The Indianapolis journal., 1883-01-22
F0RTY-SEVEl
THE S
Presestisstions of Bills =
Pcstohicesapro


WASHINGTON, Jan. 20.&4- EIoI
Irge number of petitions for nation.
common schools.
Mr. voorhees, presented resolution of the Iu-
diana Board of Agriculture favoring the trans
fer OF weather forecasts of the signal service to
the Department Of Agriculture, where the sub
lect of climate naturally belongs
MI sherman, from the finance committee,
ported taVorably bill authorizing an amend
nent OF the NTH article of association OF the
First National Bank of Grand Rapids.
AT the close of the morning business, the post
ofhce appropriation bill was taken up, the pend.
ing question being amendment changing the
time when the reduction of letter postage from
three to TWO cents Is TO take effect, from Jan. 1,
1884, To the lst of July next.
The section of the bill directing an investiga-
lion by the Postmastt r-general in the railroad
mail service was amended so as to extend the in
Vestlgatlon TO questions Of adyisability of gem
rral fast mail service.
Mr.. sherman said he would ote against tha
amendment, not because he disapproVed of the
rsauclion, but because he was utterly opposed to
ms Kind OF legislation upon appropriation bills.
Mr. SHERMAN, IN the course of his remarks,
touched upon the telegraphle system, saying hs
would rather consider The question whether the
time has not arrived when the government of the
United states should undertake to transmit in
teillSence by electricity. lie did not think the
government should assume control Of existing
telegraph lines, but should construct its own
lines.
Mr. Edmunds favored the postal telegraph, but
opposed the purchase of existing lines
The debate continued until l O'clock when a
vote was taken upon an amendment offered by
Mr.. Edmunds to strike out legislation
the provision in the bill for reduction of latter
postage TO two cents. The motion TO strike out
was lost.
The bill was then reported to the Senate, and
the amendments made in committee agreed to,
including that fixing the date July 1, next when
a reduction of letter postage shall take effect.
Ihe bill passed and was taken up. Mr.. Morrill,,
by direction of the finance committee, moved "a
crown and window glass one eighth of a cent
per pound Agreed to.
The amendment offered by Mr.. Morrill, and re-
served changing the duties on cast polished
plate glass, above twenty-four by sixty inches
square, from forty to fifty cents per square foot,
was agreed to.
Messrs. Logan, Miller, of New York, and Con-
ger complained that the amendment of the
hnance committee reducing by one-eighth of a
cent per pound the duty on unpublished cylinder.
crown and common window glass had been
adopted IN their absence and without their
knowledge. and Mr.. Sherman entered motion
| TO reconsider the vote by which it was adopted
Schedule G, covering metals, passed over
for the present, and the Senate proceeded to con-
slider schedule ID, embracing wood and wooden
ware.
| Mr.. Van Wyck moved to strike it all out and
| put the articles covered by it on the free list
and made speech in support of his motion.
Mr.. morrill,, for the committee, offered the fol.
| lowing amendments 10 the sugar schedule, which
were ordered printed: Providing that sugat
not above No g. Dutch standard, shall nay rhp
Dutch standard, and that those above No. 16
and not above No. 20, Dutch standard shall pay
| 3-l5 cents per pound, instead OF cents, a in
the bill; also. that all sugars above No. 13 and
65 cents per pound
Adjourned.