National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-04-26
IJpon ALI Its Amendments to the Naval
Appropriation Bill.
Mr.. RiddIeberger Fails to Get Action
on the Free Bridge Project
Mr.. Wilson's Brief but Highly Effective Speech in
Relation 10 Interstate Commerce.
Tho House Occupied Both Day and Night
with Pension Bills.
TIE SENATE.

amendments and appoint q committee OF confer
ence, said that the house had rejected the amend
ments providing for the additional cruisers; for
the completion Of the iron.clad monitors; iot
be enabled TO compete with naval builders; the
amendment reviving the gun foundry board, ana
that providing for additional guns and armament
for the navy generally.
Mr.. Hale's motion was agreed TO. a. A.,
-. Mr.. sherman. from the COMMITTEES on the
three times and passed the joint resolution au-
thorizng the chancellor OF the Smithsonian insti-
tuition to appoint an acting secretary ior the inSu
Mr.. Sherman reported favorably, from the same
committee, a resolution providing for the deposit
scented to the senate by Mt Joseph Newman, OF
California, being the first American nag made Oh
Mr.. Blair from tho committee on education and
labor reported favorably the house bill TO estaD-
lish and maintain bureau OF labor statistics.
The bill was placed on the calendar, and MI;
Blair gave notice that at an early day he would
ask tne senate TO take 1t up.
The senate took up the bill reported by MT;
Plumb, from the committee on agriculture and
forestry, to enlarge the powers aud duties oil the
department of agriculture. -
The bill enlarges that department TO an execu-
tive department of tho government, under the
supervision Of secretary OF aSrcnit srs 70 re-
other executive departments.
Mr.. Kenna offered as a substitute the bill here
toiore submitted by him. The substitute provides
for the creation of executive department., 70 be
known as the department OF industries, to be in
charge of q secretary of industries. The sdepart-
ment is to comprise separate divisions of agricul-
ture, commerce, manufactures. &C., to be under
the supervision OF experts In tho several subjects
OF division.
Mi Bayard thought the subject covered by the
bill aud substitute las contemplating an addition
TO the cabinet officers of the governmenD too i'm
porant to be disposed of or properly debated with
out careful examination OF the mea sures pre-
sented. The matter went over fort the present.
Amer the passage of some private bills the sem
ate reached the bill to authorize the construction
Of bridge across the Potomac river at the Three
Sisters, near Georgetown. After debate by Messrs.
Riddleberger, ingalls,, and Harris 1t went over for
Al 2 O'clock Mr.. Wilson nd lressed the senate on
his joint resolution, recently submitted, and the
several bills already introduced relating to inter-
state commerce. The field of Legislative action
covered by the measures referred TO was not, he
occupants. How best to treat it and them was
problem which would be worked at
long and diligently before complete solution
would be found. 1t was SO complex problem
that we might well be content to work IT out by
sections. The forces which mad evolved the UNI
exampled conditions Of devopment and progress
in the United States had been both subtle and
aggressive. So noiselessly had they wrought In
their ceaseless advance tnat we had but imper-
feCtly understood them, and SO rapid and won.
drous had been their results that our attention had
been fixed upon the facts, and we had been I'M
mindful of the causes that produced them9u
While our material resources had been rapidly
advancing our science Of law making had not
aeR ase with our ne S ns hSa moi
we painfully felt the jolt and friction OF our on
ward movement.
MIR. Wilson w9s not unmindful of the great difi-
culties surrounding the question, but II was not
exceptional in that respect. Every element OF
our eXaordi , progress hUd involved great
tive the necessity of giving the subject prompt and
intelligent attention, Aconyiction had grown up
In the country that the time had come for the ma.
ional government to exercise Its undoubted
power TO regulate interstate commerce. This was
m se HSsg nn on ry
would not enter into discussion of the question
of the right ofcongress to regulate such commerce;
that had been specifically nominated in the
bond" of the constitution.
