National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-03-19

pVrthtion OF inc mails committee OF Tue WhVle,
ny Mr.. Perkins, from the committee on lndian
nilHifs For the sale Of the Iowa Indian reserva-
ton in Kansas and Nebraska House calendar.
:, ny Mr.. Nelson, from. the same committee:
Granting right of way through the Sioux indian
re'ervation in Dakota TO the Chicago, milwaukee,
aud ST. Paul and Dakota Central Railroad COM
BY Mr.. Wemple, from the committee on public
buildings! For tho temporary exhibition In the
capitol Of model of the pedestal of the Barholdi
Al the expiration Of the morning hour Mr.,
Townshcnd moved that the house go into com:
declined to yield to Mr.. Curtin who wished an
opportunity 20 submit the report of the foreign
affairs committee upon the matter OF the Lasker
resolution. Thcreupon the members of that com
mittee mustered their forces and at tempted TO
vote down the motion, but, though they made o
good fight, the appropriations committee came
out successful. and at 1870 the house went into
committees Of the whole INT. Blount In the chair)
Mr.. Cannon, Of Illinois. raised point Of order
against the second section, which amends section
lVU2 revised statutes 50 as to prohibit the weigh
Mr.. Cannon and Mr.. Keifcr argued In support Of
the point, and Messrs Holman, Randall, and
Iownshend In opposition thereto; but the chair,
In clear logical decision, ruled against his party
friends. and sustained the point OF order.
In speaking to formal amendment, Mr.. Aiken
ures of the BILL declaring that 1t made the most
niggardly appropriations of any appropriation
bin which he had ever considered; the commit
tee of tho whole hud improved the bill by strik.
ing out the clause limiting the salaries of post
masters to 81 900; but tho committee OH appropra
lions which had framed the clause must, for the
sake of consistency, bring in measure cutting
down the salaries of members; for he was sure
that the capabilities OF man suitable to take
charge of the business of great postoffico, were
at least equal to those of an average congressman
the compensation for mail service to land
OF himself, the thought would rise up that
there was vicious legislation behind the clause.
After the committee had discussed the matter for
bpurq tho Ohipptnr from Indiana
aud presented an amendment to his own bill. He
took IN then the very roads he had excluded in
framing his bill Though he Mr. Aiken did not
charge anybody with having job in the BILL
that action had excited suspicion IN his mind
The next thing in the bill which attracted his at
tention was an appropriation OF Si60OOOO for star
route service and an additional imaginary appro.
priaton of 81 100000. Whose was that million?
about an unexpended balance of ST 10000 Why
had not the committee appropriated the whole
of that sum? What was to become of the Sl0O. 0O02
there. He criticised the committee for making no
provision for special mail facilities, and ridiculed
the excuse presented that 1t had not been esti-
mated for. IT the committee refused to give be-
cause the postmaster general did not ask, why, in
the name of common sense, did 1t object to giving
what he did ask for? The species of niggardly
legislation which was manifest on every page
the bill showed conclusively TO any rght.minded
thinking man that the purpose of the bill was to
get IN cheap notoriety for grand economy. lap
plause on the republican side.
Mr.. Holman denied Indignantly that there was
anything covert Ill the Dill, ana lie hoped TINT the
gentleman would specifically point out wherein
the committee on appropriations or any member
had sought to deceive the house or the country.
q Mr. Reagan offered an amendment extending
to members of congress the right to use penalty
envelopes i'll the transaction of official business
Messrs. Townshend White, of Kentucky, and
Randall opposed the amendment. and Mr.. Belford
advocated 1t, and inquired of Mr. Randall why u
congressman had not a right to send free q letter
Oh public business man who would object to
that was 80 narrow between his eyes that he could
look through a keyhole with both eyes
Mr.. Randall declined to cope with the gentleman
from Colorado either in wit or vulgarlty, and
maintained that the people had condemned the
ranking privilege.
