The Portland daily press., 1884-01-15
FORTY-ETGHTH CONGRESS-.
1ENATE.

A petition was presented by Mr.. vest OF
Missouri from pork packers of st. Louis, pray
ing for such retaliatory legislation as may
protect them from exclusion of American PORK
from Germany and France.
petition was presented by Mr. dawes,
from cit zens of Massachusetts praying 1or the
establishment of an industrial training school
at Simka, Alaska. Mr.. Dawes took occasion
to say that some years since $2b,0OO had been
appropriated for this purpose, but no part Oh
the money had been expended.
A bill was presented by Mr.. Call 70 repeal
all laws prohibiting pensions to wounded or
disabled soldiers of the United States Wltnout
proof of loyalty.
Mr.. Sherman then called up the resolution
OF Mr.. Edmunds of December 18th that the
Senate now proceed to the election OF president
pro tempore and moved that Senator Anthony
OF Rhode Island be elected to that offlce. Ia
making the motion Mr.. Sherman said Senator
Anthony was Senator who of those now in
the Senate had the longest occupied seat IN
it and that he had been five times elected by
his State to represent its people in this body
and been many times elected by common con-
sent president pro tempore of the Senate and
had always faithfully discharged the duties OF
that office. Under the circumstances, there
fore, he hoped there would be entire unanimity
in electing Mr.. Anthony.
Mr.. Pendleton, without dissenting from the
opinions expressed by Senator Sherman as to
the qualifications, fitness, integrity, ability and
patriotism of Mr.. Anthony, moved to
insert the name of Thomas p. Bayard of
Delaware. The amendment was not agreed
to and sSenator Anthony was declared duly
elected to the Office of president pro tempore
of the Senate, and was invited by the chair
(Mr. Edmunds of Vermont) to come forward
and be sworn in,
Thereupon Mr. Anthony rose fl his place
and not without some emotion in hls voice
and manner thanked the Senate for the dis
tinguished honor and said that sthe acceptance
of it would give him pride and pleasure, but
the state of his health, which all
any labors which he could consistently and
honorably avoid. Therefore, he said with his
heart overfowing with gratitude for all the
kindness to him he must most respectfully de-
cline the position.
The chair then announced it awaited the
action of the Senate.
Mr.. Sherman remarked that there being no
vacancy in the office of president pro tenn
pore of the Senate he did not deem sny
further action necessary. If he did, he would
have moved that George +. Edmunds Sena-
tor from Vermont, be elected president PRO
tempore, but such action would involve noti-
fication to the House of Representatives and
the President, which would imply that the
Senator from Vermont was not president pro
tempore.
Here Mr.. Edmunds vacated tho chair, to
which he called Mr.. Garland OF Arkansas.
Considerable debate-upou the question fol-
lowed. Messrs. Ingalls, declaring the Of
flee OF president pro tempore vacant, and Mr..
Dawes to the contrary.
Finally MIR. Shermsn offered the following
resolution:
Resoloed, That George F. Edmunds Senator frem
the State of Vermont is hereby chosen president
pro tempore of the Senate
Mr.. Bayard moved to amend by substituting
the name of George Ell. Pendleton, Senator
from the State of Ohio.
Mo- ~ \
"a; nays, 80, and the amendment was not
agreed to.
The resolution of Mr.. Sherman was then
agreed to and Mr.. Edmunds having advanced
to the desk, the oath of office was administered
by the presiding officer
After resolution offered BY Senator Sher
man notifying the President and the House
OF Representatives of the election of Senator
Edmunds, Senator Hill delivered a speech in
support Of the postal telegraph bill introduced
by him. He related his story of the original
line in this countrv which for three
and then sold to private parties. 1t might be
donbted, he said, where the statute books con-
tanned piece of more il-adyised lega
isation than the act of 1876.
