The morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1884-1886, 1885-02-28
MISCELLANEOUS.
The Senate and House Still
On Appropriation Bills.
Garland Accepts the Dep artment
of Justice Portfolio.
Seventeen Men Lose Their Feet
by an Explosion.
The French Sink Two Chinese
War Vesss is.
MISCELLANEOUS GENERAL NEWS.


WASHINGTON, Feb. 77.-Mr. Reagan
asked unanimous consent to take from
the speakers table the interstate com
merce bill, for the purpose of nonycen-
curing in the senate amendments knere-
to, but Mr.. Kean objected.
Mr.. Rosecrans, from the committee on
military affairs, reported bill for the re
tirement of Gen. H. G.. Wright with the
rank Of major general. Placed on Pri-
vatc calendar.
AS the regular order of business the
house proceeded to further considera-
ton Of the sundry civil BILL
Mr.. Horr offered an amendment pro-
viding that the money appropriated tc
aid the New Orleans exposition skall bt
used, first, in paying the Indebtedness nov
outstanding to persons outside of Louisi-
ana, including debts to foreigners or for
eign nations, and such as are due states
and territories, and, second, in the pa.
ment of all premiums awarded by the ex
position. The amendment was adoPte q
yeas zoo, nays S..
Mr.. Potter then moved to strike out
the entire clause. Lost, yeas II7, nays
I59.
The bill passed, 1863 to Io7.
The senate amendments to the legisla-
tive appropriation bill were non-concurreo
in, and Messrs. Holman, Hancock and
Cannon were appointed conferees.
Mr.. Willis moved to suspend the rules
and put upon its passage the bill appro-
priating $5,oooooo to be expended. by di-
rection and with the approval of the sec
retary of war, tor the continuation and
completion Of the works designated in
the last river and harbor bill. The bill
contains the following provision: ANY
money which shall be allotted under this
act for the improvement of the
Mississippi river below Cairo Except so
much thereof as shall be necessary to
prevent the work in progress from waste
and iniury3 shall be expended in c0nfinu
alton and completion of the works at
Plum Point and Lake Providence, reaches
to the end that if the plan of commission
for the improvement of the river may be
fully tested, and the money attached to
the Mississippi river, shall be expended
by the secretary of the war, and in ac-
cordance with the plans approved by him
Mr.. Willis bricfiy explained that it had
been thought best not to allow the present
works of the government to 60 to waste
and ruin for lack of appropriation. Fol
this reason he had, after consultation With
a number of gentlemen, brought in bill
appropriating S5,ooo,ooo. or one-seventh
the amount which the corps of engineers
had stated could be profitably expended
during the coming year. The bill was
submitted as a compromise, because he
knew discussion on the regular bill would
consume valuable time and might en-
danger the passage of the regular appro-
priation bill and cause an extra session.
Mr.. Hiscock opposed the bill.
Mr.. Connor criticised the river and har-
Dor committee for coming in with an i'm
mature bill, which was not specific in its
character, and not printed, and NOV
ing in the twinkling of an eye to pass it
under suspension of the rules. He was
in favor of internal Improvements, but he
wanted intelligent legislation. Here was
the house presented with the alternative
ofleaving public works to suffer or having
a called session. Worse things could
happen than a called session. Last fall
the democratic orators had told the peo-
pie that at last-the democrats were to be
at the helm, and now they come in and
move to pass this crude measure under
suspension of the rules for fear there might
be an extra session in March or April-in
other words, they feared to trust them
selves.
Mr.. Miller, of Pennsylvania, consid-
cred this motion afitting one to be made
in the closing hours of the forty-eighth
congress. Within the past two days the
house, under suspension of the rules, had
appropriated S2Aooo,o0o, and it was now
proposed to appropriate, $65,oooooo
more. This proposition was brought in
with the expectations that the senate
would add one, two or FIVE millions to it,
and then be passed upon by conference
committee.
Mr.. Hanback, objected to bill of this
character being foisted on the house
and passed without discussion or consid-
Grafton.
Mr.. O'Neil, (ef Missouril thought it
would be a blunder and a crime for the
house to fail to appropriate sufficient
amount to keep the works now in progress
in a state of preservation. If this bill
were not passed it would entail loss on
the government of millions of dollars.
Mr. King favored the bill, though he
considered the appropriation entirely in
adequate.
The motion was agreed to and the bill
passed; Yeas 100, nays 8S.
Mr.. Turner (of Georgia., called up the
contested election case from North Caro-
lima, in which the prima facie right of
Skinner to his seat is involved. The
house refused to consider it.
Mr.. Townshend, from the committee on
appropriations, reported the postofice
appropriation bill, with senate amend
ments, and with report of concurrence
in some and non-concurence in ether
amendments.
In order to prevent Mr.. Turner from
calling up any contested election case. the
republicans demanded separate vote on
each amendment, and though the recon-
mendations of the appropriation commit
tee we're in each case agreed to, (the
clause relative TO ocean transportation
was not reached) they consumed the