Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1884-02-22
CONGRESS.

Tho ways and means committee of the
House, having under consideration the Nor
rison tariff bill was addressed last Saturday
by Joseph Wharton, representing the Bes-
semer steel interest, George II. Ely of Cleve-
land and j. f. Jones of Pittsburg, represent
ing iron'ore interests, in opposition to the
bill. Mr.. Ely said he represented institu-
lions that had $50, 600, 900 invested, and that
II the Morrison bill was passed it would close
them up and wipe out their capital. This
week Monday arguments were heard from
cotton men, Tuesday from glass and earthen-
ware men, Wednesday from cotton men, and
Thursday from representatives of the New
YORK free trade league aud the Brooklyn re-
form club. Representative Horr of Michi-
gan has made careful canvass of the House,
and says he thinks Morrson's bill will pass
1t will get less than half a dozen Republican
votes, but all but 80 Democrats will vote for
it,
The committees on education of the two
Houses, in joint session have heard argu-
ments by state commissioners of education
and others in favor of the passage of a bill
extending national aid to the states for edu-
cational purposes. They have been addressed
by gentlemen from North Carolina, South
Carolina, Georgia, Indiana, New York. and
by committees from state and national educa-
tonal societies The statistics of iliteracy
IN different localities were discussed and the
necessities Of the various sections set forth.
The hrst hlibustering Of the session oc-
CURED In the House Monday night The
Democrats wanted to fix day to consider
the bill providing pensions for veterans of
the Mexican and Indian wars, and the Re
publicans hlibustered against it, This bill
proposes to pension all survivors of the Mex
lean and minor Indian wars who served thir
~ days, or the widows of such of those SOL
diers as arc dead. The Republicans asked to
nave the bill amended so as to shut the door
against an army of claimants. They are will
ing to pension the survivors of the Mexican
war who can prove service, but they are not
prepared to throw open the vaults of the
treasury to the army Of claimants which will
be ready to show that they served thirty days
in some foray against Indians in Florida or
elsewhere years ago. The bill, by the esti-
mates of Commissioner Dudley, will take
nearly S75, 900, 600 from the treasury, large
portion OF which will go to fraudulent
claimants and their INSCRIPTIONS agents
The bill to provide for ascertaining and
settling private land claims in certain states
and territories" introduced by Senator Ed
munds, has passed the Senate but will be
fought in the House by band of cormorants
interested in keeping up the confusion of
land titles, especially in New Mexico, where
there is the worst muddle. The bill does
away with the abuses and chances for fraud
which now exist.
The results, up to date, OF the policy of
mastery inactivity pursued by the House are
thus summarized: The committee on appro-
priations has reported only two appropriation
bills, and these have not been considered in
committee OF the whole. Committees have
reported several important measures, includ-
ing the Dingley bill for the relief and enoour-
agement OF shipping, but these matters are
not reached. The bill committing the gov
eminent to the levoe system of the MISSISSIPPI
pi river, and to an expenditure of millions
annually, was taken up and rushed through.
The bill to restore Fitz John Porter was next
pressed forward as the matter of second ma
honal importance, and, after O debate of
nearly week, was passed. The dispute over
the Ohalmers-Manninge election case, growing
out OF barefaced fraud ON the part of the
state officers of Mississippi, in giving Ger.
thcate to man who was defeated by nearly
a thousand votes, has already occupied three
days and next comes a wrangle over a pen
sion bill OF the most preposterous character,
brought in by the Democrats and supported
by majority of that party. This is all that
the House has done of any account. That is.
the grand total Of legislation on the part OF
the Democratic House is two bills, both of
which are stupendous jobs. As our readers
already know, several important measures
have passed the Senate and now await the ao-
tion Of the House.
Mr.. Bland will never desert the buzzard
dollar. He insists that the trade dollar shall
be recoined into nothing except the light
weights, of which there is now a superabnn-
dance amounting to $50, 200, 600.