Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-12-16
AT THE CAPITOL TO-DAY.
THE HOLIDAY RECESS QUESTION,
OTHER MATTERS IN BOTH HOUSES OF CON.
GRESS AND IN THE COMMITTEE ROOMS.

UIHER MATTERS In BOTH HOUSES OF CON-
GRESS AND IN THE COMMITTEE ROOMS.
The Senate.
MI. ingalls, presided over the Senate TO-DAY, hav-
Ing been designated for that purpose by the Vice
| President, under the rule
The bill "making temporary provision for the
naval service" was reported by Mr. Hale, from the
naval committee, with sundry amendments He
gave notice that he would endeavor to call 1t up
morrow.
OPPOSITION TO THE NICARAGUAN TREATY.
Mr. Lapham presented remonstrances against
the ratification Of the Nicaraguan treaty, but Mr.
Sherman raised the point Of order that the treaty
was executive business, had not been ordered pub
nshed and that the remonstrances should therefore
be presented in executive session. Mr.. Lapham
| thereupon withdrew them.
Ihe House joint resolution providing for the pay
ment On the goth inst. OF the salaries OF employees
OF the Senate and House was passed
Mr.. Hoar submitted a resolution, to be called up
tomorrow, providing that when working on its
calendar hereafter the Senate shall give preference
| to House bills.
| resolution, introduced by Mr. Aldrich, was
agreed TO calling on the Secretary OF State to CON-
regarding the extent and character OF the foreign
| trade OF Mexico, the Central and South American
states, Cuba. Porto Rico and San Domingo, etc.
House of Representatives.
was called to order this morning by Mr. Springer
Oily as speaker pro TEN. On motion OF Mr.. Skin
ner On " bill was passed amending section 394O
Revised statutes, relating to the forwarding OF
mali matter. III authorizes poStmaSterS TO for
ward mail matter OF the second, third and four Il
Class on which postage has once been paid In full
This rule is now in force in regard TO mail matter
On motion OF Mr. Rosecrans [Cal) Tuesday, JAN
uary 9th, was assigned for the consideration OF
business reported from the committee on military
affairs
THE HOLIDAY RECESS.
MI. Morrison QlL). chairman OF the committee on
ways and means, repe ted a resolution providing
for holiday recess frcm the 23i OF December until
the 5th OF January
Mr.. Bount (Ga) onered an amendment, provid-
Ing that the recess shall begin on the Goth OF De-
cember.
MIR. Morrison offered an amendment thereto,
Mr.. Randall tPa-) said that the District appro-
prlation bill could be considered on Monday and
Tuesday. If the House was In session those days.
Afterfurther debate Mr.. Morrison withdrew his
amendment, and Mr.. Biount'S was agreed TO; 120-
The resolution, as amended, was passed.
THE INTERSTATE COMMERCE BILL
The House resumed the consideration OF the in
ter-State commerce bill.
The District in Congress.
THE PROPOSED STATUE TO LAFAYETTE.
| In the Senate yesterday Mr.. Sherman, from the
library committee reported back favorably the bill
to appropriate $4,000 for the erection Of an eques-
| trian statue to the memory OF Gen. Lafayette In
Washington, with the preamble stricken out and q
section added. The new section directs the presi-
dent pro tempore OF the senate and Speaker OF the
House TO appoint joint committee OF three Sena-
tors and thre Representatives, with authority to
contract for and erect statue TO the memory OF
General Lafayette and his compatriOts: also. that
the statue snail be placed in suitable public re-
servation in the city of washington. to be desis-
| mated by the joint committee. The preamble
which was stricken out merely recited the ser
n of oYdf aNFS Sl,e,
American people for his memory.
Capitol Topics.
| PENSION AGENCIES.
The House committee on appropriations think of
| adding amendments to the pension appropriation
bill providing for the reduction OF pension agencies
from 10 to IL. The commissioner of pensions Will
be consulted however, before f1nal action is taken
| INCREASING THE EFFICIENCY OF THE ARMY.
In the Senate yesterday Mr.. Manderson intro
duced DILL to increase the efficiency of the In
fantry branch OF the army by making each regi-
ment consist OF twelve companies. one colonel one
lieutenant colonel, three majors, one adjutant one
| QuartermaSter, one sergeant major, one quarter
master sergeant and one chief musician, who shall
be instructor OF music and two principal musicians.
| The adjutant and QuartermaSter shall be extra
lieutenants selected from the first second reu-
tenants OF the regiment and 1t is provided that all
| appointments to the original vacancies above the
grade OF second lieutenant created by this act shall
be filled by seniority in the infantry arm OF the
| service.
l
On motion OF Mr.. Aiken, from the committee on
| agriculture, the bill to establish Department of
Agriculture was passed by the House under q sus-
| pension OF the rules yesterday afternoon. The
vote stood yeas 166, nays 69.
MR.. KERS LETTER ABOUT THE KuBOURN CASE
JURIES.
Representative Randall, chairman Of the appro-
priation committee OF the House, has received a
letter from Mr.. W. W. Ker with reference to the
proposition before Congress to appropriated sum OF
| DAMAGES v q
| to Hallet k1lbOurn in his suit against John G..
| Thompson ex-Sergeant-at-ArmS OF the House, for
l. said that in this letter Mr. Ker asserts that in
each Of the three trials Of this the urteS were
"nXed." Mr: Randall refuses to make public the
contents OF the letter to state what disposition
| he has made Of il.
AGAINST RECIPROCITY TREATIES.
A resolution submitted In the Senate yesterday
by Mr. Morrill, declares in plain terms against reci-
procity treaties 1t afIlrms the right OF the legfs-
the laws OF revenue, and resolves 'that so-called
reciprocity treaties, having no possible basis OF
reciprocity with nations OF inferior population and
equal sums OF revenue, involving the surrender OF
| immensely larger volumes OF home trade than are
offered to us In return and involving constitutional
questions OF the graveSt character, are untimely,
and should everywhere be regarded with disfavor" :"
Mr. Morrill, will call up the resolution at some early
| day and make speech upon 1t.
CONSOLIDATION OF THE SCIENTIFIC BUREAUS
Maj. Powell. director OF the geological survey, In
his statement to the joint commission of Congress
which is considering the organization OF the
several scientific bureaus Of the government SAYS
he thinks that the scientific Institutions OF the
| government should be placed under one general
| management, and names the regents of the Smith
| sonian institution as an organization peculiarly
well fitted for that purpose.
NOTES.
Mr. Hill, of Colorado, introduced bill in the
Senate yesterday to regulate the letting OF mail
contracts 1t is intended to furnish further safe
| guards against star route frauds
| The revenue marine longevity bill was defeated
| in the House yesterday afternoon.
A working model OF the Ead's ship railway Is
about to be set In operation In the room OF the
Senate committee on naval affairs.
On the desk OF Senator ManderS0n. chairman OF
| the committee on printing, to-day was huge bum
die, which excited general curiosity. It
contained the original warrants drawn by
the controller on the United States Treasury
| for the last fiscal year, which. under ex-
tsttng laws, have to be sent to the Senate. These
| books OF warrants contain no Information at all
and it has not been the custom OF the Senate for
| several years to print them. Mr.. Manderson to-
day introduced bill to repeal the law requiring
| these warrants to be sent to the Senate.
! Special Employer Of the Department
OF Justice.
REPORT OF THE JUDICIARY COMNTrTER