Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-04-19
CONGRES~IONaL.
HOUSE

steps taken 10 formulate the ball
White. of Kentucky. took advantage
> Of the brief debate on the bill 10 crltl-
eize the action Of the Springer commit
to IN stopping the investigation of the
charges against Gov. Murray. The man
uuuer Investigation had said that be
~as not eultv. aud had called upon
Justice HaF.tu and Speaker Carlisle "a
testify To hI- good character There
upon the /. vestIzatlon ceased, and not
only that, hut the Committee had pro-
posed 10 investigate his Whites CHAR
acter
Miller. of Pennsylvania. called the
Gentleman 10 order for not couininS
q jh-eit u the blI under consideration.
but the ii use decI lei that W-lte
mIsht lie permitted to proceed III
order: bat White continued - talk
IN the sane strain. when Miller
again called him 10 order. The So aker
thougnt the remarks of the gentleman
not relevant to tne bill and White said
that the difference between TIE Spaakl
and himself was that while b. had
been euGeAv1ring to defeui the rights
of the poorest people in his State. the
Speaker had eeen eudegvoriug to get
bills through Congress for the biggest
whisky munopOii-s IN the state of Ken
tucky.
Miller demanded that these words be
taken down as unparilAmentarv.
The Speaker-lhe Char desires tn +.
the words should noi be taken down
and no notice taken of them Ap-
pltuse on both sides of the Chamber
Miller thereupbn Withdrew his de-
mand. bat Insisted that the gentleman
should proceed In order or not at all,
The Speaker - The Chair will en-
deavor 10 enforce the rules of the
House.
Cannon suggested that great lati-
tude had always been permitted mem
bers speaking. and their remarks had
not been confined to the provisions of
the special bill under consideration.
The Speaker replied that he would
not interfere with the course of the GEN
tleman's remarks. If the point were
raised by another member, hs was
bound to decide the question according
u the rules.
Miller said he did no. raise the point
out of any i'll feeling toward the gentle
man from kentucky; bat he did object
To the time of the House belu- taken
up IN the settlement of differences
which members of Congress might have
with some other person. A member
| had the utmost liberty IL y ate, and
could noe be called to account for his
utterances. and that liberty ought not
to be abused. The House, however,
ought not to permit members to abuse
this privilege.
White then proceeded in order. and
at the conclusion of his speech the bill
| passed.
The House then went into committee
of the whole. Cox of New York in the
chair, on the private calendar.
SENATE.
Sherman, from the Committee on Lii
brary. reported adversely on the hill
providing for newspaper copyright. Cal
endar.
From the same committee was re-
ported adversely the joint resoluti n
providing for the erection of a bronze
equestrian statue to Simon Bolivar.
On vot, it was indefinitely postponed.
The Senate then took up the Post
Office Appropriation bill.
Plumb said as the bill had left the
House 1T had appropriated S46. 225. 800.
The Senate Committee had added So.
40, 800. making An appropriation at
present of $40, 725 400. As the bill now
stood after the addition by the Senate
committee, Plumb said il was rather
inside than outside of the necessities of
the situation. and that the committee
desired Il more efficient service. though
they had not made the appropriation as
large in All cases as members thought
WAS entirely desirable, aud not as large
As the estim ties made by the Post
Office Department. he public WAS
entitled to good postal service. tie add
ed, rs they pad for 1t.
| The cOnsld. rttl9n of the bill was
Or Gee ted wit by sections Ga reach
in the section relating to the trans
Do ttation of mails, n debate arose.
Tne bill. IA it came from the House, re-
CURED the Postmaster General to make
Il reduction of five per cent IN the com
pensation heretofore paid all railroads
for mails: ami that railroads that re-
ceive land grants should be required to
carry mails at II rate fifty per cent less
than that paid other railroads for like
y rvlce. Plumb eXpl aimed that the
Committee on Appropriations had not
felt justified in retaining these pro
visions. ST. far as the > per cent reduction
was concerned. The members of the
committee. after some examination,
were not entirely satisfied that the
amount now paid railro ads was greater
than 1t Should be. The Government re
uuIred the companies to carry the mails,
and were paving less for the service
than express companies PAID. Every
person who had examined the subject
had become satisfied that the present
rates paid railroads were lnequitabie.
and did not pay several roads III pro-
portion to the services rendered by them
s-verally. The subject should. there
fore, III the opinion of the COMMITTEE,
be dealt with by some comprehensive
measure, after careful examination and
discussion, and was not To be disI oSed
OF In an appropriation bill. Relating
to the requirement that land grant
railroads should carry the mails
for fifty per ceutum less than
other roads Plumb said the Senate
Committee had hot thought the provls-
ION one that should be- hastily adopted.
Some of these roads had received lands
of greater value than others, and larger
grants. Tie Pacific roads We're under
law carrying mails now for - per cent.
less than other roads. The subject of
the relation of the government to these
roads was before the courts: and doubt-
less before another Congress should as
SeDDIe, Tue courts N0ulu Tetucr u ue
clsion concerning the acts bearing on
that relation. The Thurman bill being
IN process of enforcement the Commit
tee on Approprl !tions had not felt like
entering npon so broad a subject, and
dealing with II III the piece meal fashion
which would be necessary, II 1t were to
he dealt with In an appropriation
bill. If anything Was lacking with
reference to the obligations Of railroads,
to the government or with reference 10
the rates they were charging, whether
the government or individuals. that sub
iect sh puid BE- treated AS It's Importance
; deserv ii, not IN an appropriation, but
by open commission, Congress having
the subject of railroads In charge, III
order that all elements of 50 very intri'
cate problem might be kept In view
, For these reasons the Senate Committee
on Appropriations had agreed to strike
from the bill the provisions referred TO
Salisbury expressed regret that the
. clauses In question had not been retain
ed. He believed that the railroads Were
receiving too high a rate, aud sud the
amendment on the subject submitted
from the Committee on Postotflces and
I Post Roads aorIi have the effect of z