Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1884-12-20
FORTY CONGRESS.
Second Session.
SENATE.
WASHINGTON. Dec. Is

SENATE.
WASHINGTON. Dec. 10.
/ The chair laid before the Senate a COM
munication from ". W. Corcoran. chairman
/ of the joint commission. transmitting the
report of the Washington Monument Asso-
citation; also memorial of the produce ex-
change Of New York city. urging immediate
and definite action with regard to the Spanish
treaty. The papers were appropriately re-
/ ferred.
| Mr.. Ingalls,, from the committee on the
! District of Columbia. reported favorably and
without debate the Senate passed bill max
/ ing the 4th of March, on Inauguration years,
legal holiday in the District.
The Senate took up and passed a bill to
accept and ratify the treaty made in 1880
with the Shohone and other tribes of Indians
on the Fort Hall and Lemhi reservations in
Idaho, for the sale Of portion of their lands
The interstate commerce bill was then
taken up and Mr.. George addressed the Sen
| ate on it,
| Mr.. Allison reported favorably the House
resolution that when the two Houses ad-
journ Saturday next, it be to Monday, Jan. 5.
| On Mr.. Hale's suggestion it was laid on the
table for the present.
| Mr., Hale. from the conference committee
on the naval appropriation bill, reported that
the committee had been unable to agree. He
explained that the House conferees insisted
that the Senate must take the House bill as
presented to the Senate, that being the lump
of the appropriation for the coming half year.
The Senate confers, he said, that he had
thought that method an OBJ
iectionable method of passing appropria-
tion bills and had held to that ground,
Hale moved that the Senate insist on its
amendments.
Mr.. Bayard said that although the appropri.
alton bills must originate in the House. The
responsibility rested equally on the Senate
and House, and for the Senate to pursue the
course suggested by the House conferees,
would be the abdication of its responsibility
He moved that vote of insstance be taken
by mays" and yeas"
| Hr Hale's motion was unanimously carried :;
So to 0.
| Mr.. Vest submitted modification of the
resolution heretofore offered by him, relating
to the proposed Nicaraguan canal surveying
| expedition. The modification declares that
il be mot expedient" to send out such an ex-
pedition. The original resolution declared
1t would be "illegal to send it without the
authority of Congress"
The Senate then went into executive ses-
sion and when the doors were reopened, ad-
journed.
HOUSE.
| Mr.. Blount of Georgia, rising to a personal
| explanation, had read a letter from the COM
missioner of agriculture, taking exceptions to
| some remarks made by min on the bill estab
! fishing a department of agriculture. The
remarks are to the effect that the petitions
| sent to Congress in favor of the bill were
| printed in Washington under the direction of
the commissioner of agriculture and sent
| throughout the country for signature, and
that the commissioner has been about the
House and Senate urging the passage of the
! bills The commissioner denies that he pre-
pared any petitions or urged the passage of
| the bills.
Mr.. Blount said that when he spoke of the
petitions being proposed under the direction
of the commissioner of agriculture, he had no
reference to the present commissioner. The
petitions antedsted Loring's term of office.
As to the statement that the commissioner
had used his influence in favor of the bill,
he had made that statement on information.
He had the highest respect for Mr.. Loring,
and desired to place that gentleman's letter
upon record.
memorial from J. G. Thompson, ex-ser-
geant-at-arms of the House, was presented,
asking Congress to pay the judgment rem
dered against him by the supreme court, in
the suit of Hallett ValbOurre, and to reim-
burse him for two pensions paid by him; re-
ferred to the Judiciary committee.
MIR. Hancock, from the committee on ap-
propriations, reported amendments to the
pension appropriation bill. The first pro-
yides that the number of pension agents be
reduced from Is to ~, and that their maxi
mum compensation be fixed at $1,000 an
nually. The second limits the fees of an
examining surgeon at S5 for the first five
cases and 81 for each additional examination
the same day.
The consideration of the interstate com
merce bill was then resumed.
Mr. Hewitt of New York moved to strike
ont the portion of the third section which pro-
hibits pooling He said that while pooling
might be an evil, there were many evils which
were remedies for other great evils-evils
that pooling were intended to remedy, and
which had become intolerable. There were
evils of unlimited competition. Pooling, if
honestly conducted, gave stability in rates of
freight and equal terms to every customer,
and carried out the great principle of equal
rights to all men. How should the evils of
the pooling arrangement be overcome? The
gentleman from Texas (Reagan) said by the
abolition of pooling, that would consign the
country to the chaos from which pooling had
extricated il. Let it be regulated bv the
| appointment of a commission. The commits
sion would be approved by the judgment of
men familiar with the subject; but a bill to
abolish pooling would be contrary to their
/ judgment.
/ Mr.. Reagan said the gentleman's great
/ objection to the pooling section of the bill
seemed to be that 1t would compel the com
panes to employ larger numbers of clerks
| If the gentleman had read the bill little
| further he would have seen that il provided
that schedules of rates be posted up. 1t was
proposed by law to remedy what the gentle
man proposed to remedy BY giving the rail
roads the right to pool.
Mr.. Dunn of Arkansas favored the provs-
ion of the BILL and in conclusion said 1t is
the hand of New York that is felt on the
throat Of this country, and that makes this
legislation necessary. Let the gentleman
remember that. Let New York slacken this
grip and this legislation is not necessary.
Mr. Hewitt's amendment was lost-l9 to
6l
Mr.. Hewitt then offered an amendment
permitting pooling contracts when they are
reasonable and just.
Mr. Phelps of New Jersey thought the dis
cussion had disclosed the unwisdom and ipjus-
tice of this bill.