The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-01-15
XLVII CONGRESS--2d Session
SENATE.

OF things in Utah. Lost-ayes 26, noes %
and the bill on the calendar, to exclude publi
lands In Alabama from operation OF the law
relating to mineral lands was taken up.
Mr.. Jones, of Nevada, moved to postpone thl
calendar and take up the bill for the relief o
Ben Halliday.
While the motion was pending Mr. Cockril
moved to go into executive session. Lost.
Mr.. Jones motion, to postpone. was agreed
to, and followed by motion to take up the bill
for the relief of Ben Halliday, which was car
ried.
Mr.. ingalls, introduced bill providing tina
the President shall appoint seven commission
ers from civil life to consider and investigate
the subject of railroad transportation in its re
lations to the agricultural commercial and in
dustrial interests of the United States, and Il
report their recommendations and the results
OF their inquiry to Congress not later than the
first Monday in December, 1888. The second
section provides for the compensation of the
commissioners at $40 per day and travelling
expenses.
Mr.. Plumb moved to strike out all after the
enacting clause, and substitute the bill to en-
large the powers and duties of the Department
of Agriculture.
Mr.. Williams made the point that the
amendment was not germane
Ihe President said the Senate had long age
decided that the germaneness of amendments
was not to be considered except upon appropri
alton bills.
motion and discussed the merits of the agricul
tural bill. He sent up and had read letter Of
the late Nj. Gambetta, Transmitting COPY oi
an act establishing the Ministry of Agriculture
in France, and referring to the action on the
same subject in Germany, Australia, Italy and
the United States; also, dispatch from Lon
don on the 22d of December last, announcing
that arrangements for the creation of Minis.
try of Agriculture in England were almost
completed, and Rt Hon. Joseph Chamberlain
would be the first to fill the office. ''The com.
missoren of ofagriculture," Mr.. Plumb said, chad
been reprosched with having urged the pas.
sage of this bill, but this did him great inius-
tice, as he had taken no such action. A bill OF
this character. in the interest of the greatest
and most important portion of the community
ought not to be pushed aside in order to pass a
bill to enable claimant to take $500000 out
of the treasury (referring to the Holiday bill
which, if passed, would be followed by 1000
other similar claims.''
Mr.. Jones, of Nevada, during the discussion
said that the Government could not afford to
postpone longer doing justice to Ben Holiday,
one OF Its citizens, and that, il the claimant
had been a Japanese, or some other kind OF
foreigner, his claim would probably have been
paid long ago.
Mr.. Williams, as one of the very few practi-
cal farmers in the Senate, was heartily in &C.
cord with Mr.. Plumb in all he had said in re-
spect to the Importance of the agricultural bill.
and he thanked him for his speech on his own
account and in behalf of the farmers of the
country The Senator from Kansas, he under
stood, was lawyer, and it was pleasing to hear
such sentiments from such a source.
Mr.. Plumb said he was a farmer, too
Mr.. Williams was glad to hear it. He would
go as far asEanybody to promote the interests Of
tie farmers of the country, and would support
Mr. Plumb's bill when it came up in proper
way, but he would not vote to substitute for
the one now before the Senate bill to provide,
al for thn
claim for services rendered by an American
citizen, Ben Holiday, in a perions period of
the country's history.
Mr.. George gave his hearty support to the
bill to make the Department of Agriculture an
executive department OF the Government, and
be believed the farmers of the country favored
1t. He would have preferred the bill prepared 1
by his colleague, Mr.. Money of the House. and
presented last session, but he would cheerfully
sopport this instead, not choosing to refuse the
half because he thought the whole loaf due
Heretofore our Government had paid little at
tention to the agricultural interests of the coun
try, though it contributed more than any other
to the national wealth. Except sugar and rice
no agricultural interest has ever received any
fostering care. This neglect had resulted in
part, at least, from the ease with which lands
could be acquired from this country, and the
advantageous position generally of our farmers
compared with those of Europe, but the time
had come when something ought to be done
for the farmers of the country. They were
suffering from the operations of middle men
and spectators, and were getting tired of that
stote of things. In all the leading countries of
Europe the government fostered the agricul-
tural interest, and the passage of the bill
would be step in the same direction by our
own government. The department would be
non-partisan in its organization and its opera
tions. 1t would afford light aud agreeable EN-.
