The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-02-28
FORTY-EIGHTH CONGRESS-.
SENATE.

resolution, for which he asked immediate con-
sideration:
Resolved, That the committee on post offices and
post roads be directed to inquire whether, at any
time the Western Union and Baltimore q ohio tel
egraph companies or any officers employees OF the
said companies have entered into contract or ne
gotlaton for the purpose of consolidating said COM
panies or making combination for any purpose
Mr.. Sherman, from the subcommittee on
elections submitted report to the effect that
that committee were unable to continue work
because of no money with which to pay wit
nesses. A joint resolution. appropriating mon
ey for the committee, was sent on the 2lst inst.
to the House, land had not yet Been acted upon.
The secretary of the Senate had refused to
pay vouchers for the expenses OF number of
witnesses, on the ground that there was no
money available for the purpose. The COM
mittee therefore declined TO summon further
witnesses, and would suspend work until fumes
were provided, when they would continue and
speedily complete the investigation.
The House bill repeating the test oath, was
taken up and passed, after being modified by
an amendment proposed by the Senate judici-
arg committee, providing that no person who
held commission in the United States army or
navy before the war, and was afterwards en-
gagged In the military, naval or civil lervice of
the so-called Confederate States, should be APP
pointed to any position in the army or navy of
the United States.
The Senate resumed the consideration OF the
bill to provide for the construction of steel
cruisers.
Mr. Jones, of Florida, while agreeing with
much that had been said by the opponents of
the OIL, with respect to extravagance and bad
management in the past conduct of the gov
ernment, so far as the navy was concerned,
could not. he said, agree with them 10 op-
position to the bill upon the general question
OF the necessity for greater efficiency In the
navy While he would not say that the Unit
cd States wanted any such fleets as those of
England and France, he would not hesitate to
say that it was most imperative duty to give
the country, al the earliest practicable moment
navy that would De able to sustain the ma
tioDal honor.
Mr.. Mcpherson said that his amendment
merely proposed to suspend for the time being
the duplicating of ships that are now building,
and which will be finished in December, until
we have an opportunity to test them.
Mr. Hale said that it would be delay of at
least year, and the vessels (the large cruisers)
which the Senator from New Jersey obj ected
to, we're precisely those on which the most
stress was laid by the naval advisory board.
Mr.. Cockrell inquired if the country had
been, or was going to be attacked.
Mr.. Hale replied that it was easy to ask such
questions. The country had been goiug along
tor l9 years in an easy, happy-go-lucky way,
which, MIR. Hale presumed, suited the gentie-
man from Missouri, but he thought it hardly
probable that it would be able to get along SO
we'll during the % years.
Mr.. Beck criticised severely the past policy
OF the Navy Department, especially with re-
gard TO the management OF navy yards. and
insisted that as long as the government could
Import material at an average of 40 per cent.
less than private individuals the navy yards
snonid, and under proper management would,
De able to build naval ships more cheaply than
private individuals could possibly.
Mr.. Vest stated that to his mind the debate
had proceeded upon false basis. There was
no danger OF war, and there was no public
sentiment asking for so large an outlay. The
public sentiment that the gentlemen imagined
TO exist was 10 the Secretary of the Navy and
officers OF the navy. But a few minutes ago
while in the corridor ~he (Mr Vest) had been
appealed to by an officer of the navy, au old
personal friend, who had appealed to him say
ing, For Gods sake, Vest. vote for this bill
Mr.. Vest had told him that he was mistaken;
it was for John Roach's sake he meant; the
Almighty had nothing to do with 1t. John
Roach had been here for twenty years assail-
ing every man who did not put money into his
pocket. When steel vessels were put mp to
pubic competition there were but two bids in
response, one OF Cramp and one of Roach.