an act which has already cost the people a
hundred million dollars in excessive OF the
cost of kilograms, which has produced most se-
rious evils in the past and which unless the
consequences can nov be checked may be
franght with more serious evils in the future
Refeir ring to the British system, he set forth
the reasons which led to its transfer from pri>
vate to pnbllc control, describing the legisla-
tive blunder by reason of which the govern
ment was made to pay ST 100000 when only
ia, 100000 had been estimated as necessary for
the purchase of private rights, and he showed
thai notwithstanding this, the investmen. had
proved profitable one. He said the Western
Union company stood without an important
rival IN the telegraph business of the country.
with q capital stock of S41O00. 600 and
a total nominal investment of $47, ,S77, $50, of
which $22, ,475,000 represented nothing but
pure water and S9,645 900 property almost
worthless manning. SIS, ,757, $50 was exag-
gerat 'bly one hundred ler cent of the
COS ut which il represented S;nca
tn he stock of the Western I'm
10 been increased from SAL ,0OO
0UO -, ct which SIS, ,526, 500 represen-
ted stock, dividsnd Jared two years ago and
the greater part of the remainder q f~sS pur-
chase OF lines of various com peting companies
Other competitive lines are now starting but
they will be short lived. He said frequent
complaints have been made of the manner in
which the telegraph business Of the company
l5 transacted by private com panies. He re-
ierred to the arguments urged against inter-
ference with the telegraph business of the
country, asserting that no time was more au-
spicious chan the present to encounter expend-
itures of a new policy and combatted the idea
that telegraph could be used as a political
machine by the party.
in power. In conclusion he said the use Of the
telegraph is now restricted by its cost to ex-
traordinary communications and by nature to
messages which do not need to be in the hand
writing of the sender. Under these conditions
the proportion of kilograms to letters is about
one to thirty. But who shall say how soon
some great discovery more wonderful than the
telephone may enable fac simile messages to be
sent instantaneously and cheaply over wires
instead OF by the slow and costly process by
which they are now transmitted in Europe. II
that result shall be accomplishment it is be-
ing earnestly sought By inventors-the post
office will be stripped Of It's most important
business. Every letter which does not require
absolute secrecy or which can be written in
cipher will be taken from the mails and sent
by electricity, drafts will be drawn and
balances settled daily by telegraph and the
monopoly which shall have grown mp in the
control of this business will oyershsdow not
only the post office department but the govern
meDt itself
The Senate then went into executive ses-
sion and afterwards adjourned.
HOUSE.
In the House today, under the call ef States,
the following bills, etc., were introduced and
referred:
By MIR. Oates of Alabama, to require the
circuit courts of the United States Supreme
Court to decide all cases on contracts or
breaches thereof according TO the law of the
State or place where the contract was made or
to be performed.
By Mr.. Belford OF Colorado, to promote the
public welfare by securing reasonable rates
OF transportation over railroads aided by
the issue of large amounts of United States
bonds.
(lt requires that the annual reports Of the
the Union and Central Pacific railroad com
panles show large sums as net earnings over
and above 10 per cent, and provides that the
tariff charges on local and through freight of
these companies shall be reduced to one-half
the average rate existing in 1882 and 1883, with
out regard to classihcation.)
By Mr.. Elwood OF Illinois, authorizing the
organization of national banking associations
with circulating currency secured by United
States gold and silver coin.
By MIR. Finerty of Illinois, to reorganizs the
infantry regiments of the United States
BY Mr.. Durham of Illinois, to establish a
department of commerce; to reduce to IS per
cent. ad valorem the duty on colored and
bleach ed cotton goods.
By Mr.. Clay of Kentucky, to repeal the civil
srvice act
By Mr.. Findley of Maryland, to authorize
the purchase of foreign built ships by United
States citizens for use in the foreign carrying
trade.
By Mr.. Morse of Massachusetts,, authorizing
the sale of the naval hospital, Chelsea, Mass.
By Mr.. Eldridge of Michigan, proposing a
constitutional amendment for the election of
United States Senators by the people,