Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-04-26
AT THE CAPITOL TO-DAY.
CONFERENCE COMMITTEES APPOINTED.
AMERICAN SHIPPING INTERESTS DISCUSSED
WHAT THE COMMITTEES ARE DOING.
The House,.

The House.
CONFERENCE COMMITTEES ON APPROPRIATION BILLS.
Ihe speaker announced the appointment of
the following conference committees: On the
naval appropriation bill Messrs. Hutchins, Ram
dali and Calkins; on the post office appropriation
Dill, Messrs. Townshend, Holman and Hoor.
Mr. ROBINSON AROUSED.
Mr.. Cox tN. ", from the committee on naval
affairs, asked leave to report for present considera-
ton the Senate joint resolution granting permis-
sion to Ensign Reynolds, L. S. N (who is now on
duty with the Greely relief eXpedition), to accept
the decoration OF the royal and imperial order of
Francis Joseph from the government of Austria.
MI Robinson N. " objected, saying, however,
that he was willing to extend the thanks of Con-
gress to this young man-an honor compared with
Which these ribbons were nonsense.
AMERICAN SHIPPING INTERESTS.
The House then proceeded to the consideration
OF the special order-peing the bill to remove GER
tain burdens on the American merchant marine
and encourage the American foreign carrying trade.
~ After the reading OF the report, Mr: slocum
On. W was awarded the floor. Our navigation
laws, he said, like those relating to the militia had
not been changed In the past century. They were
to-day just what they were 80 years ago. For so
years they had been precisely the same as those of
England. Thirty years ago England had modified
her laws and her commercial marine had increased
vastly from that notifications; and the bill under
consideration proposed to make our laws some
what similar to the changes made by England. The
subject had attracted the attention Of the people,
and this measure was intended simply to sweep
away some old laws which owners, ship masters
and the merchants of the country agreed should be
eradicated from the statute books it contained no
provision which was not unanimously recommended
w9n }a weod not deta the
Mr.. Deuster lWis( supported the bill.
Mr.. Cox IN. " did not consider it worth while
to-day today to say to an American Congress that our
coddling it had been killed. He was surprsed-he
was about to say mortihed-that this bill. which
something that would really restore the domination
which the United States once possessed upon the
seas, and that while copying SO many of the Eng
free registry free purchase OF ships and free trade
In materials which entered into the con-
tlal relief. 1t could not rehabtate our commerce.
He also regretted that the shipping committee
had not provided for the abolition OF the shipping
commissioners Offices In conclusion, he trusted
that this democratic House, elected at least on
some principle of berality, might do what the last
democratic House did On one occasion and repented
for free materials to help the ship builder, and the
other for free ships to help the ship owners. They
maritime interest and for the glory OF the flag
Mr.. Parker (N.Y) thought the bill brushed OF
TOO few of the barnacles which were attached to
the Shppfdg laws, and gave notice OF Several
amendments he would offer which would affect
more especially the commerce OF the lakes
Inc Dill was then read by sections for amendment.
CdpltOl AOp1css
THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER IMPROVEMENT QUESTION
The members Of the Mississippi river commission
continued their statement concerning the improve
nent Of that river before the House committee on
leVeeS and Improvements to-day Prof. Mitchell
and Major Sutter said the work had passed beyond
tne experimental stage, and results can be calcu-
lated with certainty; that the Improvement of the
river for commerce will be accomplished by conf
ming the water in its natural channel, SO that 1t
VIII scour out deep channel, and that this can
only be done by building levees In the places where
banks are low. At 2 O'Clock the commission went
DeIOre the river ana harbOr committee.
MINOR NOTES.
The Senate was not In session to-day
Both houses yesterday agreed to the conference
report On the little deficiency bill.
The committee OF conference on the part Of the
senate regarding the d1Sagreeing votes OF the two
houses ON the naval appropriation bill is composed
OF Messrs Hale, Logan and Beck.
