River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1884-03-20
CONVERSATIONAL PROCEEDINGS.


A resolution was offered in the senate for a
constitutional amendment making the presl-
dental tern six years. ana the president ineli-
Egible to reelection. A bill was introduced TO
establish forest reservation at the head waters
of the Missouri river, and the head waters OF
Clark's Fork, Columbia river In Montana Inc
bill for the relief of Gen. Porter was debated,
Mr.. Sewell of New Jersey speaking IN favor OF
it. and Mr. Wilson of Iowa against il.
The whole of Wednesday in the house was
given to the consideration of the postofice bill,
and another day will probably be taken up with
it The republicans made bitter light against
the reductions proposed in the bill, and III the
course Of the day they resorted to tilibustering,
but were finally overpowered by democratic
members.
Mr.. Davis of Illinois made the first success
full light aga inst the appropriation commIttee's
bill in providing for the postal service. Dur
ing the last session of congress the salaries u
the postmasters in nine of the largest cities of
the country were raised. but the present bill
cuts them down to $4,000 each. Davis
made a motion TO retain the salaries OF these
postmasters as they are now. He support
ed by Bingham of Pennsylvania and Horr of
Michigan, but was opposed by Holman of In
diana and Townsend of Illinois. Ills amend
ment was carried by considerable majority.
An attempt was made in the senate on the
I4th. to sesure an appropriation for the sup
preston of the foot and mouth disease that's
raging among the cattle in the west Senator'S
Cullam, Plumb, Warner, Miller and others
urged haste in the matter as there was a need
of immediate relief to prevent the spread of
the plague; but the extreme state rights
men insisted upon ventilating their
views. The most vigorous opposition they re-
ceiyed was from one of their own number,
Senator Garland of Arkansas, who took radical
grounds IN favor of the powers of congress, and
is recognized as one of the ablest LAWYERS in
a rl-G nd
as Garland said there were no constitutional
objections raised when money was appropriated
for the Mississippi river foods and the yellow
fever sufferers, but the shoe is on the North
western foot this time.
The house devoted great deal of time to the
discussion of bill to grant pension to Sep
temia +. Meikleham the only surviving grand
child of the author of the declaration of indie
pendence She sat in a front seat in the mem
bers gallery and was an attentive listener to
the discussion. Though in comparative want
she has made no appeal to her
grandfather's country through its
representatives for aid. 1t was only recently
that member of the committee on pensions
ton or request from her, introduced the bill
for relief. After long debate the enacting
clause was stricken out by over two-thirds
vote which is the same thing as defeating the
bill
Tbs clause in the p. O. Appropriation bill fix
ing the compensation of railroads was discussed
at length, Saturday, the 18th, and finally amend
ed ON motion Of Mr.. Holman, by including the
Northern Pacific and Union Pacific companies
in the proyiso limiting the compensation paid
for mail transportation to land grant roads TO
80 per cent of that allowed to other roads, and
providing that no right now existing III favor
Of those roads shall be deemed impaired or
waived by this action. The appropriation for
star route service provoked long debate, in
dial
Mr. Hoar offered resolution calling on the
secretary of the interior to report to the sen
ate the names of the parties who have pension
applications pending more than two years and
show the condition of such applications and
the reasons why they have not been disposed
of. Mr. Hoar said inquiries were very numer-
GUS from all parts of the country as to pension
cases undlsp0sed of. No tragedy could be put
on the stage which ought to move
the feelings of right minded men,
especially American legislators more than the
stories which come to us day after day, week
after week. month after month and year after
year, of the hopes deferred, of the poverty,
sorrow and agony of the men who suffered
wounds and priyations and gave up their
strength and health for their country, and the
widows and orphans of those who have given
up their lives for it. Mr.. Hoar found no fault
with the pension Office, but something should
be done to help forward pension cases
Inc Dill Tor addltlOnal associate justices Tor
the Dakota supreme court was reported adj
rersely from the Judiciary committee, and in
definitely in the Senate postponed The joint
resolution making an appropriation for the ex
tirpation of the foot and mouth disease among
cattle was debated at great length The amount
of the appropriation was increased from S25,
900 to SO, 900, and the resolution was adopted
80 to a.
Bills were introduced on Monday the 18th,
in the house requiring all land grant railroads
to furnish the secretary of the treasury full
and true quarterly statements, under oath, of
earnings and indebtedness; granting home
steads to soldiers of the late war; permitting
the five civilized Indian tribes of Indian Terri
tory to organize national banks; suspending
Tor two years silver dollar coinage, and prohlb-
iting the issue of 81 and 81 treasury notes; au-
thorizing the payment of $780, 600 to Mrs. Meik-
leham, Jefferson's granddaughter. A special
deficiency bill, appropriating sl,G97,O00 was
passed
Mr. White introduced in the house bill to APP
propriate 1919 81 to James Healey for carrying
the mail.
On motion of Mr.. Strait, resolutions of the
chamber of commerce of St Paul in relation to
the free navigation of the Congo river were re-
ferred to the committee on foreign affairs.
petition of $40 citizens of Minnesota was
presented by Mr.. Washburn for a constitution
al amendment to prohibit Acknowledgement of
United States citizens on account of sex. 1t
was referred to the committee on Judiciary.