The National tribune., 1885-01-15
CONGRESS.
The Iuter.Stafi

The Interstate Commerce Bill Passes the House.
TUESDAY, Jan 6-The House at 1925 went
into Committee of the Whole on the pension
appropriation bill. Mr.. Hancock explained the
provisions of the bill, which appropriated $751;
$40, 000 or $4,000 less than the estimates
Mr.. Warner inveighed against the abuses
which existed under the present pension law
in the matter of the compensation allowed to
claim agents, and declared that the piracy of
the middle ages was an honest calling COM
pared with the operations Of claim agents in
the city of Washington. They claimed to be
the friends of the soldiers; they were kind of
friend to the soldier that the wolves were to
the sheep.
BIT. Randall said that at the last session the
House had adopted proposition to remedy the
evils existing but the Senate had refused to
concur in it. In conference committee legsla-
ton had been formulated, which was enacted
into law, and under this law the abuses COM
planned Of by the gentleman from Ohio had
crept III.
J. ID. Taylor of Ohio, attacked the Commit
tee on Pensions, Bounty and Back Pay, and
characterized it as the graveyard Of all pension
legislation.
The bill having been road for amendments,
Mr. Evarhart offered q proviso that all appli-
cants for pensions shall be presumed to have
had no disability at the time Of enlistment, but
such presumption may be rebuttcd. Adopted.
AOBclS OutISu du
that no agent shall receive any fee for his serv
ices in pension cases until the allowance of the
claim that all fees shall be paid by the pension
agents, and that such fees shall be $40, except
in cases of special written contract filed in the
Pension Office, when fee of $50 may be con-
tEacted for. violation of this provision is
punishable by fine and imprisonment.
Mr.. Warner offered an amendment to the
| amendment limiting the special contracts to
claimant and claim agent residing in the same
State. Agreed to. Mr.. ROgers's amendment as
amended was adopted.
On motion of Mr.. O'Hara an amendment was
adopted providing that the mode and man.
ner provided for the regulation for the payment
Of white pensioners shall apply to all PEN
sioners.
WEDNESDAY, Jan. THE interstate COM
merce bill was the topic of discussion in both
Houses to-day.
THURSDAY, JAM SIN the Senate to-day
there was some discussion on the reciprocity
| treaties.
In the House. Mr. Randall, from the Com
| mittee on Appropriations, reported bill pro-
viding for an appropriation for the expenses of
| the Navy for the six months ending June 80
1885. The bill appropriates $6,120, 155 on the
basis Of one-half of the bill which passed the
House at the last session of Congress for the
fiscal year 1855. This is an entirely new bill,
and is the fourth naval appropriation bill now
| pending.
The House then resumed the consideration
| of the interstate commerce bill
Mr.. Hepburn moved to recommit the bill,
| with instructions to the Committee on Com
| merce to report back commission bill. Lost
-93-132.
The bill was then passed-yeas 15S, nays rs.
This bill provides for a Uniform rate Of
| charges on railroads from one State or Terri
| tory to another, and forbids all discrimination
in charges. All charges for service shall be
reasonable, and any person or persons having
purchased ticket for passage from one State
to another, or paid the required fare shall re-