Hon. Ben Lefevre has been renOminated for Con-
gress by acclamattOn from the fifth Ohio district
for his fourth term.
uo The Senate committee on library viii take the
room now occupied by the District committee when
1t shall have been vacated by the latter.
A prominent New York democrat ut the Capitol
to day wanted to make bet that ex-Congressman
Flower will have the delegation from New York to
the national democratic convention.
Mr. Thompson read his report on the the Thur
man sinking 1und amendment to the House COM
mittee on Pacific railroads to-day, and was In
structed to present it to the House.
on public buildings and grounds to-day, and read
statement concerning the selection OF the site for
the public building at Brooklyn saying that 1t was
the most available site to be had for the money.
--~%>-
The Railroad Route Question.
VOTES OF THE SENATE DISTRICT COMMITTEE ON THE
BALTIMORE AND OHIO TUNNEL PROJECT AND THE
BALTIMORE AND POTOMAC DEPOT SITE.
The vote 10 the Senate District committee yester-
day, on the proposition to permit the Baltimore and
Ohio railroad to tunnel Capitol Hill was yea to 8
nays 1t had been discovered that the sentiment
of the Senate was decidedly opposed to the tunnel
ffnn rI,r
had formerly voted for 1t changed their votes with
a single exception The proposition to move the 9th
street depot was carried by one majority.
ATTITUDE OF THE B. & o. RAILROAD.
1t was limited about the Capitol to-day that the
Baltimore and Ohio railroad company will antago-
nize the whole plan OF changing the routes of
steam railroads and the location of depOts If the
scheme OF requiring that road to go around the city
pennsylvania Central people for the Baltimore and
Ohio to take this stand as 1t would tend to defeat
any legislation affecting railroads in this city But
Mr. Robert Garrett, OF the Baltimore and Ohio in
speaking OF the subject, did not intimate that his
company cona y, had @ any great objections to route
cept anything that is deemed fair and proper"
Pennsylvania Democrats and the Tariff
THEIR COMPROMISE PROPOSITION. WHICH WAS RE-
JECTED.
Before the Morrison bill was taken up for con-
sideratiOn caucus was held by the democratic
congressman from Pennsylvania, at which, as a
matter OF compromise, a resolution was adopted:
"That we will consider and vote to pass a bill
which omitS the feature Of horizontal reduction
and which provides for the correction of Inc
qualities defects and errors in existing tariff egis
ttOn and also provides for moderate and reason
able reduction of customs dut1eS and for the repeal
OF all internal taxes except on spirits distilled from
grain and the abolition OF ali internal revenue
offices, with suitable provisions for a more eco
nomical collection OF taxes spirits distilled from
grain"
This was presented by Gov. Curtin and Messrs.
Mutchler and Storm, q committee appointed for the
purpose, to Speaker Carlisle and Mr. Morrison, by
whom 1t was declined. The Pennsylvania members
now refer to this rejected overture evidence that
they went more than half way in order to avoid
division in the party on the tariff question.
THE MORRISON BILL PRETTY SURE 10 PASS
Representative Talbot, of Maryland, who sup
ported Mr.. Randall for the Speakership, and has
agreed with him on the tariff question: said to
STAR reporter to-day: 1.-THE House Is going to pass
the Morrison bill as sure as fate"
with amendments" inquired the reporter
"They VIII pass 1t pure and simple" was the
reply; $500,
"Oh, there have been q good many changeSn
answered Mr.. Talbot; ''m0re than most people
think"
The Search for the Greely Party.
COMMANDER scHLEY's INSTRUCTIONS TO LIEUT..
EMORY.
The instructions In full given by Commander
Schley to Lieut.. Emory have been published The
Bear is to proceed as quickly as possible to St
Johns, where short stay will be made to coal and
receive an outfit of dogs and certain stores Inuuf-
rieS to be made there also as to the ice cOndi-