River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1884-05-15
CONGRESSIONAL SUMMARY

Grant on the retired list of the army. MIR. Hill
made speech in favor of the bill TO declare
forfeited the lands granted the New Orleans,
Baton Rouge * Nicksburg Railway company
The discussion of the shipping bill was re-
sumed and substitute for one section was
submitted by Mr. Vest and accepted by Mr.
Frye, author of the bill, abolishing all tonnage
dues on United States vessels on entering
United States ports only retaining such dues
on vessels of foreign countries discriminating
in like manner against the United States
In the house the bill for the relief Of Fitz
John Porter came up with senate amendments
Mr.. Slocum moved to nOn-concur in the SEN
ate amendments. Mr.. Balm moved concur
renee. Mr. keifor opposed tho bill declaring
It unconstitutional Mr., Slocum said
he was glad the gentleman from
Ohio had attacked Fitz John Porter The
gentlemen would be glad of it, because he
would regard what the gentlemen said against
nm as compliment, and II would be so re-
garded by the country. He lSlocunl) had only
been surprised that the gentleman from Ohio
had not summoned Charles Garfield and Elder
to sustain his course as he had done a few days
ago. Applause on the Democratic side
and misses on the Republican sidel
Mr. Bedford said he would take Grants words
as to the injustice to Gen. Porter rather than
the words of Mr., Keifer or any other party on
the floor. The motion to refer the bill to the
committee Of the whole was lost, and the sem
ate amendments nonconcurred in.
The iron clad oath which was provided for
at the outbreak of the war and has never been
repealed although numerous attempts have
been made to strike it from the statue books,
has at last been abolished The house on
Wednesday, concurred on the bill which passed
the senate some time ago for the purpose, and
u only needs the signature of the president to
become law. This oath has always been adj
mlnistered IN congress, and in courts 10 per-
sons who did not take part in the rebellion,
while those who did have taken what is known
as themoditied oath.
Senator Van Wyck offered a resolution,
which, at, the suggestion of Conger, was laid
over one day, directing the secretary of the in
terror to withhold the granting Of patents to
or recognizing any claim made by the North
ern Pacific railroad adjoining and on account
of what is known as the Puyallup branch,
built many years ago, until this congress shall
take action on the question of the forfeiture of
lands granted said road A resolution was
adopted calling on the secretary Of the interior
for Information regarding the cowboy who
shot at Black VOLTS hat on Lame Deer creek,
Mont. This refers to the recent fancl burn
ing by Black VOLTS band
In the house, Thursday. On motion of Mr..
Ellis all prior bills were set aside, and the COM
mittee proceeded to the consideration of the
bill appropriating s. 100000 forthe celebration
of the worlds industrial and cotton centennial
exposition at New Orleans Mr. Ellis briefly
explained the provisions Of the bill and pointed
out the safeguards which had been established
for the return of the appropriation 70 the
United States out of the receipts
After further debate, on motion of Mr.. His
cock an amendment was adopted providing that
the sum appropriated shall only be paid on the
treasurer of the United States being satisfied
that S500,000 has been contributed by the
Worlds Industrial and Cotton exposition. The
bill passed-yeas 1874 nays 81
Among the bills reached ON the speakers
table the 18th inst, was the senate bill TO author
ize the secretary of the interior to ascertain
the amount due citizens OF the United States
for supplies furnished the Sioux or Dakota In-
dams of Minnesota subsequent 10 August
1860 andprior to the massacre of August, 1862,
and providing for tho payment thereof The
bill was referred to the committee of the whole
on the state of the Union. AS it is among the
last bills on this calendar its chance for pas
sage is exceedingly small.
The subcommittee of the house on Indian af-
fairs, having in charge the senate bill to open
the Sioux reservation, have with some amend
ments agreed to the bill, and will report 1t to
the full committee this week The most Inn
portant amendment is with regard to the term
of the treaty with the Indians. That portion
of the bill which provides for the conveyance
of reservation III fec to the tribe occupying it.
the subcommittee recommend shall be stricken
out Inasmuch as the bill provides that the lands
may be allotted in severalty to the Indians,
and that at the end of twenty-five years patents
shall be issued to the several allottecs, they do
otfavor patenting any land to different tribes.
The other amendments proposed by the com
mittee are Uninlpo-tant, and with the exception
named, the bill VIII be reported practically as
il came from the senate.
The bill granting additional pension TO tire
widow of Gen. Francis p BLAIR passed the
house 1t grants her s. 0O0 for her husbands
services in organing troops and increasing her
pension to $50 a month
Mr. Hewitt introduced a tariff bill in the
house on Monday, which was referred to the
committee. 1t makes moderate reductions all
| round, but no expectations are entertained of
its passage.
The bill introduced by Representative O'Noin
of Missouri is as follows: Whereas, the eX-
listing tariff taxes on articles of food increase
the cost of living to the people and produce
large surplus of revenue, therefore be it enact
ed that from and after July IL, 1884, the fol-
lowing named articles be exempt from duty,
viz. Raw sugar not refined, molassess, salt
rice, rye and barley, potatoes, oatmeal, cur
rants and raisins, prunes. peas and beans, but
ter and cheese live animals, vegetables and
}chicory. Mr. ONeill estimates that the bill
will accomplish reduction of $751; 100000 i'll
the revenues.
The senate on Monday, che 18th, considered
the Indian appropriation bill Mr. Dawes
made long argument in reply to Mr. Plumb's
query as to what were the fruits of the
efforts to civilize and educate the Indians. Mr.
Dawes pointed out the good work which was
being done at the Indian school at Carlisle, Pa,
where many Indian boys had been taught such
trades as shoemaking, harnessmaking, and
other self-sustaining empIoyments, besides OBJ
tanning good common school education, while
tHt lhtiltu girls we're Taught uTthSHldhiHS anu
sewing. good many of the graduates were
now on the reservations from which they were
taken, and We're plying their vocatiOns among
the less civilized members of the tribes with
good effect Mr.. Dawes thought that many
more such schools should be established. He
also said that the Indian scholars at Carlisle
raised all the food used at the school. and he
had eaten bread that was baked by an ArTapa-
hoe Indian boy who was taken from the most
unruly portion of that tribe.
m fap Il hat in 40 Ind
BILL Senator Ingalls, of Kansas said he knew in
dividual instances of extreme interest shown by
it but itdid not make any appreciate change in
the Indian character 0fcourse it was desirable,
as far as possible, to ameliorate the condition
of the Indian tribes; but if an educated Indian
returned to his tribe he found himself an alien
and outcast His last condition was worse
than his first; vet if he came into competition
with white man he was lost The best thing
that could be done for an Indian would be 10
make him amenable to law, which he
was not He had hard enough
tions of the governmental its determination of
Indians. There had been no such extermina-
ton. There were as many Indians ON the con
tinent to-day as in 1892. The government had
on the contrary, always shown lenicncy to the
Indians. It was as absurd and futile TO teach
Indians the Greek alphabet and diferential cal
culus, serve him dinner IN courses and show
him how to wear high hat and gold watch, as
it would be to go among herd of Texas broad
Durhams and thoroughbreds by reading Alex
ander's herd book in cattle pens.
Senator Dawes replied that Ingalls, was guilty
of libel on the whole human race when he in
timated that any of its members were incapable
of beleg trained and educated