Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-03-01
NATIONAL CAPITAL NOTES
The House Sets Down on = . Pacific
Mail Subsidy-COnference Committees
Appointed

Ihe House sets DgWn on . = Pacific
Mail Subsidy-COntereEce Committees
Appointed
WASHINGTON, Feb. 23.-The House
quietly nOn-concurred without a divi-
SION in the Senate amendment to the
post office appropriation bill carrying
the 100000 Pacific Mail subsidy. The
Pacific Mail lobbyists sat in the gallery
a.d saw this done with perfect uncon-
cern. They were placing their hopes ON
the conference committee. The con-
ferees on the part Of the House, appointed
by the Speaker and at the suggestion of
the ApprCpsiatiOns Committee, were
Messrs. Holman Of Indiana, TOWnshend
of Illinois. ID mocrats, and HOrr of Michi-
gan, Republican. Mr. Horr, Of course,
favoTs the subsidy. Mr.. Holman, of
course, opposes it. Mr.. Town
it, but about him the opponents
Of the subsidy do not seem to be as conf
dent as they would like to be. The Sem
ate subsequently appointed cOnferees, a
majority of whom favor the subsidy. The
Pacific Mail lobbyists are very hopeful.
They say the Senate will never back down
to avert an extra session. The House will
have to yield. They are the authors of
the current extra session theories. To
these threats Messrs. Carlisle and Randall
quietly interpOSe their intentipa to do
d everything in their power to pteyent an
extra session, at the same time resisting
unto the end the Pacific Mail
subsidy, the scheme whichs seems
to be the sole eXcuse on
the Republican side Of the SENATE for an
extra session. 1t is probable that the de-
teImined purpose of the leaders of the
majority IN the House will force the SEN
ate to yield its subsidy. But If the Senate
should be foolish enough to force an extra
session on this issue, the Democrats can
stand it.
BUTLER FAILS TO REPORT AS TREASURER
OF THE SOLDIERS HOMES.
The subcommittee of the House Mill
tary Committee, which last summer in
Vestigated the management of the nation
al homes for disabled volunteer soldiers,
will say in their report to the full COM
mittee that Ben Butler, who was former
lY Treasurer of the national homes. has
not accounted for $24j.000 of the funds of
the homes. The members of the sub-cOm-
mittee ask Butler to come on and explain.
He has not done SO. In response to re-
pested kilograms he sends no explana-
tlon, but simply begs for delay. TIE sub
committee think that his purpose is to
keep the report back until Congress ad-
jOurns, and so propose to make itpublic.
CONFERENCE COMMITTEES IN ATANGLE.
The predictions of an extra session
were revived to-day, and there is cOnsid-
cradle nervousness in Congressional cir
cles. 1t appears that the conference COM
mittees Of the two houses on the several
appropriation bills are in tangle The
Senate cOnferees insist that no legislation
shall be put upon any of the appropria-
tiOn bills, as the rules OF the Senate will
not admit of it. The cOnferees on the
l.. =
statement that it is customary and ne
cessary that legislation should be
placed upon some of the bills,
and hold that the House cannot
take recognition of the Senate rules
with matters in this condition. There are
six bills in conference which are involved
IN the question in controversy. Those
that present the most difficulties are the
Indian, the post Office and the naval. The
phase Of the situation which chiefly irri-
tates the House is that while the Senate
complains OF the action of the House in
inserting general legislation in appro-
priatiOn bills, the Senate has itself disre-
garded its own preaching by putting the
steamship subsidy clause in the post
office appropriation bill.
The Senate Appropriations Committee
had a consultation to-day with
Speaker Carlisle, who went over to con-
fer with Senator Hale regarding the
conference committees and the points in
dispute. Mr.. Hale took a decided stand,
and asserted that the Senate would insist
on the House accepting the subsidy
amendment TO the post Office bill Mr..
Carlisle said that the House could not
yield to such demands, and he suggested
that if the Senators persisted in their at
tltude an extra session would be forced.
Mr.. Hale replied that that was for the
House IL consider as an alternative. Mr..
Carlisle returned to the House and con-
suited With Mr.. Randall, and both agreed
that tie situation was serious. Mr.
Randall takes the Ground that the
House cannot be held responsible
for an extra session, should one be caused,
as the House three days before March
has passed all the appropriation bills, ana
that If the Senate insists on forcing an eX-
ira session by defeating the post office APP
interest Of steamship subsidies.
DISABILITIES REMOVED.
Mr. Nichols. Of Georgia, has secured !
the final passage If his bills relieving j. !
ID. johnson, Of Savannah, and Duncan l.. /
Cliuch, Of camden county, Georgia, OF /
their political disabilities.
AIDES FROM SAVANNAH.
Mr.. Nichols has induced Gen. Slocum, /
Chief Marshal of the inaugural process /
sion, to appoint +. j. AcOsta and Il. NJ. /
Demere, of Savannah, as aides on bis |
staff for that occasion.
THE DEBT REDUCTION.
The estimated debt reduction during .
February is So, 100000.