Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-03-17
AT THE CAPITOL TO-DAY.
DISCUSSION IN THE SENATE.
Education and LabOr-A Special Com.
mittee on Interstate Commerce.

DISCUSSION IN THE SENATE.
Education and LabOr-A Special Com.
mfttee ON Interstate Commerce.
The resolution offered yesterday by Mr.. Blair
authorizing the committee on education and
labor to sit during the recess laid before the
Senate.
Mr.. Morrill, thought there ought to be an in
vestigation of the contingent fund. There were
propositions pending for three committees to
| sit during the recess.
Mr. Blair said there need be no investigation
OF the contingent fund q preliminary to the
passage OF this resolution. It was not contem
plated to spend any considerable amount o.
The resolution Was adopted
MI. Culoms S resolution to appoint a select
state commerce was laid before the Senate.
Mr. Cullom said there was no purpose to pro
Hlue I play spell" for Senators. When the
interstate commerce bill was before the Senate
there was lack of definite information. The
purpose OF the resolution was to secure the in
iiofmatlon FORMATION which would enable Senators to act
inteillgently when the subject next came before
the BODY. He did not apprehend that it was
gong TO be q very expensive affair.
, MI HOar thought that Senators would agree
tt that the most valuable state paper of recent
times was the report made by Senator Window
from the committee on transportation routes to
the seabOard, upon the subject of interstate
commerce. That brought the matter down to
1878. A year ago he (Mr Hoar) found a press.
ing need Tor a continuation of the work to bring
the subject down to the present time.
Mr.. Harrison suggested that the committee
upon transportation routes to the seaboard be
Instructed to continue the work.
The debate was continued at some length bv
MessrS. Culom, Miller, Harrison and others. ;
Mr.. Dawes criticised the House of Representa-
tlves for its failure to appoint conference com
mlttee on the Interstate commerce bill of last
session.
Mr.. Maxey vigorously defended the House.
amenG!np ,,>1
cepted, and the resolution was adopted without
division. 1t is as follows:
Senators be appointed to investigate and report
upon the subject of the regulation of trans
Portatlon by railroads and water routes
in connection Herewith Or competition with
railroads, of freights and passengers between
the several states, with authority to sit during
t,1,, tine recess Sc, of Congress, and with power to
ceSsafy for full examination of the
subject and report to the Senate on or before
nlttee snail have power to appoint a clerk and
stenographer, and the expenses of such inves-
ugatlon shall be paid from the appropriation
for expenses of inquiries and Investigations or
dered by theSenate.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
Upon motion of Mr.. Miller, of California the
Senate at 1:5O went into executive session.
Capitol Topics.
THE BACKBONE LAND GRANT DEBATE.
IN the debate in the Senate on the' Backbone
land grant, yesterday afternoon, Mr. Teller fol-
lowed Mr.. Eustis and explained the grant its
legal status, etc. With regard to the complain. :.
lhat the settlers on the land in the grant were
promised protection Mr. Teller said that Repre-
sentative blanchard, of Louisiana, told him
that nine-tenths of those settlers were in his
district, and that they were entirely satisfied
with the proposition and arrangements of the
railroad to protect them. Mr.. Eustis remarked
piled that it was promise which could be en-
forced ty law. Mr.. Teller charged that Mr.. Van
Wyeks object was to parade himself de-
lender OF the people and that the Senator from
Nebraska (Mr. Van Wyck) had not done his
duty as a member of the committee on public
nhiss IN n hc6 hn v or c%rrectng the
Mr.. Eustls in reply, denied that the promise of
protection to the settlers had any legal effect.
CONFIRMED BY THE SENATE.
The Senate confirmed the following nomina-
tfOns yesterday: John c. Black, of Illinois, to be
Commissioner of Pensions; Lieut.. Downs L..
Wilson, junior grade to be lieutenant Ensign
Henry L. Mayo to be lieutenant.
The Central American Middle.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE SENATE IN EXECUTIVE
SESSION.
In the executive session of the Senate last
Friday Mr.. Edmunds offered q resolution set
ting forth the condition of affairs in Central
America and declaring it the sense of the Sem
ate that this government should interpose. 1t
also declared that the President should be in
luton, after being considered by the foreign
relations committee, was reported back favora-
bly, yesterday, together with a communication
from Secretary Bayard stating what had occur
red in Central America, as reported to the State
department, and reciting the action of Mexico
1t was suggested that this communication be
printed for the general Information of the coun-
try, but this was opposed on the democratic
side. The communication referred to the treaty
recently withdrawn, and the point was made
that as no treaty was pending before the Senate
1t was scarcely worth while to print the Secre-
tarys letter. The whole subject went over
without action.
THANKS FROM CENTRAL AMERICA.
Senator Manderson, who offered the original
resolution in relation to the Central American
difficulties, has received dispatches from the
republics of Central America thanking him for
his prOmptness in taking action looking to the
suppression of BarrioS' ambition. He has also
been waited upon by the diplomatic represent
atives of some of these republics and thanked
in the name of their governments.
IS FRANCE BACKING BARRIOS?
1t is suspected by some of the Senators who
have urged prompt action in this matter that
France is back of Barrios' proclamation and it
is said that the French diplomatic representa-
tives have manifested good deal of inter-
est in inquiring into the motive for
the Manderson resolution and what it meant
1t seems that the French legation wereaaore
anxious to find out whether or not the State de-
probable that the Senate will eventually remove
the injunction of secresy from all papers and
communications relating to the Central Ameri-
row.