Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-01-18
WASHINGTON.
The Mississippi River Appropriation
Hill in the House.

continuing work on the Mississippi river.
Mr.. Skinner of New York opposed the
bill. Its object was simply to build up
lcvces. What assurance was there that the
money would be expended honestly Mr..
Skinner said the members seemed to
forget the lakes and water ways from the
West to East through which nne-tcnths Of
the commerce of the West flowed. He be-
lieved that when Congress had poured 90
millions into the Mississippi liver navigation
would no better than 1t is to-day.
Mr. White said that bis objection to the
bill was that the House did not have before
it the report of the commission. The measure
was recommended by the President in
special message. For that reason, the House
was asked to pass the bill. During the last
Congress the President vetoed river aud
harbor bill. The veto was not in the inter-
est of cheap transportation but of railroad
corporations. If he expected to control the
Chicago convention June 3D. by bidding for
Southern votes by recommending this
Mississippi river job he has better look lit
tie sharp.
Mr. Brown of Indiana opposed the bill,
predicting that it would be demonstrated
that the Mississippi commission plan was a
colossal waste and extravaganza.
Mr.. Breckenridge said that if the commits
sion were left with empty hands the river
from the character of the soil and the nature
of the stream could destroy in a few hours
the outlay of years of toll and millions of
money.
Mr. Holman offered an amendment, which
was lost providing that the money, except
what is necessary TO protect works in prog
rcss, be expended on some one reach. He
commended that as the work is experimental
the experiment should be confined to ono
reach.
Mr. Hscock offered an amendment pro
viding that the money appropriated be ex-
pended on Plum Point and Lake Providence
reaches, except so far as necessary to pre-
serve the property of the United States and
other works already started, but not to fur.
ther extend the same.
Mr.. Beford opposed the amendment, assert
ing that 95 per cent of the appropriations
heretofore made have gone TO benefit Penn
sylvania, New York and New England. He
called on his Southern and Western friends
to demand that in the distributor of the
money they had contributed to place in the
treasury they should have their just and
honest share.
Mr.. Potter of New York thought they
should listen TO the chief engineer who re-
pended on certain parts of the work, that the
great plan of Improvement might be fairly
and fully tested. He said it had been assert
cd that New York opposed internal improve
ments and was in favor of locking up the
treasury, New York was in favor of in
ternal Improvements. She had voted millions
of her own money for internal works and
| was willing that the money should he paid
| from the treasury for internal Improvements,
but she wanted to know that the money was
| to be used for that purpose and not for the
benefit Of private property
The amendment was rejected and the com
mttee rose.
The House adopted resolution calling on
the secretary of the treasury for a statement
of the gross and net earnings per annum OF
each United States marshall attorney and
clerk from the beginning of the fiscal year
| 1873 to the end of the fiscal year 1888.
A large number of petitions bearing sew
cral thousand signatures of members of
| Woman's Christian Temperance unions and
other societies and citizens of New Hamp.
shire, Massachusetts, New York and ether
states, were presented aud referred. to the
committee on education and labor.
| The committee on public lands reported a
bill, which was passed, restoring to the pub
lie dDlIain the lands granted the Iron Noun
] tain TdllrOau, inc TOau not having DCcn Dulil
| on the line contemplated.
| A bill introduced in the House to day by
Representative Nutliug of New York pro.
vines for the construction of ship canal
around Niagara Falls Niagara county, n.
Y, to connect the navgable waters of Lakes
Eric and Ontario the survey for the
work to be started within six months from
the passage Of the act; the location to be
settlefb by commissioners appointed by the
| President.
Mr. Wemple Of New York introduced a
bill for the improvement of the Erie canal.
Mr. Potter introduced a bill to maintain
the currency aud prevent injurious iluctua-
ton by the issue of per cent bonds and
their deposit as security for national bank
notes The bill proposes to remit taxation on
circulating bank notes when secured hy the
deposit of these bonds.
| The House committee on cleciI to day
decided to scat neither Chalmers nor Man
ming On the prIma facie evidence Of the case
| The report OF the committee will probably
be submitted tp the House tomorrow Gnt
the case will be considered on It's merits.
| Col. Robert Murrays nomination for sur
geon general was confirmed by the Senate
to-day
Cold Tea In ,he capitol Restaurants
The Senate took up and after slight amend
mcnt adopted the )int rules.
On reaching the rules prohibiting the sale
of spirtuous or malt liquors in the Capito
building, Senator Bayard said that, while
entirely favoring the exclusion of spiri,uou
| liquors, he did not favor the exclusion OF The
less dangerous and entirely wholesome malt
liquors.
| Senator Frye, chairman OF the COmmitte.
on rules, said the only difference between thu
new rule and the old was in the addition o
the word strictly" whi II the c1mmttc'
added because the Cd rule had MT been en-
forced. II have seen sal / FRYE, "a rcsta
urant Of che of the houses bee ONE an opei
notorious lew, miserable GROCERY | hay'
also seen man with his pantsloJns inside
his boots and coarse blouse on standing a
the bar of the restaurant of one Of the houses
of Congress drinking miserable whiskey on
of cup"
"a tin cup" asked member.
mo SIR replied Frye, "a crockery cup,
and have seen whlskcy ordered again
and again, called tea and brought and serv,t
in a cup and saucer Anybody wActh,
member of Congress or Otherwise can 81
down, oId,r his tea aud drink it out of
cup. To me whether there is anything
wrong or not there is something utterly dis
gushing about it, and it is entirely unbeconl
ing the character and dignity Of the Capito
of the United States.
After the words 'apirluous AID malt
were stricken from the rule and the wor,
"intoxicating" substituted ins'ca |, the rub
was adopted.
Senator nolr called up his bill providing
: for the count Of the electoral vote. Bcin!
the same as the bill which passed the Senal
; during the Fory-seyenth Congress il wa
again passed without debate.
No apparent progress WAS made with IL
Mexican treaty to-day, although the Scuat
devoted nearly four hours to its clnsldera
ton. A number Of speakers opposed III
treaty. Its friends are much less contld"n
of its ratification this evening than they ser
earlier in the week.