Mr. Belford thought that the interests Of mem.
bers in the transaction of public business required
that they should send their letters through the
mails, aud this pretense o; economy the part of
the majority was a sham and u fraud When the
political csmpGign came on this hypocricy would
be exposed. The people would be Informed that
the democratic party was pretending TO economy
and at the same time Keeping in the treasury
work.
MIR. Randall said that those who stood here for
economy stood regardless of either snecrs or APP
plause, having Consciousness Of performing a
public duty in an intelligent, honest way. He did
not know what the issues in the next campaign
might be, but he did know that the democratic
party would never be condemned for economy
und frngality III public expenditures.
Mr.. Reagan modified his amendment by pro-
viding that 1t shall not take effect until March l.,
1856. 1t was, however, relected-yeas 6l nays %.
Mr.. Bisbee moved to amend by adding an addi-
tional section, providing that all stamped en-
yelopes, newspaper wrappers, &C., shall be manu-
featured from the cheapest suitable material in
Mr.. Townshend raised point OF order, and Mr..
Bisbce responded (sarcastcGlly) that the amend
ment certainly was germane to the bill and in
tho line. of economy The amendment was
ruled out. The committee then rose aud reported
the bill to the house.
The previous question being ordered Mr.. Bis
bee expressed his objection to the bill, which he
characterized as cheap bill, framed by n cheap
party, through its cheap committee, upon u cheap
net nj n nf fha pnn n g.fFl Nn nntN inf
Mr.. Reed attacked the bill and the party which
presented 1t TO the country, Gentlemen on the
other side had deliberately refused appropriations
when they knew that they were not providing for
the wants OF the service In order to go before the
country on pretense of economy.
MI. ToWnshend took the floor to close the de-
bate in defense Of the bill. He had had the OPP
portunity Monday of conversing with a leading
member of the senate. who said that he had read
the bill. and that IL was fair and liberal one
lie said, further that he was glad to know that he
Mr.. Townshendl had exposed the hypocrisy that
vas pTGcticed by the republican party in the
preparations. The senator was himself repubn-
can.
There were several shouts of "Name him"
from the republican SIDE but Mr.. Townshend de-
clined to do so.
Mr.. Townshend went on to say that since the
bill had come into the house every clown on the
other side had been brought TO the front to ridi.
Guile II, every advocate Of extravaganza. every
been brought forward, taxing their ingenuity to
the utmost in order 10 raise false clamor against
the bill.
Mr.. j, d. Taylor inquired whether the word
"clown" was parliamentary.
The speaker replied that If the gentleman was
using unparlianentary language any member had
the right TO call HIM TO order.
Mr.. ToWnshend, continuing, said he was not
surprised at the action of the other side in en-
deayoring to throw odium on the bill. He was
not surprised at the action of the gentleman from
Michigan MIR. Horrl, who was seeking TO make
political capital for his party; Nor was he sur
prised at the action OF the gentleman from Maine
Mr.. Reed. He had been q member of the house
with that gentleman for four years, aud he VEN
tured the assertion here and now that If that gen.
tleman's course ana conduct in regard TO the
pending bill were compared with his who Q course
in the past they would be found to be perfectly
consistent.
II Il peculator had ever been charged on this
toOr with maladministratiUn, II ever an extraya-
CANT appropriation was suggested, that gentleman
was found TO he It's defender, and If ever the in
terest OF railroad company was ut stake the gem
tlemaa was its defender.
Mr. Hiscock demanded that the words be taken
down as unparliamentary.
oh no, said Mr.. Reed, | don't want to give
them any such Significance. But when he talks
about extravagant appropriations and REGULATORS,
II he looks at the record he viii tind that in the
star route case voted with the committee on APP
populations, and that he was not here Applause
on the republican side.
! have never continued Mr.. Townshend, heard
a pocnatOr aSsailed on this hOOr, but the gentle
man rom Maine has sprung TO his feet aud de-
IcndGd him,
Name one! cried Mr. Reed.
have not time here rctorted Mr.. Townshend.
want the gentleman " name one, reiterated
Mr.. Reed.
When the gentleman, continued Mr.. Town.
Shend takes his seat and behaves himself will
proceed with my remarks The gentleman has