The Portland daily press., 1885-02-14

ing Postmaster General, upon the Importance of
securing possession of certain documents relating
to the Post Office Department OF the late COnted-
crate States. These papers were referred.
Mr.. Dawes, from the committee on appropria-
tions reported the Indian appropriation bill with
amendments. Ii was placed on the calendar.
Mr.. Ingalls, said he had observed in certain quar-
tsrs statement that the Republicans of the Senate
endeavoring so to direct legislation as to com
pei an extra session. He asked Mr.. Allison, chair
man Of the appropriations committee as to the
dition of the appropriation bills.
Mr.. Allison said the military academy bill was
the only bill that had yet become law. having
been signed by the President The District Of Co
lumbia bill the pension bill and the consular and
diplomatic bill were now in conference, the army
bill had passed the Senate yesterday, the Indian
bill had just been reported by the Senate committee
and would, he hoped, be considered by the Senate
tomorrow. This left with the Senate committee
only the agricultural BILL which would b9 ready for
consideration Monday. The post office bill, the
legislative executive and judicial bill, the naval
bill, the fortihcaton bill, the general deficiency
bill and the sundry civil bill had not yet come to
the Senate ftom the House. OF these the post office
bill was, he believed, now under consideration in
the House. The legislative bill had been reported
The sundry civil, naval and fertilization bills have
not yet been reported to the House from its COM
mittee on appropriations So far as the Senate
committee was concerned Mr.. Allison said, he
could assure the Senate that its work was and
would continue to be well in hand and that no delay
would be caused by that committse. II the House
would take care of the bills there would be no diff
hculty in the Senate.
In Mr.. Ingalls, Judgment nothing could be worse
Su7t1Soo
ests than an extra session of Congress.
MIR. Hoar, from the committee privileges and
elections, reported resolution allowing George Z.
Spencer, formerly Senator from Alabama, 81 1872,
being the amount Of actnal and necessary expenses
in maintaining the title to his seat, but on objec
tion the resolution went over one day.
The Des Moines river lands bill was then taken
up. and Mr.. Lapham proceeded to address the Sem
ate but at 1 o'clock the matter went over one day,
Mr.. Lapham retaining the floor.
The Texas Pacific land forfeiture bill, as the
pending special order, was placed before the SEN
ate.
Mr.. Blair asked unanimous consent to take up
the anti-foreign contract labor pill, but Mr. Van
Wyck declined to yield.
Mr.. Blair moved the Senate proceed to cOnsidera-
tion of the labor bill.
Mr.. Van Wyck asked the Chair if this would not
again displace the forfeiture BILL and reegate it to
the calendar and the Chair said it would
Mr.. Van Wyck then called for the yeas and nays
on Mr. Bairs motion and it was agreed to, yeas 30,
nays 10.
The labor bill was therefore taken up, and its
consideration proceeded with The labor bill is the
House bill. 1t prohibits any person or company
from prepaying transportation or encouraging the
importation of foreigners under agreement to
perform labor in the United States, and makes void
all contracts of that character. A penalty of
81 GOO is also fixed for the infracton of that pro-
vision, Shipmasters forbidden. under penalty
of $500, to bring immigrants who have made such
agreements Citizens of foreign countries tempo
rari sojourning in the United States not
able to the provisions Of the bill far relates
to private secretaries or domestic servants. The
bill does not apply to the of actors profession
al singers etc, nor is i5 so TO apply as to prevent
Countries workmen skilled in afy industry not at
present established in the United States, provided
skilled labor for that purpose cannot be otherwise
obtained. The Dill further provides that II snail
| not be construed to prohibit any individual from
assisting any member Of his family, relative, TO
! immigrate to the United States.
| Considerable debate arose ON the bill.
| Mr.. Hawley thought parts of the bill were in
contravention of national rights and cite1 numer-
GUS instances in which he believed the bill would
| be injurious
Mr.. Blair had supposed the bill was in accord
with the principles of the Declaration Of Indepen-
dence and the rights of markind. 1t was aimed,
he said, not at immigration but at slavery-at the
| introduction of servile labor. The wages of the
| working classes should be protected from the
| effects of imported gangs of laborers. In the
course of his remarks Mr.. Blair aluded to the
cent disturbance in the Hooking Valley which was
attributed to class Of people that this bill would
| exclude. These disturbances had already resulted
| in a loss of $4,000 600.
Mr.. ingalls, thought the bill was a measure in the
| right direction.
Mr.. Bayard moved to stike out the section affect
ing ship captains.
The discussion was continued at length by Messrs.
| Bayard, Sherman, Frye and others, but without
action the Senate adjourned.
HOUSE.
