The Portland daily press., 1885-01-07
XLVIIIth COngress--2d Session
SENATE.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 6.
The Chair laid before the Senate the COM
municatlon from the Attorney General urging
that sufficient appropriation be made to enable
the government to properly defend the suits
against the United States in the Court of
Claims. 1t was referred to the committee on
appropriations
Mr.. Morrill,, from the committee on finance,
reported favorably the joint resolution author
izing the Collector of the port of New York to
deliver free of duty the silver cup won by A.
b. Van Hensen as member Of an American
rifle team IN England.
Mr.. Hawley introduced bill to establish an
international copyright.
On motion of Mr.. Slater, the Senate re-
sumed the consideration of the Oregon. Central
land forfeiture bill
Mr. Morgan moved to amend BY adding to
the bill the substance of the provisions which
on his motion bad been added to the Atlantic
& Pacific forfeiture bill. providing the method
OF Judicial procedure for ascertainment of the
rights OF parties claiming under the grant,
The hour of 2 arriving, consideration of the
interstate commerce bill was about to be re-
sumed but on motion OF Mr.. Slater the Senate
by vote of % to 22, decided to lay that bill
aside till tomorrow in order to continue the
consideration of the Oregon Central bill.
Mr.. Morgan spoke at length in support of
the amendment, and Messrs. Dolph and Slater
opposed it.
The whole process of taking these vested
rights Mr.. Blair Edeclared TO be organized rob-
berry. He looked upon the movement veiled
under hostility TO corporations as a wildcat
and most dangerous movement against prop
erty ever taken place in this city.
Mr.. Lapham supported Mr.. Morgan's amend
ment.
The amendment was then rejected, Is to 28.
The bill was then read the third time and
passed without division.
Before the announcement of the vote on the
amendment Mr.. Morgan changed his vote
from yea to nay, and on the passage of the bill
gave immediate notice of a motion to recon-
sider
The Senate then went into executive session
and later adjourned.
The Speaker laid before the House today
message from tbe President, transmitting the
supplementary report of the gun foundry
board. Referred.
Mr.. Ellis, of Louisiana, from the committee
on appropriations, reported joint resolution
appropriating $4,000 for the support of GER
tain destitute Indians in Montana Territory.
Passed.
The House, at u 25, went into committee of
the whole on the pension bill.
Mr. Hancock, of Texas explained the pro-
visions of the bill, which appropriates $685.
976, ,000 or 1924 600 less than the estimates.
Mr.. Warner, of Ohio, inveighed against the
abuses which existed under the present PEN
sion law In the matter of compensation allow
ed to claim agents, and that the piracy of the
middle ages was an honest calling compared
with the operation of claim agents in the city
of Washington.
After some discussion Mr.. Everhart OF Penn
sylvaDia, offered proviso that all applicants
for pensions shall be presumed to have had no
disability at the time of enlistment, but such
presumption may be rebutted. Adopted.
Mr.. Rogers of Arkansas, offered an amend
ment providing that no agent shall receive
any fee for his services in pension cases until
allowance of the claim; that all fees shall be
paid by pension agents and that such fees shall
be ten dollars except in cases of special writ
ten contracts, filed in the pension office, when
q fee of $25 may be contracted for. Violation
of this provision is punishable by fiue and inn
prisonment.
The amendment to the amendment limiting
the special contract to a claimant and claim
agent residing in the same State was agreed
to.
Mr.. Rogers amendment as amended was
adopted. The committee then rose and the
bill was passed,
a dinnrnQH