ployment to a considerable number of women
and children and would give them just com
penSation Tor their labor. 1t would Cooperate
with the agricultural colleges in the work of
experimentation to ascertain the best fertiliz-
ers and the best varieties Of seeds, grains, etc..
and would promote generally the collection
and distribution of information on all SUBJECTS
connected with agriculture. 1t would also in
augurate new system of appointment by tax
ing its employees from the industrial class in
whose interest the department was to be or :
ganiZed a just recognition of the merits and
rights of the laborers of the country, an i'm
portant step in civil service reform. The agri-
cultural interest, already so important in the
United Sfates wonld continually grow in i'm
portance. Our vast country was world in it.
self, fitted for the profitable production of ev-
erythlng that any portion of the human race
could produce or desire, and its manifest desti-
ny was to expand still more, especially in the
direction OF the equator, an expansion which
need excite no misgiving as to its advantages
for us and for those who would be incorpora-
ted with us.
Mr.. Davis of West Virginia took the floor to
speak in faver of the bill, but at Mr.. Window 8
request be yielded fer a motion to go into ex-
ecutive session. The discussion having ex-
tended beyond the morning hour, the tariff
bill was laid before the Senate go it will be
the unfinished business on Monday. The Sem
ate then, on motion of Mr. Window, went into
executive session. At 5.35 the doors were re-
opened and the Senat 9 adjourned.
HOUSE.
After reading the Journal, the House went
into committee of the whole, (Mr Reed of
Maine, in the chair,) on the pension appropria-
ton bill. 1t appropriated $81, ,575, 900 as fol-
lows: For army pensions; $4,000 OOO for
navy pensions; $1,000.000 fees and expenses of
examining surgeons $275,0O0; pay and allow
ance of spension agents $290,000; contingent
expenses $4,000.
Mr.. O'Neill of Pennsylvania, under authori-
ty of the committee on appropriations moved
to increase the appropriations for army pen
sions to $85, 100000.
Mr.. O'Neill explained that at the close of the
present fiscal year there would be an uuex
pended balance to the credit of the pension
bureau of $15, 800, 900 which would bring the
appropriation up to the estimate of. the depart
ment $101 100000
Mr.. Blackburn of Kentucky, said the
amendment was right so far as it went but the
question wasAwhether it went tar enough
Amendment was adopted making immedi-
ately available $4,000 of appropriation for fees
and expenses of examining surgeons.
Committee then rose and reported the bill
to the House when it was passed.
Mr.. Murch of Maine offered resolution in
structing the select committee on charges
against chief clerk Bailey to inquire whether
that officer has attempted at any time to in.
hnence legislation for the benefit of the
Washington Gas Light Company. Adopted.
Mr.. Forney of Alabama moved that House,
go into the committee of the whole on the for
tifcation bill.
Mr.. White Of Kentucky, called for the regu-
lar order.
After short debate the House went into the
committee of the whole Davis of Illinois in
the chair) on the fortification bill. Bill makes
the following appropriations:-For protection,
preservation and repairs of Notifications and
other works of defence, $175,000: for arma'
ment OF sea coaat Notifications including hea-
Wy guns and howitzers for flank defense, etc.,
including conversion of smooth bore cannon
into rifles $4,000; for torpedoes, for harool
defence and preservation of same $4,000
Total 1926, 900.
Mr.. McCook of New York in speaking to the
formal amendment entered his protest against
coast Notifications in helpless condition
There was no navy, and if it were not for the
efficiency of the torpedo service the harbor o
New York would be in the event of war as de-
fenseless as If there was not an earthworh
there.
Committee rose and reported the bill to the
House, and it passed.
House then proceeded to the consideration
Of the spacial ordar hain0 hills rouortad from