National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-01-09
The LEGISLATIVE MILL.
Over Six Hundred More Bills Offered in the
House Yesterday.
A Lively Debate in the Senate on the
New Rules.
Shall the Appropriation Bills for District Expenses Go
10 the District Committee?
Mr.. Robinson Wants 60 Know II Our
Ministers Wear Court Dress.
THE SENATE,

THE SENATE.
In the senate yesterday fouT messages were re-
ceived from the President-one transmitting let
ter from the secretary of was recommending the
sale OF the site OF the military post of Fort Sull
van, Maine, 1t being no longer required r mill
tary purposes another transmitting commune
cation from the secretary of the interior submit
ting the draft Of bill providing for the allotment
of lands In severalty to certain tribes OF Indians
u third transmitting another communication from
the secretary Of the interior submitting the draft
Of a bill to allow Indian HON stead entries with
out payment of fees, and presenting the matter
for the consideration of congress. The fourth
message transmits for the Information OF congress
papers showing operations at the South Pass OF
the Mississippi river to December. 1883, and set
ting forth the necessity for further appropriations
for the work.
The following petitions we're presenlcd
BY Mr.. BayaTd and Mr.. Vest From merchants
ana manufacturers fayoring confirmation OF the
treaty with Mexico.
oIs' board of trade praying for the reduction OF
city postage 70 cent, and asking for the passage
A resolution was offered by Mr.. Hale and agreed
10, as follows.
"Resolutd, That the secretary of the navy be and
10 hereby directed to inform the senate what was
the original cost OF oil vessels whose names nre
found ON the Naval Register for the year 1888 I'M
der the bureau of con trUction and repair, steam
engineering and equipment and recruiting, to-
gether with tho total expense Tor repairs since
their construction under the same bureaus or
The following resolution, which was offered by
Mr.. Van Wyck, went over ill to-day under tho
rule, and was ordered printed:
whereas it is claimed by the New Orleans and
Pacific Railroad company that as the attorney
general has decided in favor of said company as
TO lands claimed by them, and the secretary OF the
interior has felt constrained TO act upon md aC-
cept said opinion, aud that congress has no
further control or authority over said lands the
claims of said company thereto; therefore
"Rcsolred, That the secretary OF the interior be
directed to suspend action IN issuing certificates
N HfFnn rat Ian. mil
congress at this session shall determine the ques
tions involved in the claims of said corpora ion"
Mr.. Cameron, of Wisconsin, presented q memo
rial from the Historical society of tho state OF
Wisconsin, setting forth that that society warmly
approves the proposed centennial history of the
United states government as reported by the com
mittee of the senate on education and labor dur.
ing the second session of the forty. seventh con-
gress, and praying that congiess may, provide for
The publication of so important work.
Mr.. Morrill,. from the committee on finance, re-
ported back favorably the bill authorizing the
increase Of the capital stock of the First National
bank Of Fort Worth, Tex. The bill was put on the
Calendar.
of Monday, being the new rules.
ConsideTable debate arose upon the proposed
rule, which relates to appropriation bills. II pro;
the District OF Columbia shall be referred 10 the
senate committee having in charge the interests
Mr.. sherman supported the provision on the
ground that the people OF the district are not rep
n eXSpt through n a9se
lion from the district. The taxpayers of the dis
trict pay one-half of all the expenses of the dis
trct and the minute knowledge OF municipal
matters necessary for intelligenty dealing with
the details OF district appropriations would pre-
clude the oommt tee GU appropriations. which
has III change the entire expenditures OF the gov
ernment, from giving 10 the District Of Columbia
the attention necessary TO the most efficient ad-
From this question tho debate widoned into
the genei al question Of divided responsibility aud
the CANCERS TO be apprehended from taking
money matters out OF the hands of the apprODra.
ton committee. 20
MIR. Heck led off in opposition to the provision
retaining all matters Of appropriation IN the hands
of the committee on appropriations
IN the course OF his remarks Mr. Beck said tn ere
wns not hrst'class grocery or cry goods house IN
the country that would carry on business as 1t Is
carried on In the treasury department., with SO
many departments responsible 10 one man that he
has barely time to sign his name 70 papers,
Mr.. Edmunds thought It would be decidedly in.
furious to the Interests of the people to give the
committees having charge of special departments
oithe government the right to say how much
shoald De appropriated for Inose special depart.
ments The result OF such a course would be an
enormous increase in the expenses Of the govern
ment.
Tor the submission of the appropriation bill OF
each department to the committee representing
that department and requiring the committees to
report back within d week.
Mr., Morrill, said this would procrastinate the
work of the committees beyond all reasonable
The debate was continued at some length, being
participated in by Messrs: Baya-d Dawes, Frye,
Miller. of New York, and Hale.
Mr.. Miller, of New York, urged that the agrl-
cultural department Of the government was be.
coming so inn ortant that more money is needed
10 put 1t in the commanding position which IL
should occupy. For this purpose II was proper
that the committee oil agriculture should have
something to say rs 10 the amount of money
which should be appropriated tor IL.
Mr.. Hale moved to strike out from the proposed
rule the clause which had caused the discussion
Mr.. Miller, OF California, offered IL resolution
which was agreed to, requesting the President If
not Incompatible with the public interest, to fur
nish the senate copies of correspondence relating
TO any negotiation with the Spanish government
on the subject of discriminating duties OH COM
mercc between the United States and Cuba and
Porto Rico.
The chair presented communication from the
secretary OF the treasury transmitting, in accord
ance with the resolution OF the senate passed
Dec. IL, copies of vouchers audited by the first
auditor OIL account OF expenses in the department
OF justice since March 4, 1884, with the names OF
tpecial aud assistant attorneys ana detectives en-
ployed.
ON motion of Mr. Van wyck, it was ordered to
lie over aud be printed
communication from the secretary of war was
read, transmitting IN obedience to u senate reso-
luton of Dec TO- list OF the officers of the army
OH detached service including those sick leave.
Messages from the President were laid before
the senae relating TO- the Illinois and Michigan
canal and the work of the Mississippi river conf
mission.
Mr.. Platt, of Connecticut. nom tho joint COM
mission appointed TO examine into the
matter Of the compensation Of the en-
ployes of the two houses of congress
aud to report such legislation thereon as may DO
proper, reported to.the senate that the commission
had met and investigated the subject but had
The senate then went INTO executive session,
and when the doors were reopened adj ourned,