Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-01-19
FORTY-ElGHTH CONGRESS-.
second Session,
SENATE.

hte'ihH, Iu compildnce Win the Hawley
resolution of Gen. Sherman to the secretary
OF war regarding the policy of the Confeder-
ate executive department. 1t was laid on the
table,
The Mcpherson funding bill was then tax
en- up.
Mr.. Cockrell strongly opposed the payment
OF the interest, except on so much of the
principal as consisted of United States inter-
est-bearing securities. This would bring the
amount of interest to $4,000.
Messrs. Morrill,, Conger, Sherman, Morgan.
Saulsbury, Harrison and Harris thought the
payment of interest in such cases was not a
good public policy.
Messrs. Hoar, Frye and Bayard favored
the provisions of the bill, Mr.. Bsyard saying
that he did not believe the government of tho
United States proposed to fatten on stolen
goods.
The bill was then passed.
The consideration of the inter State COM
merce bill was then resumed.
Mr.. Hawley opposed Mr. Slater's amend
ment. He said that the corporations had
been immense factors in the progress of the
human race. but they had extraordinary
power. They had eternal life given them BY
law-poper to acquire property through all
eternity. They surpassed in power any
private Individual; surpassed, indeed. the
nobility of any nation in the world. There
was much uneasiness in the public mind with
regard to the encroachments of railroads, ,and
the time had come when the federal govern
ment should take some position with regard
to the regulations of commerce between the
States. Admitting all these facts to be true,
however, Mr.. Hawley thought 1t would be
unwise, and, indeed, useless, to attempt to
cover the whole ground at the start. 1t would
be wiser to proceed slowly and tentatively in
matter of so much Importance. For his
part, he could not for the life of him see why
railroad should charge more for carrying
load of freight 300 miles than for carving
the same load 600 or 1900 miles. Clearly.
we had to do something, and Congress, in Mr..
Hawley's opinion had undoubted constitu-
tional power in the premises, so far as it
concerned interstate commerce. Still intel
ligent care should be exerted, but the remedy
to be applied was such as would be just.
Mr.. Skaters amendment was rejected-ll
to 3.
An amendment proposed by Mr.. Allison
was agreed to, increasing the number of COM
missioners from 5 to 8, and an amendment to
the latter provision so as to require that not
more than 5 of them shall belong to one po-
litcal power. Mr.. Allison's amendment
also provides that one Of the commissioners
shall be selected from each of the nine judi
cial districts of the United States.
An amendment offered by Mr.. Pugh was
agreed to, limiting the powers of commission
ers to the powers specifically given by the
bill
The amendments having been completed,
the question arose as to the parliamentary
status of the measure, which having been
sscertsined, the House bill was taken from
sla -, m,
amend it by striking out all after the enact
ing clause and inserting the provisions of the
Senate bill
On this motion Mr.. Vest called for the yeas
and nays but without action the Senate ad-
jOurned.
HOUSE.
Mr.. Gibson of West Virginia, rising to
personal explanation, said that his attention
had been called to newspaper paragraph,
charging him with having INDUCED in very
harsh and unjust criticisms upon the gentle
man from Pennsylvania (Randall.) This
paragraph had reference to a conference be-
tween himself and some friends in Wheeling.
At that conference the tariff had been spoken
of, and of conrse Mr.. RandalPs name had
been mentioned. So far from making any
unknd altusion to that gentleman, he had
declared that while he might differ from him
on some subjects, Mr.. Randall's long record
had taught him to respect his capacity and
integrity.
The committee on labor reported resolu-
ton directing the postmaster general to ask
the attorney general whether the eight hour
law applies to letter carriers; adopted
Among the bills introduced and referred
was one by Mr.. Frye for establishing an
American merchant marine, and to promote
postal and commercial relations with foreign
countries.
The Senate amendments to the military
academy bill were non-concurred in.
The House then went into committee on
the diplomatic appropriation bill.
Mr.. Townshend Of Illinois, offered an
amendment requesting the President to CO.
work the cooperation of the governments of
American nations in securing the establishing
of commercial league by and between the
same nations, to be known IS the customs
union of America.
Mr.. Randall of Pennsylv ANA raised point
of order against the amendment The object
of it might be Q very proper one, but the
Senate has advised the House that it would
agree to no legislation on appropriation bills
and the adoption of an amendment would only
bring on a controversy which ought to be
avoided.
Mr.. Townshend said that the object of the
propo.ition was to obtain an extended foreign
market for the procucts of the country, and
the obiest could be gained much more effect
ually in that way than by reciprocity treaties.
The chair sustained the point of order and
the amendment was not read.
The members then indulged in debate on
the present business depression and remedies
therefor, which consumed the greater par, of
the day.
Mr.. Cox regrets that Mr.. Townshend's
amendment had been ruled out. 1t was about
time that Congress should understand that
times we're hard and that even the best pro-
tected industries, like that of iron, were going
down aad the best Judgment of the best men
in the coustry was shat the times would be-
come worse. What was the remedy? Re-
ciproci,v-not lopsided reciprocity-but real
reciprocity with the repnblics of our own
hemisphere.
Mr.. Dorsheimer of New York thought that
the most important gift which it was in the
power of the government to give to the peo-
ple was freer trade with foreign countries.
He believed in reciprocal treaties with other
counrrie.-such reciprocal treaties and liberal
arrangements of trade as will secure to our
people the great markets Of the world. He
favored the proposed treaty with Mexico, and
was disposed to favor the Spanish treaty.
The treaty with Nicaragua, in his Judgment,
furnished great piece in the future a. we'll
as in high Importance.
Mr.. Hscock of New York saw that his two