The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1882-12-21

lug COmmHtee on apprOpr14nonS 01 SbO
house has made excellent progress with its
tnrough. .dve have been reported and four
nave passed the house. It 10 remark able
fact that three of the biIls-the consular and
diplomatic, the agricultural and the military
academy bills-passed without q single
amendment in the house. = 2.
5 1hwssd1y, Dsesssbes IL.
erNArH.-There Was q long debate on
Pendleton's civil service bill. 3S2.sst
Senator Hoar expressed belief that The.
passage Of this bill would mark an import
ant era In American politics, and would b
regarded In the future almost equal to .
new and better constitution.
Mr.. Brown, ofGeorgia, denounced the bin
as sham and . pretense, declaring it would
excite expectation and result in disappoint.
ment. The cry Tor clyfl service reform In
volved practically life tenure in Office, and
this system was srepugnant to our institutions,
as 1t tended to build up an aristocracy WHICH
would do very we'll tos England, but not for
US: Us. ne called the attention Of
the folly Of their support OF the present meas
ure. They could not expect TO carry tbs
next election with law in force prohibit-
ing removals- They would elect the next
president If they behaved themselves. and
here they were advocating measure that
would compel him to keep all tho 1epubli-
cans in office who had been ap-
pointed for the past twenty years.
HousE-A resolution calling On the secrs-
tary ofthe interior for information ree,rd-
ing railroad land grants was adopted, The
house considered the post Office appropria-
ton bill (s4s. s.s4s. .620 the greater part of the
day.
The only new legislation in the bill Is that
relating to the reduction of postage on first.
class mail matter from 8 to 2 cents per halt
ounce. to take effect Jan. /, 1884. Mr.,
bingham, % chairman of the post-office
committee delivered m able and exhaustive
argument favorable 70 this clause,
but was antagonixed by Mr. Reagan OF
texas, formerly postmaster general of the
Southern Confederacy. The latter claimed
that the reduction asked for would decrease
the postal revenues upward of 5000, 600,
oct ne foun d few supporters for his theory.
Fridavs December 16.
sInArE.-A resolution to print A, 900 cop
ies of the tariff commissions report was
adopted. A very important bill was parsed
during the morning hour, which looks to
the settlement Of set of cases which have
bean pending in congress since the beginning
Of this century. They are known as the
ancient French claims. They are
claims of American citizens for
spollations by the French prior to tho years
1900 and reports upon bills for their settle
nent have been made in every congress
since 1881. The amount involved is not
known, although 1t is estimated to be in the
vicinity Of Sc, 90 1000. computing interest
The bill 10 70 framed asnot to be subject to .
point Of order, slnce it makes no appropria-
tion, but simply sends the claims to the court
Of claims.
The civil service reform bill was debated
without action. =
HounE.-After long discussion motion
that Dr.. J. II. Mclean be sworn in a mem.
ber Of the old Second inow the Ninth) dis
trict Of Missouri for the unexpired term ol
the late Thomas Allen, was carried and
Mclean took his seat. .-
A bill was reported removing the burdens
Of the American merchant marine. Tbs
postof1ce bill was considered at great
length and an amendment adopted adding
SEQ, 600 to the appropriation for star route
service A resolution offered by Mr.. Dun
nell was adopted, instructing the ways and
means committee to Investigate allegations
that internal revenue collectors on the
northern frontier receive large fees from sales
of blanks, which are not turned into the
treasury, and are In the pay of importers CT
corporations.