Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1882-02-08

such office; an apportionment bill fixing the
number of representatives at 247; repeating
all laws granting lands to certain railroad COM
panies and states for the benefit of such COM
panies and declaring the right and interest of
such railroad companies and states to seid
lands forfeited (relates to large number of
railroads, including the Atlantic and Pacific,
Texas Pacific and Northern Pacifc); authoriz-
ing the appr opriation of land and material for
the improvement of the Mississippi and It's
uavigable tributaries; removing the duty of Is
per cent. ad valOrem on newspapers, periodicals
and magazines for the admission of Arizona
and Idaho into the union as states .Ad-
journed
TUESDAY January 31.-The house resumed
consideration of the resolution reported from
the committee on foreign affairs requesting the
President to obtain list of American citizens
confined in English prisons. After au animated
and meaningless discussion the resolution was
adopted. After session in committees of the
whole the annual post-route bill was reported
and passed. Adjourned.
WEDNESDAY, February mckinley offered
q resolution setting apart Monday, the 9th of
February, for the memorial services upon the
late President Garfield. Adopted Hill in
troduced hillreducing the postage OH letters
| and sealed packages to two cents for half an
ounce OF under, four cents for over half an
| ounce and under two ounces, and for each adj
ditional two ounces or fraction thereof two
cents. Referred. The house went into COM
mittee of the whole on the postoffice appropri-
alton bill. Caswell explained the provisions of
the bill. The amount of the appropriation was
$43, 529, 800, only $737.578 of which would
come out of the general fund of the treasury
since the estimated revenue of the postoffice
department amounted to $42,741 ,722. The
committee on appropriations had cut down the
estimates of the department in several partic-
ulars, the principal reduction being in the re-
| fusal to appropriate more than $780, 900 for the
purpose of extending the free letter
system. The department asked for $150,000.
At the conclusion of Caswell's remarks three
hour debate followed. At the close of the de-
| bate the committee rose and tho house adj
journed without further action.
| THURSDAY, February 2.-The house went into
committee Of the whole on the postoffice appro-
priation bill. Bingham (Pa } offered an amend
ment, increasing by 100000 the appropriation
for expenses of the free delivery system in ap-
propriating that amount for the extension OF
the system. He spoke in advocacy of his
amendment, which would give fair increase of
salary to auxiliary letter-carriers, many of whom
received but $400 per year, and were hard
working class of men. Lord mich. }, advocated
such an increase of the appropriation as would
permit the compensation of letter-carriers to be
! raised. Propositions were made to fix the
| amount appropriated for the extension of the
free-delivery system at $4,000 and $3.50, 900,
but pending vote, the committee rose and the
| house adjourned.
FRIDAY February 3-The house spent the
whole day in committee of the whole on the
| private calendar, debating a BILL releasing the
Philadelphia & Reading Railroad Company
| from tax assessed on wages certificates hereto
| fore issued by the company. 1t was finally de-
| feated. . Adjourned.
SATURDAY. February A resolution was
adopted to pay x-Sergeant-at-Arms Thompson
| $4,000 for expenses incurred in connection with
the obsequies of the late President Garfield.
-. The house then went into committee of the
whole on the postoffice appropriation bill. The
question was on the item of $2,000,000 for let
ter-carriers and on various amendments pend
ing thereto. Finally it was adopted in this
shape (under the amendments offered by Blng-
ham and Cannon, for the payment to the let
ter-carriers and the incidental expenses of the
free-delivery system of $3,000,000. 800. 900 of
which may be used for the establishment of the
free-delivery system where it is not now estab-
lished. The balance of the day was spent
debating amendments . Adjourned.