The Portland daily press., 1885-03-04
XLVIIIth COngresg--2d Session
SENATE.


and harbor bill
Mr. Dawes submitted the conference report on
the Indian appropriation bill. The report which
was agreed to, ciscloses continued disagreement,
but owing to The lateness of the hour, 205 a. M,
Mr. Daw les did not ask for further conference.
On the motion of Mr.. Allison, the Senate, at 80,
took recess until o'clock this morning
The Senate was called to order at O'Clock.
Mr.. Dawes moved call of the roll. 1t showed 25
present. being IA short Of quorum.
At $50 o'clock the Chair declared quorum
present.
Mr.. Dawes called up the conference report on the
Indian bill. The two Houses he said had agreed
on the bill so far all the items properly pertain
1ng TO the appropriation bill were concerned. The
Senate had struck out all items OF general legsla-
tion and all items for depreciation claims. Upon
was passed, Mr.. Dawes added, the Senate seemed to
have weakened its position to general legisla
non. Some provisions of the Indian appropriation
Dill were open violations of treaty obligations
as Well as unconstitutional.
MT. sherman said if the Senate regarded the
reuse ieelslation as wise, the Senate rules should
senate should not recede no matter what the con-
sequence.
M MI Plumb said we were confronted with posi-
pilty 10 say nothing more. of an extra session of
Congress, growing out of the action of tile House.
Gne course Of that body had shown magnificent
will power of one man to produce such q result
pregnant, as MIR. Plumb believed il to be- with the
gravest consequences TO the people of the United
States The exceedingly defective form OF legisla-
tion found in appropriation bills tended to make
him (Afr. Plumo) mmovably opposed to yielding
so far at least related to imputed legislation No
more gross confession of legislative incompeteney
ever had been seen than has been manifested with
in stones throw of the Senate Chamber within 80
days. Bills appropriating millions of dollars had
been passed without consideration and then to
the Senate within two days of the close of the
session.
Mr.. Plumb characterized the river and harbor
lump appropriation as criminal waste Of the
peoples money.
Mr.. Ingalls-By Democratic Secretary of War.
MI. Plumb would not give the debate a political
turn; but the question was becoming serious not
only as to the present. but the future.
In order to bring the question to a point and get
an understanding of the Senate Mr.. Dawes moved,
though he said he would vote against his own
motion, that the Senate recede as to tue provision
OF the bill relating to legal jurisdiction and pro-
cedure in cases Of crimes committed by Indians.
The Senate refused to recede.
message from the House announced disagree
ment with the Senate on the sundry civil bill.
The Senate, on motion of Mr.. Dawes, insisted on
its amendment and the Chair appointed confer
ence committee.
The hour OF 1 having arrived Mr.. Conger renewed
his motion to adjourn.
Mr.. Hale thought the new legislative day would
involve delay, owing to the necessary formalities
The Senate agreed to Mr.. CongeTs's motion and
March Sd.
The Senators remaining in their places, the Sem
ate at minutes past one was called to order con-
the journal read Several requests for unanimous
consent to dispense with the reading of the journal
We %ere met py the uniform response Of Mr.. Ingalls,
The credentials OF Leland Stanford senator
elect from California, and those of j. Y. Eustis
senator elect from louisiana were submitted, read
and filed.
Mr. Hawey then submitted verbal report Of the
work done by the special committee to investigate
the steel producing capacity of the United States
Such Investigations had not been completed for
want of time, and the committee was continued
during recess and are required to report next
December.
Mr. Hale called up the general deficiency bill and
its reading was proceeded with.
The matter OF Indian conference reports was TAX
en- up.
Mr.. Dawes moved that the Senate insist on the
amendments.
Mr.. Manderson moved that the Senate rec EIDE as
to the amendment, extending the time for pa yment
fer Indian lands.
The Senate refused to reeede.
MT. Vest hoped the Senate would agree with the
House provision regarding the Oklahoma matter
and moved that 1t recede from its amendments.
Inc Senate by vote insisted on the amendment
and the chair appointed a committee of conference
Mr.. Allison submitted the conference report on
the general pension bill, but action will be tax
en- on II for the present.
Mr.. Hale from the committee on apDronriatjons
submitted the deficiency bill. He said it ought to
oe considered as soon as possible in order go back
TO the House, and he asked unanimous consent 10
nave the bill at once taken up.
