Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-01-23

tomorrow. The senate then adjourned.
House.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 22.-In the house i'm
mediately after the reading of the journal
Mr.. Hiscoek called for the regular order
and refused to yield to several Republican
members who desired to ask unanimous
consent. Under the call of states a num-
Der of bills we're introduced and referred.
Among them was one by Mr.. Rosecrans,
empowering journalistic writer's to pro-
cure copyrights and receive protection
after their articles have been published.
Mr.. Willets, of Michigan, for the furthec
suppression OF bigamy and polygamy.
On motion of Mr.. Caswell, of Wisconsin,
a joint resolution passed apPropriating
100000 to continue the work O. the CEN
sUs bureau.
The bill was passed to repeal the license
tax on commercial travellers in the District
of Columbia.
The house then vent into committee of
the whole on the naval appropriation bill.
Mr.. Page, of California, in the chair.
Mr.. Blount, of Georgia, in a speech OPP
posed the clause for the selection of Off
GERS to be promoted to the grade of rear
admiral by board itself selected by the
secretary of the navy. He had seen an
electoral commission divided by party
lines; he had seen the first assistant post
master general choosing, not the best men,
but Republicans to fill positions;
he had seen the president permitting the
extortion of contributions from the hard
&C &la al nj
purposes, and the secretary of the navy
might be Influenced for promotion by the
political complexion of the applicants.
This provision would drag down the per-
sonnet of the navy into mere politics, and
he was in favor of placing officers of the
army and navy beyond the reach of any
political influence. The bill was read by
sections for amendment.
Mr.. Knott, of Kentucky, offered an
amendment changing the title of the
grade of midshipmen to that of ensign
and providing that midshipmen now in
the list shall constitute the junior grade
of ensign. Adopted.
Also an amendment changing
the rank and grade of master to lieutenant
and providing that masters now on the
list constitute the junior grade of Eeuten-
ants. Adopted.
MIR. Thomas, of Illinois, offered an
amendment providing for eight chiefs of
bureaus, who shall receive no additional
rank or pay above the regular rank or
relative rank in line or staff of the navy.
Agreed to-S6 to 81.
Mr.. Mott offered an amendment pro-
viding thet the ofi& rs of the medical, pay
and engineer corps, except those holding
the grade of lieutenant, shall receive the.
same pay as now allowed by law under
similar circumstances to officers of the line,
with whom such officers hold relative rank.
Mr.. Knott advocated the amount as simple
justice to line officers and a saving Of
100000 year to the government.
After a long discussion upon point of
order the amendment was ruled in order.
Mr.. Knott said no line officer had asked
him to take any of the steps he proposed
to take in regard to the pending bill, but
probably it would not be any violation of
confidence to say he had been appealed to
by staff officers not to cut down their pay.
He proposed the amendment in good faith,
as being demanded by the best interests of
the country, and as being called for by the
all prevalent cry for retrenchment and
economy, and Mr.. Thomas, of Illinois,
favored the amendment. 1t was an outrage
that men appointed to assist the COM
mander of a ship in discharging his duties,
should receive higher pay than that of the
commander. There's no justification for
it. and the amendment was a step in the
right direction, whether it was a fight be-
tween the line and staff or not. 1t was
thing which ought to be done, and it was
II. L. 4
it had not been done long ago. The
amendment was lost-6S to 81.
Mr.. Calkins, Of Indiana, offered an
amendment providing that no further
original appointment of paymaster in the
navy shall be made, but where vacancies
occur, officers of the line shall be detailed
to perform the duties of paymasters with
out extra pay.
Mr.. Hepburn, of Iowa, offered as sub
stitute a proviso that every officer in charge
of a vessel of the navy yard belonging
to the United States be detailed by the
secretary of the navy to pay the officers
and men under his command, and that
after the Both of June, 1888, all pay direct
ors, pay inspectors and paymasters shall
be mustered out of service, with full pay
for one year. Mr.. Knott also offered
substitute providing for promotions to
any grade of the pay corps, but whenever
vacancy occurs in any grade,
a suitable officer shall be detailed from the
line to discharge the duties thereof.
Mr.. Robson opposed Mr.. Knott's pro
visos, and gave a statement of the duties
devolYing upon the pay corps, and declared
that an inexperienced line officer detailed
} to perform those duties would find himself