Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-02-20
AT THE CAPITOL TO-DAY.
BUSINESS INBOTH HOUSES
The Senate.
ARMS FOR THE MILITIA.


The chair laid before the Senate communication
| from the Secretary OF War, transmitting communi-
catlons from the chief signal officer with state
ments OF losses of personal effects by officers and
men OF the steamer Proteus on the sinking OF that
| amcr1n the Arctic seas The Secretary recon-
| mendS a reimbursement Of the officers and men for
| tne losses SO incurred.
motion was adopted to reconsider the indefinite
pOStpOnement OF the bill authorizing the Secretary
OF the Treasury to adjust and settle claims Of Ger
lam sGateS territories and the District Of Coum-
| nhance committee, and published In yesterdays
oIAR- IL now goes to the calendar.
| DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
MT Plumb, from the committee On agriculture
reported an original bill to enlarge the powers and
| duties of the Department OF Agriculture. The
Dill was placed on the calendar.
BILLS INTRODUCED
The following bills were introduced and appro-
priatey referred:
BY Mr. Logan-To grant pension to Susan B.
Edson
BY Mr.. Beck-To guard against deficits In the
| BY MIR. Call-To grant land warrants to soldiers
and sailors in the United States service in the SENT
mole Indian war OF 1856, their widows and orphans
agreed to "That the Secretary Of the Interior in
form the Senate when and how many acres OF in
demnity lands were certified or patented to rail-
| road corporations in the state OF Iowa to whom
grants OF public lands were donated also, whether
any OF such roads are now claiming more indemnity
-~~AASAS
RECONSIDERATION
On motion of Mr.. Morrill, the action Of the Senate
yesterday Indefinitely postponing the bill author-
zlng the Secretary OF the Treasury to adjust and
settle claims for duties Illegally exacted recon-
sldered for the purpose OF recOmmitting the bill to
the committee on finance in order that the commit
Tee might further hear parties Interested
The Senate also. on motion OF MIR. Miller, OF Cali
the S 6 o1 ae
OF the treasury to adjust accounts between the
United states and the several states andt errito-
| r1eS. The bill was placed on the calendar.
On motion OF Mr. Allison, the Senate took up
| read three times, and passed without debate, the
Dill fixing the time for holding the terms Of the cir
cult and district courts OF the United States in the
northern district OF Iowa.
ON motion OF Mr.. Miller tcal), the bill to provide
to the suppression OF the opium traffic was taken
from the calendar and recommitted to the commit
tee on foreign relations.
| THE CURRENCY BILL.
On the conclusion of the morning hour the Senate
resumed the consideration Of the currency bill.
House of Representatives.
| Mr. Dunn [Ark) asked immediate consideration
| OF resolution providing for the appointment OF a
select committee OF seven to inquire what changes
In the laws In regard to the administration Of
public lands' should be made
| Mr.. Brown Pa.) said he would not object If the
committee public lands were given power to in
| Qulre into the subject referred to.
| ME Dunn replied that the publicland committee
already had more before it than it can get through
with.
REPORTS AS TO STAR ROUTE INVESTIGATIONS.
Before action was taken on the resolution Mr.
Money, OF Mississippi, from the committee post
Offices and post roads, submitted privileged re-
port, calling on the Postmaster General to trans
mlC TO the House the reports made by special
agents OF the Post Office department, having refer
ence to star route Investigations, not heretofore
made public.
| Mr. Peele Qnd.) said the Postmaster General had
h9t in nntyl
ion, it would be detrimental to the public interest
in the prosecution OF star route cases If the inform
| alton asked for were made known II the House
insisted on this Information the House alone would
| take the responsibility.
ment OF Justice had been prosecuting suits, and
had expended several hundred thousand dollars
The best cases had been selected. In all of these
suits not single conviction had been made, nor a
dollar recovered. What could be expected now in
NIT mlt'ee on post post offices and post roads y
bill to regulate the carrying Of mails on star routes
1t is important that the Information secured by
special agents be before 1T, that the government
may be benefited by the proposed legislation The
Postmaster General gives reason in his reply to
the resolutions that have been introduced, except
that the information called for, If made public,
might be detrimental to suits that may be brought
There Is not man here who believes that man
will be convicted"
Mr.. Reed (Ne) replied that the Postmaster Gen.
eral knew what was in the reports, and the gentle
man from Mississippi (Mr. Money did not The
tion would injure public business, and his opinions
should be respected.
Capitol Topics.
SENATOR BECKs BILL. AS TO DEFICIENCIES
Mr.. Beck to-day introduced bill in the Senate
which provides that If at any time the revenues of
the government shall be insufficient to meet the
appropriations made by Congress- the Secretary of
the Treasury is directed to much OF the cash
balance remaining in the Treasury as may be neces-
sary to make up the deficit as though it was money
aDDrOOria:p1- q fS fhar
directed not TO issue or sell bonds of the United
states In order to obtain money to make up such
duced below one hundred million dollars Re-
ferred to the finance committee.
CONF1RMATIONs BY THE SENATE.
The Senate in executive session yesterday con-
f1rmed the following nominations: John Coburn
of Indiana to be associate justice Of the supreme
court OF Montana territory. Postmasters-Wash-
1ngton Cookie, at Peoria, Ill; Stephen Weatherlow,
at Seneca Falls, NY. *
IN THE INTEREST OF AMERICAN AGRICULTURE
committee Of the Patrons OF Husbandry, con-
ssting OF Col v. E. Piollet, past master; Leonard
Khone, master, and r. H. Thomas, secretary of the
state grange OF Pennsylvania, and w. A. Arm
strong, master OF the New York state grange. are
here to appear before the committee OF ways and
means In the interest OF American agriculture and
will favor protective tariff on wool, hides me-
tall1c ores and other raw materials the product Of
the soil.
MINOR NOTES.
Ex-Secretary Delano made an argument before
| the House ways and means committee to-day in
| favor Of the restoration OF duty on wool.
Mr.. s. r. Benson, of Pennsylvania, was examined
before MI. Springers committee to-day concerning
the failure OF the VeDango (Pa.) national bank and
| the sale OF public lands taken from the bank to
Jqu1date It's debt to the government, and also as
| TO the general manner OF selling public lands.
The House committee on shipping and ship build
! ing held meeting to-day. and heard arguments
against the Dlngley bill for the repeal Of compul
| sorry pilotage.
Representative Broadhead appeared before the
| House committee on coinage, weights and meas
ureS to-day In support OF his bill to establish mint
at st. Louis. No action was reached.
: Gen. Eppa HuntOn made argument to-day before
the House committee on the Judiciary In advocacy
| OF the McGarrahan claim. He Will resume his ar
gument tomorrow.
| Mr. Thompson, president Of the Corn and Flour
Exchange OF Baltimore, appeared before the House
committee on railways and canals today and
urged the passage Of the bill to provide for the con-
6truct1On OF the Delaware and Chesapeake canal
| Relief Of Flood Sufferer.
| DISTRIBUTION OF GOVERNMENT sUPPues
| Secretary Lincoln sent letter yesterday to Gen.
Beckwith at Cincinnati and Capt Cushing at Pitts
burg, giving detailed account OF the expenditures
he authorized the mayors OF various towns to make
for the immediate relief OF the flood sufferers and
authorizing the abOVenamed officers to pay out of
| the funds placed to their credit for the supplies
mayor In each instance In bulk for the stores SO
purchased. According to the allotment OF duties
| Gen. Beckwith has charge of all points below Iron
| nd Cushing no "A