The Portland daily press., 1884-07-02
FORTY-EIGHTH CONGRESS.
SENATE

WASHINGTON July !.
Mr.. Harrison, from the military committee, re-
ported the House bill providing for the establish
ment Of branch Soldiers Home west of the
Mississippi. 1t was at once amended by substitute
ing the Senate bill for the same purpose already
passed, and as SO amended was read the third time
and passed.
sertion sololers who served until the expiration of
their term and are improperly charged with deser-
ton was passed.
The Senate also passed the House bill amending
the 72d article of war. Ut provides that any gem
erai ofncer commanding an army, territorial
division or department, may appoint general
courts MARTIAL but whenever any such commander
is the aecuser or prosecutor of any officer
under MS command the court shall be appointed
The resolution directing an investigation into the
condition of the New York banks was on motion of
yeas 80, yeas 16.
The House bill granting a pension of $50 per
month to the widow Of Gen. James B. Steadman
was read the third time and passed.
The joint resolution introduced by Mr.. Cameron
OF pennsylvania directing the Secretary of the
treasury to redeem $1O,OOO,O00 worth of trade
Senate.
Messrs. Mitchell and Mcpherson briefly urged
the redemption of the trade dollar as being de-
manded by every obligation of honor and duty
Mr.. MCPHERSON was not, however, opposed to linn
itlng the redemption to SIC, 100000. He thought
every trade dollar ought to be redeemed, Referred
to the committee ON finance.
The river and harbor bill was taken up.
On motion of Mr.. Ransom $4,000 was added for
the improvement of the st. Johns river, Del,
Mr.. George renewed his efforts to increase the
appropriation for continuing the improvement of
the Mississippi river, and moved that the amount
be increased from 81 ,250, 900 to 81, 100000.
Mr.. MCPHERSON criticised the work of the COM
mittee in preparing or amending the bill. In
State of Michigan alone $744, 900. Michigan was
an interior State, having few rivers. He did not
know whether any more rivers of harbors could be
found in it than were found in the bill. Michigan
however, was represented on the committee on
commerce, while New Jersey was not. New Jer-
sey, however, had more harbors than Michigan and
more water courses leading to the ocean and there
need in New Jersey for appropriation of four
for every one appropriated for Michigan. He said
without intending otfense to anybody that if there
ever was such thing as swindle in the country it
was the river and harbor bills of the last five or
six years. He would not characterize this as
being any than its predecessors but could not
credit it with being any better.
Mr.. Conger defended the appropriations made
for Michigan and insisted that they were based on
the soundest policy.
Mr.. Hoar then addressed the Senate. Nothing he
sad stood in the way of our contesting with Great
Britain the supremacy of the sea and taking
rightful place and that leading place in the
kets of the world, but want of discreet and lib
eral exercise of the powers vested in Congress. We
had however, been afraid to use our power because
of public cutlery. Congress had not dared to deal
in spirit of true wisdom or true economy with the
questions of restoring our carrying trade and of
navy the question Of
we not attack any other nation, but we could
not even defend ourselves~f attacked We could
not have supported the policy of our last Secretary
of State in regard to the American continent. 1t
was doubtful if we had naval force that could
have prevented Chill from laying San Francisco un-
der contribution if Chill had resented our interior
eEce.
Mr.. Hoar said that he would not favor any policy
of expenditure of public moneys that did not COM
mand the assent of the people. But the American
people entitled to have their great business in
terests dealt with by statesmen. who are not con-
stantly bleaching and cringing who were not
afraid of their public and personal character, ami
who could not stand against senseless imputation
of dishonesty. He. did not complain that we did
not initiate ether nations, but demanded that we
should discuss and vote on the questions on their
merits; he would insert in the river and harbor bill
no item the public usefulness of which could not be
made plain to all persons who scrutinized it. But
If the American Congress to be driven from it's
duty by fear of suspicion of its integrity it would
go far TO sustain the impression that such an impu-
tation was not unmerited.
Mr. Hoar characterized the policy Of internal ina
provemenls as the policy of Massachusetts, origi-
mated by its statesmen and pursued by its people.
The bill was passed.
The Senate then wenG into executive sessi on and
later adjourned
HOUSE.
In the House MIR. Randall of Pennsylvania SUBJ
mitted the report Of the conference committee on
the naval appropriation bill, announcing an in
ability to agree. The chief items of disagreement
were the appropriations for new cruisers and for
monitors. Mr.. Randall said deliberately that
nothing but an instruction from the House would
induce the House conferees to yield on these two
points, because they had not that confidence in the
of construction of these cruisers that war
ranted further expenditure of public money in
order to duplicate them. There was not thrown
around these propositions that safeguard in ex-
penditure which the present circumstance known
to the country warranted and which should be
thrown around department which was now the
subject of investigation.
spirited debate ensued on the subject of new
cruisers, with Messrs. Randall and Cox on one side
and Messrs. Reed and Calkins on the other. Mr..
Calkins charged that the reasons assigned by the
Democrats for refusing to build new navy were
not the real reasons, but that pride and temper
the real causes of their opposition. The
party had forgotten It's traditions and had become
simply party of criticism.
Mr.. Reed asked Mr.. Randall why he did not cure
his objections to clauses in the bill by amending
them.
Mr.. Randall said he was perfectly willing that
the country should judge of the sincerity of his OBJ
jections.
The conference report was then agreed to. The
House further insisted on its disagreement, and
Messrs Randall, Holman and Calkins were appoint
ed as conferees on the part of the House.
Rfr. ToWnshend of Illinois, from the conference
committee on the post-ofice appropriation bill,
sation to railroads for mail transportation to 30 per
cent, and increasing the appropriation for railway
mail clerks.
After discussion Mr.. Horr moved that the House
recede from its disagreement to the Senate amend
ments touching Compensation to railway mail
clerks land grant and other railroads for trans
portation. Agreed to.
This disposed of the bill SO far as the House is
concerned.
The bill to build cruisers and arm them was then
taken up.
Mr.. Randall of Pennsylvania maintained that
there no immediate or prospective necessity Of
the amendment contemplated by the majority bill.
That bill involved expenditure of seven millions,
and ultimately meant an expenditure of q hundred
millions. There were guns agreed upon that
would I'LL the case of existing calls, and there were
no classmates for such guns as were proposed. He
therefore advocated the bill of the minority.
Mr.. Ellis of Louisiana advocated the majority
BILL He denied that the majority bill marked DIS
parture from the policy of the government and
declared that it was but return to he splendid
policy of the Democratic party before the war.
The Clerk then proceeded to read the bill by para
graphs.
MIR. Randall offered the bill reported by the
minority of the committee appropriations as
substitute for the majority bill On verbal amend
ment to the substitute no quorum voted, and it was
agseed that the substitutes should be reported to
the House and vote be taken on it tomorrow
morning.
The committee then rose and The House ad-
tourned.