Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-12-20
IN SENATE AND HOUSE.
4 Detailed Report of the Manner in
Which the Day Was Spent.

n OGbAlle0 report OF the manner IN
Which the Day Was Spent.
WASHINGTON, Dec. I9.-In the Senate to-
day Mr.. Ingalls,, from the Committee on the
District of Columbia, reported favorably, and
the Senate without debate passed the bill
making March of the Presidential inaugu-
ration years a legal holiday in the District
Among the bills introduced and appropri-
ately referred, were the following:
By Mr.. GibsOn-TO transfer the United
States Barracks at New Orleans to the Louis
lana State Agricultural College for educa-
tiOnal purposes, and also to authorize the
building of a shell road from Baton Rouge,
La, to the National Cemetery.
The Interstate commerce bill was then
taken up, and Mr.. George addressed the
Senate on it. The power which this bill seeks
to express, Mr.. George said, had hitherto lain
dormant in the constitution, but none the less
did that power exist. Intercourse between
States had been placed under the control of
Con sress. Our railroad system had come to
be fmmense-over l25,000 miles of track.
There was scarcely a human being in the
country who was not directly affected by the
rates of transportation charged by those
roads. Mr.. George severely criticised the
railroad custom of charging all that the
traffic Will bear" The people of the South
had especially suffered from the discrlmi
mating rates of railroad companies. These
companies made themselves, IN effect, part
ners of all the farmers of the country, retain
ing to themselves, however. the right to say
what proportion of the partnership profits
each partner should receive. Rail-
road charges had been based largely on
the debts of the roads and those debts were
criminally swollen to frequently double the
true debt. Mr.. George particularly con-
demned the pooling system, by which he said
railroad companies were enabled to eXtOrt
outrageous charges from people all over the
country in order to make up FOR the compa-
MES fratrcidal struggles at few cOmpeti-
tive points.
THE ADJOURNMENT.
Mr.. Allison, from the Committee on Appro-
priatIons, reported favOrably theHouse resolu-
ton providing that when the two houses ad-
iOurn on Saturday next it be to Monday. Jan.
s. On MIR. 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 insist
that the Senate must take the House bill as if
had been presented to the Senate, and that
being lump appropriation for the coming
half wear. ''The Senate cOnferees." he said.
sshad thought that method an Objectionable
method of passing appropriation bills and had
held to that ground"
Mr. Reck said that as a member of the COM
mittee he had been surprised that the COM
mittee had not been able even to begin its
work on the conference. This was owing to
the ground taken by the House cOnferees in
declining to take as the basis Of conference
the regular appropriation bill passed by the
House at the last session. and which the SEN
ate had amended. He agreed IN regarding
the hmm appropriation system as wrong.
Any system that did not fully show the items
Of expenditure in any department should not
be permitted to grow into precedent to
trouble Congress hereafter.
Mr.. Hale moved that the Senate insist on
its amendment.
BAYARD'S VOICE HEARD.
Mr. Bayard said that although approprIa-
ton bills must originate in the House of Rep
f1n
age rested equally on the Senate and House,
and for the Senate to pursue the course sug-
gested by the House cOnferees would be an
abdicatiOn of its responsibility. He moved
that a vote of insIstence be taken by yeas and
nays, and hoped that there would be an un-
broken expression of the Senate's voice on the
question.
In reply to a suggestion of Mr.. Mcpherson,
Mr.. Hale explained that the Senators were
not by the vote of insistence necessarily COM
mitted TO approval of all the items of the
amendment, while if his (Mr. Hale's) motion
was not agreed to the parliamentary status of
the bill would be such as to require the work
to be done over again.
a vote was taken by yeas and nays on Mr..
Hale's motion, and it was agreed to by So yeas
TO 6 nays.
Mr.. Vest submitted a modification of the
resolution heretofore offered by him relating
TO the proposed Nicaragua canal surveying
expedition. The modification declares it to
be not eXpedient to send out such an eXpedi-
tiOn. The original resolution had deelarei 1t
to be illegal to send il without the authority
of Congress. After executive session the
Senate adjourned.
IN THE HOUSE.
On motion Of Mr.. Hancock, of Texas, the
invalid pension appropriation bill was COM
m1tted to the Committee on Appropriations.
The Speaker laid before the House a
memorial from J. q. Thompson, eX-Sergeant-
at-Arms of the House. asking that Congress
make an appropriation to pay the judgment
rendered against him by the Supreme Court
of the District of Columbia in the suit of
Hallett Kilbourne. to reimburse him (Ihomp-
som for the expenses incurred by MIN, ana TO
nav him reasonable compensation for his time
and trouble. The Speaker thought that the
memorial should be referred to the judiciary
Committee. Mr.. Keifer said that II the money
was ever paid the memorial should go to the
Committee on Appropriations. Mr.. Randall,
Of Pennsylvania. suggested that the whole
judicial proceeding had better be inquired
into by the judiciary Committee. as that
committee could determine whether the
claim ought to be paid or not. The memorial
was referred to the Judiciary Committee,
which was authorized to report at any time.
Mr. BlOunt, of Georgia, rising TO a personal
exDlanation sent to the Clerks desk and had
read a letter from the Commissioner of Agri
cuItnre takiug exception to some remarks
made bv Uim on the bill establishing depart
ment of agriculture. The remarks are TO the
effect that the petition sent t0COngress in favor
OF the bill were printed in Washington under
the direction Of the Commissioner Of Agri-
culture and sent throughout the country for
| signatures and that the Commissioner has been
| about the House and Senate urging the pas
| sage of the bill. The Commissioner denies
| that he prepared any petitions or urged the
| passage of the bill.
Mr.. Blount said that when he spoke of petit
tiops being prepared under direction of the
| Commissioner OF Agriculture he had no refer
| epce to the present Commissioner. The Pc
| titions antedated Mr.. Loring's term of
ONCE. As to the statement that the Commits
sioner had used his influence in favor of The
hill he had made that statement on infOrma-
| ton. He had the highest respect for Mr..
IoTing and desired to place the gentleman's
letter upon record.
Mr.. Hancock. Of Texas, from the Committee
on Appropriations, reported back the Invalid
pension appropriation bill and 1t was referred
10 the committee of the whoe.
The House refused to consider private busi-
ness and consideration Of the inte Estate
commerce. bill was resumed.