Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-02-02
WHAT CONGRESS Is DOING.
I'm the Senate To-day.

| WHAT CONGRESS IS DOING.
| I'm the Senate To-day.
MI. Hoar presented in the Senate to-day the
petition OF president Eliot and other professors
| Harvard, asking that no one but professional
astronomer OF experience shall be hereafter engi-
| bic for the position OF superintendent OF the
| United States naval observatory; and that the
new observatory shall be planned and built under
! direction OF a commission OF scientific men. Re
| ferred to the committee on naval affairs.
| Mr.. Pendleton introduced q bill to am end the
| national bank act.
WATER SUPPLY OF THE DISTRICT.
Mr. Mcmillan proposed to call up the resolution
| to provide for the appointment OF board OF army
engineers to investigate the question OF the water
supply OF the District OF Columbia.
Mr., Harris said he would oppose the resolution
as wholly unnecessary; all the Information called
| for being already before the Senate in extant
oelai a rep reports r He also intimated that MI Nc
some malcontent engineer, whose plans had been
was utterly Mistaken and that the resolution had
been offered at the request OF citizens largely In
| terested In the question.
| THE TARIFF BILL.
Seeing that this matter would give rise to d.
bate, Mr.. Morrill, moved to proceed to the consid-
Grafton Of the tariff bill. Agreed to.
Mr. Bayard inquired whether the chairman of
the committee expected the session to continue
Mr.. Morrill, replied that he would ask the Senate
70 SIT until late In the evening. with the hope OF
finishing the bill this week. IDerisive laughter.l
The President.-Until what hour7
| Mr. Morrill, do not name any hour
| Ihe paragraph embracing potato corn and rice
| starch {reserved yesterday was taken up.
Mr. Hale moved to make the duty On potato or
corn starch cents per pound.
Mr. Bayari opposed this as another instance OF
to the Interests of the community generally, and
| SAID that tarlf1-making upon such a plan would
necome mere scramble for the spois OF legisla-
Mr.. Hale denied that this was the case of local
Industry seeking un due protection.
Mr.. Hale'S amendment making the duty on Do
tato and corn starch cents per pound was agreed
to-ayes 2S, noes "a. The rate on rice and other
starches was left at ~ cents per pound, as in the
The Senate passed to the consideration OF cotton
and co ttOn goods schedule.
House Of Representatives.
Mr. McCook, of New York, presented in the
House to-day memorial OF the chamber Of COM
merce of New York urging Congress not to sepa-
rate without passing bill to limit the coinage of
the silver dollar to the requirements Of the people
Referred to the committee on coinage, weights
and measures.
On motion Of Mr.. Lynch MISSY, Senate Joint
resolution was passed presenting the thanks of
Congress to John S. Slater, of Connecticut
M MT. O,Nelll (Pal presented petition OF the
rhllaaeiphla board OF trade against the transfer
or the revenue marine, life saving and coast sur
vey services to the Navy department., and against
tne establishment OF mercantile bureau Re-
ferred
PRIVATE DETECTIVES IN THE DISTRICT
MI. Neal (Ohio) introduced bill for the punish
ment OF any person who may practice the occupa-
ton OF private detective In the District OF Co.
lumbia contrary to law. Referred.
CONFERENCE COMMITTEE ON THE P. O. BILL.
The Speaker announced the appointment Of
Messrs. CasWell (Wis.), Cannon Oily, and Ellis
Ua.). as the conference committee on the Post
Office appropriation bill.
THE TARIFF BILL.
The House then, at 1:2O went into committee
OF the whole, (Mr. Burrows, OF Michigan, in the
chair), on the tariff bill, the pending amendment
being that offered by Mr.. Curtin Pa), to increase
duty on tanning bark from ten to twenty ner
cent ad valOrem.
Mr.. Bowman and Mr. Holman argued against
the amendment; Mr.. Curtin advocated the in
creased rate; Mr.. Gambler defended the tanners;
and MI Carlisle moved to strike out the clause,
which was agreed to-9S to "a
This was the first vote on which there was
considerable division on both sides of the
house.
,Mr. Carlsle's motion was withdrawn. The
clause now reads: Extract Of hemlock and other
Dark used for dyefng and tam ing, not otherwise
provided for In this act, 20 per cent ad val0rem
SCENE IN THE HOUSE
In voting upon an amendment to the varnish
clause no quorum voted, and this point was raised
by Mr. Mills, OF Texas. but owing to some confu
sion in the chamber the chair failed to hear Mr.
made too late. fOA' ""'
Mr.. Mills ass erted that he had attempted to
catch the attention OF the chair in time.
Mr.. Aldr1ch QlL)-''We heard no such thinp.n
.'You tell falsehood," exclaimed Mr. Mills.
misunderstanding the remark
subsequently Mr. Mills retracted his remarks,
stating that they were made under a misappre.
TIE clauses relative to varnish were finally
agreed upon as follows:
shellac ,varnish. twenty cents per gallon
the internal revenue tax on the alcohol contained
therein. varnishes, other than shellac, forty per
amount equal to the internal revenue tax ON the
alcohol contained therein
The chemical schedule having been concluded,
schedule B-Earthenware and glassware~Was
then considered.
Mr.. Cox n. " moved to reduce from Is to %
per pc cent advalorem the duty imposed on brown
The motion was lost, 5-72
The District in Congress-.
BOGUS PRIVATE DETECTIVES.
In the House to-day Mr. Neal introduced bill
TO provide for the punishment OF any person who
may assume or practice the occupation OF private
detective in the District of Columbia contrary to
law. 1t provides that any person who shall as
sumo such occupation provided in section 425 OF
Inc Revsea statues relating to the District with
out nrst having executed the bond provided for in
section 426, and otherwise complied with the pro-
visions OF said statutes shall be deemed guilty of
nne of $500, or imprisonment for Six months, or
both. -
5000 CLAIM.
MI. Mcmillan to-day presented in the Senate a
petition from George f. Brott, OF the District of
columbia, and also introduced bill TO carry out
the petition. The petition sets forth that the o.
s, government owes him IS 600 for timber seized
and used in the construction and repair OF Fort
Aoercrombie, on the Red River OF the North in 1863
"a ana 90 but the Quartermaster General cannot
pay the claim, as 1t is barred by the statute of
limitations. The bill directs the Quartermaster
General to Investigate the claim. and IL it is 1ust
10 pay It Referred to the committee on claims
Capitol Notes.
10 BE FAvORABLY REPORTED.
The Senate committee ON most offices and nosf