The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-05-20
FORTY-EIGHTH CONGRESS.
SENATE.

Senator Cameron OF Wisconsin, presluou
over the Senate today having been designated
for that purpose under rule by the president OF
the Senate.
The following bills were reported faVoraDly
from the committees and placed on the calen-
dar.
From the committee on pensions, to amend
the pension laws, by increasing the pensions
of soldiers and sailors who have lost an arm or
a leg, and for other disabilities contracted III
the service.
From the committee on Judiciary, to limit
the time within which prosecutions may DC
instituted against persons charged with Vlelat-
ing the internal revenue laws.
Mr.. Sherman from the committee on library,
reported concurrent resolution which the
Senate agreed to, accepting portrait IN MO
sale of the late President Garfield, the WORK OF
DR.. Salviati of Venice. The resolution also
conveys the thanks of Congress to Salviati.
The chair laid before the Senate the resolu-
tion offered on Thursday by Mr.. Morgan, di-
recting the committee on finance to examine
the causes of the recent failures OF national
banks, and whether such failures are due to
violations and evasion of law on the part OF
officers or directors of banks
Mr.. Morgan said that the very reason why
he had moved to devolve the duty on the CON-
mittee was because the officers who had been
appointed to see that banks complied with the
law had not performed their duty. There was
for instance law against over certihcation OF
checks which it had become notorious was
utterly disregarded. On the occasion Of the
passage of the law on that subject IN July,
1882, New York newspapers had broken out
into spasms of merriment and told Congress
that the banks laughed at the acts Of Congress
and were beyond congressional control. The
failvre OF the Marine bank had been due to the
fact that the bank was connected with q firm
of brokers; that the bank had supplied the
firm of Grant & Ward in all the schemes
in which yonng specuator saw proper to en-.
had tod IN
the world that argued q painful condition of
commercial honor in the city of New York.
There bad been time when the honor of
New York merchants was standard for all
the world and was a synonym for probity.
What has it now become? 1t has become by
Ward reproach and cause of suspension. 1t
had only to be said of Ward that he was en-
grged in speculative transactions in New York
to convey against him the impression that he
was robber and gambler, man of no hon
eSty or integrity.
Mr.. Morrill, moved reference of the resolu-
ton to the finance committee.
Mr.. Bayard supported this motion. He
thought the laws now on the statute books
were sufficient If enforced.
Mr.. Morrill, said their had in this instance
been no money lost from over certifcation ex-
cept in the case of the Marine bank, and there
had been no disturbance of credit outtide of
New York.
Mr.. Sherman supported the reference. He
had been in New York on the day when the
trouble referred to occurred and he could as
sure the Senate that although there might
here and there have been over certifcation of
checks yet that had not been the trouble at all
In every case the trouble bad been caused by
the speculative operations of officers of the
banks affected, and in some cases not by certi-
flying checks, but rather by non certification.
The proper remedy would be to prescribe So
we're penalty against any dealing in specula-
tive transactions by officers of the banks, or
using of the money of bank in any transac.
tions that such officers might engage in. Mr.,
Sherman said their was no special reason fer
committee of investigation in New York. We
had government officers there who could give
us all needed information If a committee
were to go there to make a commoton and
keep up an agitation in regard to the failures
there iG might embarass others.
Mr.. Morgan said the fears of the Senator
from Ohio (Mr. Sherman) were groundless if
he supposed that any injury could come TO the
proper business of the country by the invests
cation proposed. Mr.. Morgan criticized the
action of the secretary of the treasury for his
interference in the late troubles and officers of
the government generally for not seeing that
that the banking laws were enforced.
The resolution was without objection by Mr..
Morgan referred to the committee on finance.
A message from the House was read an
nouncing non concurrence in the Senate
amendments to the Indian appropriation BILL
The Senate insisted ON its amendments and
agreed to the appointment Of committee of
conference.
The chair having announced the regular
order to be the Utah bill, Mr.. Blair endeayor-
ed to first secure consideration for the creation
of a bureau of labor statistics.
Mr.. Hoar coutended that the Utah bill had
precedence but consented to let it go over tenn
porarily.
Mr.. Morgan resumed his remarks in sup
port of Mr.. Garland's amendments which
rllM ho nf lab tot
of the statistical bureau of the treasury de-
partment.
Mr.. Van Wyck moved to amend By requir-
ing that the chief of the bureau should be a
person identified with the laboring classes and
prohibiting the importation of foreign laborers
from any country under contract.
Mr.. Blair had read a letter from chief MINI
mo of the bureau of statistics in which he
(Nimmo) expresses the belief that adding to
that bureau the function of bureau of labor
statistics will be an incongrnity and very unde-
sirable.
Pending debate the Senate went into execu-
tive session and later adjourned.
HOUSE
Mr.. Turner of Georgia, chairman of the
committee on elections, said that owing to the
fact that the report on the contested election
case of Wallace vs.. Mckinley, was not proper
ly distributed, he would not call up that case
for consideration today, but would postpone
W.
Mr. Mckinley hoped that the case would .be
disposed of today, or that its consideration be
postponed for one week. He had important
business to attend to during the remainder of
the week, and it would be very inconvenieut
for him to be present.
MIR. Turner expressed his willingness to ac-
commodate Mr.. Mckinley by proceeding with
the case today, but yielded to Mr.. Randall of
Pennsylvania.
Mr.. Randall wished to secure the passage of
the three appropriation bills which were agreed
to in committee of the whole on Friday last.
To this, however. Mr.. Collins of Massachu-
sets objected.
The Speaker proceeded to the call of States
for the introduction of bills, and the foil owing
were introduced and referred:
By Mr.. Weller of Iowa, authorizing the
Secretary of the Treasury to use as soon as
may be all the Surplus money in the treasury
for the redemption of bonds outstanding, at a
price not above par.
By Mr.. King of Louisiana, directing the
Secretary of the Treasury to allow rebate of
10 per cent. on all goods imported in vessels of
American register.
Mr.. Holman of Indiana, from the commit
tee on appropriations, reported the legislative,
judicial and executive bill. 1t makes
an appropriation of 500, 736, $40, which sum is
an increase of $685. over the current appro-
priation. OF the above amount, as shown by
a tabulated statement accompanying the bill.
there is appropriated for
Expenses of Congress. S S,os2, 1853
State Department. .................. 49, 100
Treasury Department ..,........... 900,229
War Department. ...-:-.:.:........... 2,068,115
State, War and Navy buildiDgs.-...... 1880
Navy Department Observation-Disclosures. 288,916
Post Office Department. ............... S1512O
DEPARTMENT OF Justice; ......:. 173,290
Salaries of U. S. Judges, Attorneys
and Marshals. ........,....... ....... 410loO
Court OF Claims ...................,... 33,840
CIVIL Service commission ,.......,... 23,30U
The bill provides for second assistant Sec
rotary of the Interior at salary of $500; for
tan additioxaol