Mr. Conger called attention to the river and har-
por oil which he said ne had yesterday notihedthe
Mr. Hale understood that Mr.. Conger would an
tagonize the deficiency bill with the sconiectural''
river and harbor bill. He (Mr Hale) had grave
doubts OF the possibility of Congress getting
through the necessary business without an extra
session, and this added amazingly TO that doubt
The appropriation committee had done its yery best
10 get bills before the Senate and the Senate must
now Jake the responsibility of the situation from
this Time till noon tomorrow.
The House provision abolishing the office of the
10th census was stricken out.
MI Miller OF New York offered an amendment
aEpp%roprlating pro Si9o 900 to comp etc the pedestal
to be erected on Bedloes Island New York harbor.
Adopted.
Amendments were adopted increasing the appro-
prlallons Tor compens alton OF postmasters whose
SALARIES have been adjusted the act of 1888
10 Szf5 4ol an increase of $137, ,9S3.
takenuB.
An amendment was adopted appropriating $780,
oUI ~ lor the purchase of machine guns.
The commiJIee's amendments were adopted ana
the bill Was then passed.
at 7.2o the Senate went into executive session
ana at 7.32 took a recess until 8.
Evening Session.
On motion of Mr. Conger, the river and harbor
bill was taken up. Gas passed by the House it appro-
pirates $5,0OO,O0o in gross and proposed by the
Senate sc committee to be amended it appropriates
$40. 000,0 ,000)
Mr.. Conger defended toe increase.
Mr.. Frye said there was no excuse that
could be offered to the country for lump sum
river and harbor BILL There had been three months
In which to prepare proper bill. He (AIr Frye)
favored river and harbor BILL but he wanted it to
be proper bill. 1t seemed to him that the Senate
owed duty to itself, and where, as in this case
nothing could suffer by the failure of the BILL the
senate ought not to pass the bill sppropristlng
millions OF dollars and to which only couple Of
hours consideration conld be given, and which had
House.
Pending debate Mr.. Pendleton offered the fol-
lowing resolution and for which he asked imme-
diate consideration:
ResoEved, That the thanks of the Senate are due
and are hereby rendered to Hon. Geo. E. Edmunds
Senator from Vermont, for the courteous Impartial
and able manner in which he has presided over its
deliberations and fulfilled the duty of President
pro tempore.
The resolution was unanimously agreed to.
Mr. Coke then addressed the Senate on the river
ana sd!i haroor bill There was nothing to be done he
sal1. but to appropriate the SOLidO and trust
to the discretion Of the Secretary of War.
Mr.. Dawes submitted new conference report on
the the Indian appropriation bill The only remaining
point OF difference was the provision relating to the
Oklahama lands. The House provision mad ar
ranged Tor negotiations looking to the abandon
ment of the Indian bill, but not prohibiting the
settlement of the lands meanwhile by raiders and
the Senate proceeded from the position,
CONSIDERATION OF the river and harbor bill was
resumed. Mr.. Morrill, opposed the bill.
Mr.. Hoar favored the bill as possibly the hest
that could now be got
A message from the House announced disagree
ment on the general deficiency bill.
Inc Senate insisted tit amendments and the
Chair appointed committee of conference
"a. a message from the House announced like disa-
greement on the fortifcation bill. The Senate
insisted on its amendment and Messrs Dawes
Plumb and Cockerell were appointed committee
of conference.
MIR. Allison, from the conference committee for
the sundry civil bill, submitted a report showing
that all the amendments Of the Senate relating 10
public buildings, with only minor exceptions We're
disagreed to by the House. There was also disa-
greement to the Mexico boundry survey and all
10 king to the sale of public properly
Most OF the other matters in dispute he said had
been adjusted. --''-
The Senate insisted on the amendments and
Messrs. Allison, Hale and Beck were appointed a
committee.
Mr. Frye moved to lay the pending amendment.
to increase the amount from to 10000 600 on
the table.
The motion disagreed.
, Pending debate the Senate then passed at once
tne House Dill providing for adoption by American
snlps OF the international regulations for pre-
venting collisions at sea- The bill was read the
third time and passed.
HOUSE.
There were hardly dozen members in the hall
when the session was resumed at O'Clock.
The sundry civil bill had in the meantime come
over from the Senate. heavily loaded with amend
ments.
Mr. Randall asked unanimous consent that this
Dill be taken up and the Senate amendments nou-
coneurred in and sent to a conference committee.
but objection came frcm Mr.. Hepburn, of Iowa, and
there was call of the House, which showed only
40 members
Mr. .AoIly