National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-02-09
A Vigorous Argument in Favor Of EnCourag-
ing and Protecting American Shipping.
An Inquiry Into the Working Of the Civil
Service Bill
Mr. Fnerty Offers Resolution Expressive Of Regret
at Wendell Phillips's Death.
Ex-scnntors, BY n significent Vote, De-
MED Admission to the Floor.
THE SENATE.

ung,in compliance with RESOLUTION Oh tine eleVenth
ultimo, q copy of the report of the commissioner
Of the general land Office relating to the grant OF
lands made by the United States to the Florida |
railroad. 1t was referred to the committee on
public lands.
Mr. Frye from the committee on commerce,
reported favoraby "a bill TO remove certain bur
dens on the American merchant marine, to en-
courage the foreign carrying trade, and for other
purposes" This bill, Mr.. Frye said, was substl-
tute for several bills which had been referred to
that committee. He desired 10 make an oral ex-
PLANTATION of some of the provisions of the bill,
not having had opportunity of preparing a writ.
ten report and being compelled very soon, much
against his will, to 60 to Mississippi with a COM
The laws Of the United states had hitherto re-
CURED he said, that Officers Of American ships
should be citizens of the United States, and pro-
violation of the law. That law had
SSen near al he aS Of
Americans; but to-day 95 per cent of our sailors
were foreigners. and the law works great ,nlus'
other than the captain, to be foreigners. The
present laws also require that when sailors are
sde IS he Sn
extra wages, OF which two months go to the sailor
and one to the consul That money becomes q
fund by which the United States sends back
sailors so left In foreign ports, and American ships
are compelled to take them back at compensa-
six months. This MIR. Frye characterized as one
OF the most unfair exactions OF the present law,
ana IL repeated by the DILL now reported. Wnen
sailors leave their ships in foreign port without
fault of the captain and In violation Of their con-
tract they should be entitled to their actual dues,
sailors Mr.. Frye said that while there was no law
compelling the payment of sailors in advance, yet
there was custom even more binding than law,
which required captains to pay sailors two months
pay in advance Of their shipment and 1t was well
known fact that by the time the ship sailed the
sailors did not have a cent OF the money left-hay
ing paid 1t out to some of the many land sharks
who are always waiting and watching to despoil
the sailor who gets on shore. Instead of permit
ting advance payments, the proposed bill abso.
lutely forbids them under heavy penalties, and
hs If such ssnr Be made they
vision applies not only to American, but foreign
shipmasters In American ports
Having further explained the bill In full. Mr..
Frye concluded by expressing the hope that the
measure would receive careful consideration. He
hoped congress would. at this session, take step
twenty years to remove the burdens and barna-
cles which the laws Of our own country have
something to recover our supremacy on the
ocean. lie spoke for. himself alone, he said,
one way on earth by which 10 revive American
commerce. and that was to pay subsidies, or boun-
ties aud SO far as he was concerned he was IN
enable us 10 recover our supremacy in the direc.
ton Of shipping, Not that he would favor boun.
opinion. we could build ships now in competition
with the world. our difficulty began, no said,
start on her voyage, from the higher wages we
had to pay and the higher expendituresgenerally
which we had to make He favored freight, or
service bountes for American ships, the same
character of bounties which England, France,
Germany, Italy, and Chill give their ships.
Mr.. Vest, in behalf of the minority Of the com.
mittee from which the bill was reported. said that
although they acquiesced in the bill reported,
thS y s% M % n mr.
just made. That minority did mot believe that
The bill touched tho main difficulty which had
struck down our commerce. The provisions OF
the bill were good enough, as far as they went
but they were insectivorous as compared with the
deadly blight which had struck down our mer-
zeus TO buy shiTs wherever they could buy them
oliver Cromwell, aud say to its people that they
This and the tariff system of the United States
were the fundamental causes for the decline OF
American shipping.
the provision OF the bill reported, which perained
to the carriage OF the mails If he could secure an
amendment which would permit American cit-
'zcns TO buy their vessels wherever they pleased.
THAT provision was one authorizing the postmas'
Ter general to contract with American vessels to
carry The mails al rate not to exceed siOO per
nautical mile for the round trip, the contract %
derl. Mr.. Vest then submitted an amendment TO
the bill, providing for free ships and free mate
rial.
The bill as reported was placed on the calendar
Bills were introduced and appropriately re-
feTred as jolloTsi o0,,r D, ,un,,vo,,. Tho
by Mr.. Morrill; Relating 10 improvement OF the
BY Mr. Hill: Providing for the readjustment Of
COMPENSATION for the transportation OF the mails
By Mr.. Blair: Legalizing the incorporation Of
national trades UNIONS
Also, prshibiting the employment of conyiets o.
persons restrained OF their liberty upon the public
works or property of the United States.
These bills MI. Blair, said, were the same bills
introduced by him during the last congress.
By Mr.. Logan: Creating commission whose
duty II snail be 70 inquire into and report upon
the material Industrial, and intellectual progress
made by tue colored people of the United States
since 1865 and making appropriations for the
same.
BY Mr.. sabin To divide the state of Minnesots
into judicial districts. '.ss-p
The chair laid before the senate the resolution
offered by Mr.. Beck yesterday. calling for In.
quiry into the matter OF the discharge of q col
ored porter from among the employees of thu
senate,
Mr.. Beck stated that on Investigating the sub
ject, he found that nothing which no could d.
would secure the reinstatement of the man. Al
though no fault could be found with the man
performance of his duties, he did not care TO &c
any further, and so he withdrew his resolution
Mr. Riddleberger then offered q concurrent reso
luton, for which he asked immediate considera
ton, but on objection, went over till to- morrow
providing for a committee of three senators anC
five representatives TO inquire into and report tn
cause of all removals of subordinate officers of tn
senate or house of conservatives; also to repor
how many disabled and other soldiers were re
moved, and the states to which they belonged anC
how many disabled and other soldiers have beer
appointed, and the states and congressional dis
triuts from which appointed. The resolution fur
Their directs the committee TO inquire and repor
whether the civil service act applies TO appoint
mcns made by the elective officers OF the tw
houses of congress- and If SO to report what egls
lalion Is necessary 10 the full and proper execu
OF that law.
In Offering the resolution, Mr.. Riddleberge
stated that he simply wanted TO know whethe
the civil service act was applicable to boil
branches of congress and not merely to one of tn
houses. When the resolution of the senator iron
Kentucky INF Beck was offered, he Mr.. Riddle
bergerl thought IL was cOlumbiad aimed a
somebody. He had understood that the man ap
pointed was from Virginia, though he MI Riddle
bergerl had never known or seen HIM. But h
thought II there was to be an Investigation OF ina
SORT, the question might as well be determined 10
congress as whole instead Of for the senate only
either, He could show that Virginin did not hay
anything like its share Of representatives anon
the employees of the government, and that Ken
lucky had more than Virginia, though having N
more representation in congress.
MIR kiddleberger was prepared he said, to All
sWer all the talk he had heard about the patron
age OF the government being given TO the state q
gentleman who complained SO loudly about tn
discharge of one Kentucky man on the senat
aide had said not Il word in regard to the dis
charge OF many other men from the other side Q
the capitol. He Mr. Riddebergerl had cast
vote the other day for resolutions directing In
quiry into diculties that had arisen in two state
aud that had resulted in loss of life-the mos
reluctant vote he had ever cast, but which, bein
intended to uphold the execution of the laws, tn
interests and the preponderating opinion of hi
people had required him to cast. On that coca
BiOu the senator from Kentucky INF. Beck) wa
found voting against the inquiry though he wa
now stirred by the discharge of an employe of tn