The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-03-17
FORTY-EIGHTH CONGRESS-.
HOUSE.

WASHINGTON, Mar. 10.
The House, at noon, went into committee oi
the whole on the post office appropriation Dill.
the pending question being on the motion OF
Mr.. Horr, of Michigan, to strike out the Prov,
so limiting the compensation paid for mali
transportation to land grant roads 70 oV por
cent. of that allowed to other roads,
Mr.. Holman of Indiana, offered as suDsIi-
tute for the motion an amendment lnc'uuins
within the 30 per cent limitation clause tue
Northern Pacific and the Union Pacific sys-
TENS, and providing that no right now exlstlng
IN favor of the United States in regard 70
these roads shall be deemed to be impaired or
waved by this action.
Mr. Dunn, of Arkansas, sarcastically con-
gratGlated the gentlemen upon the grace'ol
surrender TO the committee on appropriations
He had framed a substantially similar amend
ment few days ago, but had not been permit
ten to offer it.
Mr.. Cannon, of Illinois, looked upon the
proposition as one to diminish the amount tnat
would go into the sinking fund. Practlcati
speaking, he did not think it made any diner-
ence whether the amendment prevailed or not
Under the Thurman act, the sinking fund
would not yield sgficient amount to indem-
nifty the government when the bonds mstured:
Mr.. Dunn-That is explained in report OF
the railroad commissioner. 1t i8 knavery Oh
the part of the roads.
Mr.. Cannon, continuing, said that II gentle
men on the other side wanted to co q Just and
effective thing they would come iuto the
House with an amendment increasing the
sinking fund under wise provisions, 80 that
when the bonds mstured there would be q snf-
ficient sum in thst fund. The pending amend
ment " as a sham and q fraud, and an attempt
to deceive the country.
Mr.. Belford, of Colorado, favored the
amendment The political pastures of this
country were barren of issues at present, ex
cept the tariff, bat there was one shining over
the horizon, and that was the struggle of the
NPOni0 of thla OAti0n aOainat the atan 10
growing and swelling power of gigantic mo-
nopolies which the nation had called into ex-
istence, and yet had not git the courage to
control
Mr.. Horr opposed the amendment. contend
ing that it would deprive the roads of the
earnings which would be applied to the sink
ing fund.
Mr.. Hslman's Amendments was adopted.
Mr. Horr then moved to strike out the pro-
yiso as amended.
Mr.Cu6cheon, of Michigan, protested against
the proviso as striking dewn the little land
grant roads. 1t was highway robbery.
Mr.. Holman opposed the motion, maintain
ing the justice of the proviso.
The motion to strike out the proviso was
lost-79 to 9S.
The paragraph appropriating for star route
service $4 100000, together with a reappropria-
tion OF $1,000 coo out of any uneXpehded bal
ance of the appropriation for 1883 having been
reached, Mr.. Horr moved to strike out the re-
apprOpr4dllDR ClauSe, ana increase the 3pprO-
pria'ion to $5,600,000, and long debate en-
sued.
Mr.. Townshend, In the course of his speech
in support Of the bill, went into the history of
the star route frauds, which he claimed had
been unealthed by Democratic Congress
The outrageous crime of the star route frauds
had worse result than a robbery of the treas
ury, Before committee of the House, one of
the highest officials under the Republican ad-
ministratIon had sworn that the ontrages per-
petrated by this mal-administration had gone
farther than plunder, and that they had re-
suited in the murder of the President.
Mr. Mlliken, of Maine, rose to PROFOUND q
question, but his voice was drowned by cries of
order" from the Democratic side. However
he managed to make himself heard, after some
time, with the question, Does he gentleman
remember another President, who was killed?
Who killed him, who stood behind him, and
who expressed themselves glad or il?
Yes" replied Mr. Townshend, (misunder-
standing the question,) he was a stslwart Re-
publican, and he said he was forced to do it by
the stalwart element of his party"
Mr.. Reed, of Maine, reviewed the status of
affairs at the time of the Democratic investi-
CATION of the Star route frauds.
Mr.. Blackburn, of Kentucky, reviewed
briefly the history of the proceedings in the
House at the time of the Brady investigation
mittes on appropriations, Republican and Dem-
oeratic, for their honesty and earnestness of
purpose which had been brought to the dis
charge OF their duties.
Mr., Horr's motion was lost.
The motions submitted by Msssrs Money of
Mississippi, and Skinner of New York, in.
creasing the appropriations for railway
mali clerks and mail messengers, were reject
ed.
When the consideration OF the first secttos.
was completed, it became evident that the bill.
could not be finished this evening, aud tho
committee arose and the House adj ourned.