The House met at 10 O'Clock today in continue
tion of Thursdays session. The Senate amend
ments were concurred in to the House bill to pre-
vent the unlawful occupation of public lands.
| Mr.. Willis Of Kentucky, moved that when the
House go into committee Of the whole on the river
and habor bill all debate on the Penolng section De
| closed in an hour ard half.
| Mr. Reed of Maine raised the point that this
motion was not in order as it not competent for
the House to close debate on paragraphs Of the bill
| which had not yet been read in comaittee.
| The Speaker said this point would have been well
taken if directed against general appropriation bills
but the river and harb3r bill had been repeatedly
| held to be neither and the chair oyerruled the
| point of order.
Mr.. Reed appealed from the decision saying that
| s1ch ruling would establish precedent Of the
most astonishing character and one which must nee
| essariy recoi on both sides o. the House.
Mr.. Long Of Massachusetts, called the attention
of the House to the fact that if the principle nyov
ed in the decision of the Speaker carriedeut it
| would be in the power of any committee put an
entire bin in one section and then cut oil debate
| upon that section.
| Mr. Reed read from the debate which occurred in
| the 47th Congress when the proposition was made
to cut off debate on paragraphs Of the tariff bill
which had not been read and considered in order to
| show that Messrs. Carlisle, Hammond, Randall,
Cox and Blackburn had protested vigorously against
more adroit than manly and honorable. Nowhere
in those speeches he able to find tkat any dis
tinction had been made between general appropria-
tion bills and the river and harbor bill.
After further debate Mr.. Willis moved to lay the
/ appeal on the table.
| It was agreed to- yeas 121 nays 1O4, and then
| though it was two minutes past twelve, the House
| adjourned and was Immediately called to order
| again in Fridays session.
! Mr.. Steele of Isdiana, moved TO lay the resolu-
/ tion ON the table. Lost AZ to SS.
The Speaker laid before the House a number of
| executive ecommunicatonswhichw were appropriately
| referred. Among them one from the Secretary of
the Navy asking legislation authorizing the expen-
dture for either of the cruisers of the balance of
| the appropriations for steam machinery for the
| steel cruisers.
The House then proceeded to consideration Of
| business under the special ruls.
| number of minor bills were passed under the
rule and at q 10 the House went into committee of
the whole on the post office appropriation bill, the
| pending question being on point of order raised
| by Mr. Holman of Indiana against the paragraph
| allowing additional compensation TO American
| steamships for carrying ocean mails.
The Chair in rendering his decision said if it were
| proper to look upon Section 39S6 of the Revised
Statutes as an existing law there could be no diff
| Guilty in ruling upon the point of order.
But the Chair was of the opinion that as the pend
ing legislation did not take effect until the first of
January next all questions as to what existing
law must beldetermned withlreference to thattime.
| Section % of the Dingley bill repealed Section
1876, to take effect the 1st of April next, and the
| chair would hold that the Dingley bill was the ex-
listing law. The chair overruled the point Of ORDER
| He however, ruled out that portion of the para
| graph which provides that vessels engaged in this
service shall be Of American registry and shall in
time of war be liable to charter purchase by the
United States at reasonable rates.
MIR. Holman OF Indiana, appealed ktrom the de-
| cision of the chair, but the committee-l30 to As
| sustained the ruling.
Mr.. Holman then moved to strike out the para
| graph and to insert an amendment appropriating
600 for transportation of foreign mails incud
| ing railway transit across the Isthmus of Panama
and reuniting for one year from July next sections
| 1916 and 42O3 of the Revised Statutes. The pro
vision contained In the bill proposed direct subsi
| dy to the vessels whether they carried mail or
not and no member who had been present the
| floor some years ago and witnessed the memorable
scene which occurred in reference to the Pacific
mail subsidy would ever wish to witness another
such scene.
Mr. Hunt of Louisiana defended the provision in
the bill.
Mr.. Blount of Georgia, said with our present nav
igation laws we could not possibly hope to revive
American commerce by this increase in mail com
pensation. This provision simply an effort Io
increase the compensation of the few lines now in
existence.
At the end of the long debate Mr.. Holman modi
fed his motion so as to move merely, to strike oui
the provision without insertion of clause the re
enacting Sections 1916 and 4203 OF the Revised
| Statutes
| The motion was agreed to 100 to 81 amid an
| plsRse the Democratic side.
MIR. Horr of Michigan gave notice that he would
demand yea and nay vote in the House.
| An amendment was adopted providing that til,
rate of drop letters including delivery at letter car
rier offices shall be two cents per ounce.
| The committee then rose and reported the bill Il
the House, and the previous question having beer
ordered on the bill the House took recess until
| O'Clock.
| EVENING SESSION.
| The House at the evening session passed severa
| personal and dozen pension bills.
At 10 o'clock the House took recess until 10 to
morrow.
GENERAL NEWS.