Mr.. Wilson reviewed the history of railroad
growth in the United States. and, continuing, said
that Tor many OF the complications resulting from
shat growth the national and state governments
were largely responsible. They little thought
and so then RETAINED from hnmpering and re-
Jtraning the railroad. When new factors In civil
ioWeS raS st ade SaS mo-. been SS a
that the powers given and grants made 10 railroad
companies would lead TO the results that followed.
They were regarded as agencies to build up cities,
unfold the riches Of unoccupied regions, aud pro-
mote the general welfare. There had
6Sn se TO Say TSHSder 'hS CHECKS fb
railroad in harmony with the many
unregulated management. Now the demand OF
the people In all parts of the country was that the
railroad should be put under the control that eX.
perlence had shown TO be necessary 1t was not
merely q question of land grant forfeiture; it was
more than that. II every unearned land grant
were at once declared forfeited, there would re.
main the great commercial question. 1t was un-
fortunate that the attorney general had not, long
steps to recover ali unearned land grants, because
delay In the courts would not endanger the rights
ofthe people. while delay In congress would do
30. The commencement of nm action In court
was notice to everybody discussion in congress
was notice to nobody
now he the best course for congress to pursue to
have all these land grant controversies sent to the
courts and adJudicated there. This would still
leave for congress the great commercial question
involved, The railroads had denied the right Of
congress to regulate them. The fact that the rail-
road interest had become SO strong as to make
that could be presented OF the necessity for the
equally necessary in the interest OF the railroads
themselves. The absence OF all good faith Ia the
observance of their mutual agreements had be-
come proverbial 1t was matter OF common scandal.
Pool after pool was formed, ana no sooner formed
than disregarded. Commerce, which depended
upon reasonable certainty and a reasonable COM
petition, could not prosper under the constant
fluctuations, the fast alternating pools" aud
WARS of the railroad companies. The leading
railroad men OF the United States should feel hi,
inflated at the spectacle of their total inability to
regulate their business better than they had done.
And while loudly Directing to governmental legiS-
lation concerning their affairs they were COM
PEELED to confess the failure OF their own legsla
tive efforts. for what were were the meetings of
general railroad agents aud pool managers but
meetings for legislation? Indeed, the railroad
magnHtes had come to be so great that they did
not hesitate to exercise powers that by the const
tuition were forbidden to congress.
MIR. Wilson characterized us monstrous and in
tolerable the Determinations made by railroad
companies not only against places, but against
different people doing business in the same place
1t could not he said, be lelt to any railroad com,
pany to say how or 10 whom business should be
distributed In this country Every man should
have an equal chance and should not be dscrim-
mated against.
The people had become exasperated at these
Determinations; and their complaints could not
be brushed aside by plausible figures showing Il
reduction ofaverage rates.
The argument of average rates. was no answer
tooutIageous determinations or TO capriclous ana
unstable conditions Of business. II the railroad
treated all their shippers alike they would have
made much better case,
The joint resolution, on motion OF Mr. wilson,
was referred to the committee on railroads.
The pleuro- pneumonia bill was then taken up
and was argued against by Mr.. Jones, Of Florida
who saw ia Il several constitutional objections
This bill, MIR. Jones thought, violated every I'M
portant right of the states
Mr.. Williams differed with Mr.. Jones. He
thought that II congress had power TO regulate
our foreign commerce, 1t had a right to regulate
commerce between the states; and either one or
the other ofthose was what this bill dealt with.
Mr.. Plumb said that on Monday he would ask
the senate to come to vote on the bill
A message was received from the house of repre-
sentatives announcing non-conourrence in the
s,nate amendments to the postofhce appropriation
bill.
On motion Of Mr.. Plumb, the senate insisted on
its amendments, and the chair appointed Messrs.
Plumb Allison, and Beck n committee on the part
ofthe senate to confer with like committee on
the part of the house on the disagreeng votes OF
the two houses,
Another message announced that the house had
agreed to the report OF the conference committee