River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1884-06-19
CONGRESS SIGNAL SUMMARY

CONGRESS SIGNAL SUMMARY
The house Tuesday considered bills coming
from the committee on Indian affairs. Most of
the session was devoted to Mr.. Nelson's bill
to open the Red Lake Indian reservation in
Minnesota. Mr.. Nelson made very clear and
comprehensive explanation of his bill He
said he thought there was some misapprehen-
sion in regard to it It had been charged that
the bill was in the interest of pine land
rings and gotten up to defraud the
Indians He effectually answered this charge
by showing that this bill has been so carefully
drawn as to prevent any fraud upon the Indians
whatever, and that it was against the interest
of pine land speculation tits doubtful wheth-
or It will come up again this season, but MFR.
Nelson says he will avail himself of tho first
opportunity to call it mp again.
In considering the river and harbor bill in
the house on Tuesday, the following items of
interest to the northwest were agreed to:
Improving harbor at Ahnapee, Wis, SIS, geo;
Green Bay, Wis, $1,000; Kenosha, Wis, 3d.,
600; Kewaunee, Wis, $4,000; Manitowoc
Wis, 1900; Menominee, Wis, $1,000; Mil
waukee. bay, Wis, sS5, 600; Oconto, Wis, s15,-
co.; Stockholm, Lake Pepin, Wis, SIS, 600;
Port Washington, Wis, $1,000; Racine, Wis,
5000: Superior Bay and entrance, Wis, s45,
600; Sheboygan, Wis, SIS, 600; Sturgeon Bay
canal, Wis, $1,000; Two Rivers, Wis, IS, 900;
Ice harbor, Dubuque, Iowa, $4,000; Duluth,
$4,000
The house has passed a resolution reported by
the committee on ways and means, for an adj
journment on the 30th Of june but it is not
probable that the necessary business can DO
completed by that date. The appropriation
bills are very far behind, and could not be
completed, even if the house should hold ses-
sion night and day OF the thirteen regular
appropriation bills only two have become
laws.
The senate Wednesday went into secret leg
islative session on tho item in the consular and
diplomatic appropriation bill appropriating
$3.50, 600 to cover the necessary expenses at
tendant upon the execution of the neutrality
act The bill passed.
The house passed the bill providing for the
construction Of the Hennepin canal.
The following nominations were made to the
senate by the president:
Patrick b. Sinnol of Oregon, agent of the In
dams at Grand Ronde agency. Oregon Regis
ters of land offices A. w. Rothert of Coma,
Cheyenne, Wyo.; o. p Chisholm, Illinois,
BOzeman, Mont
Much to the discontinue of tho friends of
the Hennepin canal scheme, the appropriation
for it was stricken ont of the river and harbor
bill by the house Thursday Mr.. Oates of Ala
bama made the motion to strike out, which was
carried by vote of 1916 to lo2 The vote
against this motion was composed chiefly of
Western and Northwestern members the
heaviest vote for it came from the Eastern and
Middle states and along the Mississippi river
south of st IOuis. The vote to strike ont WAS
also largely made up from members who do
not share in the appropriation bill and who
are naturally opposed to it The Republicans
chiefly voted for the Hennepin canal, but the
Democrats, under the lead of Randall general
" voted for the motion to strike out
The river and harbor bill passed the house
by vote of l56 to l07.
In the senate, Thursday, the 18th, final
vote on the consular and diplomatic appropri-
alton bill, and the bill passed-yeas, IS; nays,
2-Nance and Van Wyck The bill as passed
is almost precisely as reported from the sen
ate committee on appropriations, making an
addition of $500, 900 to the bill as reported from
the house.
On Friday Mr.. Brown obtained unanimous
consent to take up the bill TO require the pay
ment in cash to the State of Georgia Of $25,
$50, appropriate for that state by an act passed
in March, 1873, to refund to Georgia certain
moneys expended for the common defense i'll
1177 Mr.. DOlph moved an amendment to in
clude SIS, 900 for Oregon and Si9 1000 for Cali
fornia to refund moneys expended to those
states III the suppression of the ModOc hostllIt-
les. After long discussion, Mr. ingalls, moved
to recommit the bill to the committee on claim.
Adjourned to Monday the 10th.
In the House, the whole Friday session was
occupied on the postal bill A protracted dis
cussion arose on the senate amendment in
changing the amount for payment to letter
carriers and the incidental expenses of free
delivery systems, to ST. 900 600, 81, 600 of which
is to be used III the discretion of the post
of the free delivery system in cities
where it is not now established.
There were very strong speeches on both sides
Of the house in favor of the increase, and the
result was that the amendment was agreed to
by a decided majority. The conference com
mittee agreed to the increased appropriation of
sI2, $4,000 for inland mail transportation.
This clause provides that
If any railroad company shall fail or refuse
to transport the mails when required by the
postof1ice department upon the fastest trains
run upon the road the company shall have its
pay reduced 80 per cent of the amount provided
by law
The senate struck out all hatpart of the bill
reducing decomposition of all nOnsubsidized
railroads for the transportation of mail per-
ccntum per annum and the subsidized railroads
to 80 porcentum of the compensation authoriz-
ed to be paid to other companies The amend
ment was disagreed to by the conference com
mittee.
The treaty which has been under consider
alton in the senate committee on foreign re-
lations, providing for an international copy
right and patent system and which has already
been ratified and promulgated by twenty four
governments, was reported adversely by the
committee to the senate, and after brief dis
cussion rejected