Nobody else in the country under the terms of
the bill could bid for them
Mr. Hale said that as to John Roach, the
ommittee on naval affairs was the sponsor OF
this bill and that the committee had never
heard of John Roach in connection with it.
he said that other bids had been put III hut
the bid OF John Roach was in the aggregate
$500, 900 lower than the bid of any ether build
er. Mr. Hale defied the Senators frsm Ken
lucky or Missouri to find in the administration
OF the Navy Department for the last two or
three years, the expenditure of single dol
lar injudiciously or for which the value had
not been received For his part if there was
Democratic administration he (Mr. Hale)
would not be raking around among the muck
heaps OF the past and insinuating that every
body who held government office was cor
rupt.
Mr.. Vest thought Mr.. Hale's interruption
something of an grafton in which epithets
shot ike meteors from Northern States.
who, he enquired, drought in this Ques-
ton of the iDefficiency of the navy yards?
Was it not the ally of the Senator from
Maine; his Assistant Adjutant General (al-
luding to Mr. Butler)2 Who did not know
that these navy yards were the hot.beds OF 2o-
lilical corruption?
Mr.. Butler, with great warmth Of manner,
repsled the assertion that be was an ally or
adJutant general of anybody on this question.
II am here" said he, "discharging what /
believe to be public duty and / will say to
the Senator from Missouri that he had better
call spade spade and that when he oppose s
this bill he had better state in plain terms and
not in flights of rhetoric from Northern skies
what his real opposition to the bill is. Is it
that he has no confidence in the honesty of the
present administration of the Navy Depart
menR Is it thought that perhaps some politi-
cal advantage may accrue to the party to
which the Senator from Missouri and myself
do not belong, If we vote this sum to build
these ships? hope am as loyal to my party
as is the Senator frsm Missouri, but he will
pardon me, Mr.. President, if refuse to sub
ordinate high public duty to an achievement
of party advantage.
A sharp c0lloqav followed between Messrs
Butler, Vest and Mcpherson as to whether the
TWO latter had been approached by any one in
the interest of the BILL Both denied having
& nd fha doh atn
Before adjournment Messrs Sewel and
Morgan presented each aR amendment to the
pending bill.
The Senate then adjourned
HOUSE.
In the House Mr. Morrison of Illinois
chsirman of the committee on ways and means
reported resolution directing the secretary of
the treasury to report how much money is now
in the treasury of the United States, under
what severa! provisions of law it is there de-
tanned, and how much in view of the current
receipts, expenditures illegal liabilities of the
treasury, can be applied at this time in liqui-
dation of that part of the public debfEnow pay
able without embarrassing the treasury depart
ment. 1t was adopted.
Mr.. Phelps of New Jersey. from the COM
mittee on foreign affairs, reported back the
Brumm resolution directing the committee to
enquire as TO whether the minister of any for
eign power has ends1vored TO nHllify the eff
feet OF an unanimous resolution of the House.
by reflections on the honor aud integrity of its
members The resolution was accompanied by
report stating that the committee had made
an investigation but had been unable to obtain
any information on the subject and asked to be
excused frcm further consideration of the reso-
luton. the report was agreed to without dis
cussion and the committee discharged from the
further consideration of the subject.
Mr LIE Fevre offered a resolution directed
against speculation and gambling in American
farm products. directing the committee on the
judiciary TO prepare bill prohibiting the pur-
chase or sale of wheat, corn, cotton or provis-
ions iany other articles of prime necessity
unless an actual transfer of articles or ware
house receipt accompanies such action.
Also he presented bill authorizing such
governmental Interference as will give stabii-
ty 10 the price of those commodities. Mr. Cox
OF New York and others objected.
The House went into com mmittee of the whole
on the pluero-pueunonia bill.
Mr.. Hatch of Missouri moved to amend Sec
ton 4, by adding the words Unto any other
state or territory or foreign country" to the
clause authorizing the President to prohibit the
transportation Of cattle out of quarantine in q
state, territory or district. Agreed to.
Mr. Everhardt of Pennsylvania offered an
amendment providing that no state or terrific