Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-02-17
AT THE CAPITOL TO-DAY.
CONGRESS GETTING DOWN TO WORK.
COMMITTEE NOTES AND CORRIDOR
TALK,
The Senate.

The Senate.
Mr. Pendleton presented a petition of the Gin
clnnati Commercial Gazette, and other newspa-
pers, praying for the reduction OF postage ON
second-class mail matter. Referred.
On motion of Mr.. Harrison, the committee on
military affairs was granted leave to sit during
the sessions of the Senate.
Messrs. Mitchell, Cullom, Blair and Wilson,
from the committee on pensions, reported favor.
ably number of House pension bills.
Calls for the Irregular order" brought up the
bill to quiet title Of settlers on the Des Moines
river lands. The question being On Mr.. Nor
gan,s gan motion to indefinitely postpone the bill,
tne motion was not agreed to.
Mr.. Lapham having had the floor yesterday
when the bill went over, stated that he had not
had been put and the vote taken prematurely.
by unanimous consent the vote was, therefore,
treated as a nullity, and Mr.. Lapham continued
ms remarks in opposition to the BILL character
1Z1ng as a curse to five counties in Iowa the
union formed by the Des Moines river settlers,
which had also, he said, been a blight to the
lives of the unionists themselves.
On the conclusion of Mr.. Laphan's remarks,
the m gan Ss postpone
Some amendments proposed by Mr.. Lapham
were voted down, and at one o'clock the bill,
stu remaining unfinished business of the morn
ing hour, went over till tomorrow.
THE DISTRICT APPROPRIATION BILL.
The conference report on the District Of Co
lumbia appropriation bill was agreed to.
THE LABOR Bill.
The anti-fOreign contract labor bill was then
placed before the Senate.
Mr.. Sherman said it was Mr.. Morrill's inten-
bill on the completion of the labor bill.
Mr. Beck said he did not know how that bill
had got out of sight.
The chair (Mr. Hawley) said it had gone to
e Inc caiendar when the Senate declined to pro
ceed with 1t. That course was in accordance
with the Senate rules.
MIR. Beck expressed the hope that If it was to
pe Killed, 1t would be killed squarely, and not
Consideration of the anti-foreign contract
iabor PHI was then proceeded with. :.
Mr. Miller On. W supported the bill and Of
posed the pending motion, which would strike
out the clauses prescribing penalties for viola,
tlOnS OF the law.
House of Representatives.
On motion of Mr.. Reagan Texas), a resolution
was adopted calling the Secretary of the
Treasury for information in relation to the
range and ranch traffic of the western states
and territories.
THE NAVAL APPROPRIATION BILL.
Mr. Hutchfns IN. ", from the committee on
appropriations, reported the naval appropria-
ton bill, and gave nott tce that he would ask for
Its consideration tomorrow.
On motion OF Mr.. Ellis Gla.), Senate amend
menls 10 the Indian appropriation bill were non
concurred in, and Mesers. Ellis Holman and
Ryan were appointed cOnferees.
MIR DORSHEIMERS SILVER BILL.
Mr.. Dorsheimer On. W introduced a bill to
regulate the coinage and promote the circula-
ton OF gold and silver equally. Referred to the
committee on coinage, weights and measures.
The bill provides that as soon as practicable
the Secretary of the Treasury shall cause to be
20 and so dollars, and printed In such quanti-
ties as may be necessary to carry out the
provisions Of this act, said notes, when
dollars OF the present standard fneness and of
4So grains troy weight, or, ifthe holder prefer,
he may receive standard silver bars stamped
to the dollar.
Section provides that these notes are to be
Treasury of standard silver dollars, or standard
stamped silver bars, at the rate of 4SO grains to
the dollar The third section OF the bill provides
that gold coinage shall be free, and silver coin
age shall be free for silver dollars Of the United
States, and for standard silver bullion, the pro-
duct of the United States. But no silver coin
from any foreign silver coins, or from any
foreign silver. bullion, or from any buI.
no foreign silver shall be introduced into
the Uni,ed States without paying the highest
rate of duty ON manufactured silver. The fourth
year of the silver dollars or silver certificates
now in circulation. This coin(th Bland dollar)
to retain its present character as currency
for one year only. It also suspends the gold
certificates and repeals the Bland law.
Under the call of committees for reports q
VI 1ucdSuTeS were repOrCeQ ana placed
upon the various calendars.
A joint resolution for the appointment of q
commission on the subject Of the alcoholic
liquor traffic was reported back adversely by
Mr.. English Qnd.) from the committee having
charge of the matter, and was laid upon the
table.
The joint resolution giving notice to the North
German confederation of intention to terminate
the treaty OF 1868 was reported from the COM
mittee on foreign affairs BY Mr.. Deuster (Wis,)
and placed upon the House calendar.
AsIATIC CHOLERA.
Mr.. Riggs Qll.), from the committee on public
health, reported a resolution recommending
the appropriation committee to insert in an ap-
preparation bill an item of S5OO,OOO, to be ex-
pended In preventing the introduction into the
United States of the ASiatic cholera. Referred
to the committee on appropriations.
THE LEGISLATIVE APPROPRIATION BILL.
The House then, at 1:15, went into commit
tee of the whole (Mr. Mcmillan, of Tennessee, in
the chair, on the legislative appropriation BILL
The District In Congress.
PROPOSED BUILDING FOR MEDICAL LIBRARY.
The House passed a bill yesterday appropriate
ing 100000 for the erection in this city of a
building for the library Of the medical depart
ment OF the United States army.
FAVORABLE REPORTS ON DISTRICT BILLS
Mr.. Spriggs, from the District committee,
made favorable reports to the House to-day
upon the bill regulating the manufacture and
sale of liquor in the District and bills to relieve
the Church OF the Ascension and st, Marks
church from taxes.
THE CITY POST OFFICE SITE.
It is the intention of the House committee on
public buildings and grounds to hold meeting
tomorrow to consider the bill for a new cftv
post office building in this city. The action of
the Senate committee in recommending and
securing the passage Of a bill to pay S64O 600
for the site west of the Post Office department
was q great surprise to the members of the
House committee, it having been understood In
the joint committee that $5OO,OOO would be
the most allowed for the site.
TO ENFORCE THE COLLECTION OF TAXES
Mr.. McComas, from the House District com.
mittee, reported favorably to the House this
morning the Senate bill to enable the Commits
sioners to enforce the collection of taxes in the
District. The only action taken by the District
committee this morning was to authorize this
report
Capitol Topics.
THE NAVAL APPROPRIATION BILL.
The naval appropriation bill, as reported to
the House to-day, provides for the appropria-
ton of SIS, ,515 1888. The estimates for the next
fiscal year were $50, ,654 oil, more than one
half of which was for the increase of the nayy
The Randall proposition making an indefinite
appropriation was adopted, to go into effect
Immediately upon the passage Of the act. 1t
was amended as stated elsewhere.
The members of the committee favOring the
proposition were MessrS. Randall. FOrney Ellis
Hancock, Hutchins, Follett, Burnes, Washburn
and Long. Those opposed were Messrs. Hol-
Wss fs sa%e sn6 q
thorized to consider whether the five unfinished
monitors are suffering from their present In
complete condition, and whether they shall be
completed and armed. An appropriation of
nletinn Of the New York Tho hill G,r.