and
sale OF distillers' spirits for the education of
tne chiluren OF the United States. 1t pro-
vides that the national school fund
thus created shall be distributed among
the several States and Territories pro
rata, according to census statistics of