The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-06-17
THE F0RTY-NINTH CONGRESS-
A Few Remarks in the Senate as to the
Wrongs of American Fishermen.
The Appropriation Bills Delayed by the Action
of the House-Passage of the Legislative.
Judicial and Executive Bill.


WASHINGTON, June l6.-Almost immeoiateiy
after the opening of the Senate Mr. Edmunds
moved an executive session, but yielded to re-
quest for the transaction of morning business.
Mr. Dawes presented a memorial of the Massa-
shusetts Legislature, which was read. The me-
mortal recites that the General Court" of Mas
Bachusetts views with deep concern the recent in
aerferences of the government of Canada with the
nights of fishermen of the United States, and
urges Congress to secure immediate relief for
t,sat class Of citizens.
Mr. Hoar remarked that there was very nat
ural feeling of uneasiness the part of the fish
ermen of Massachusetts over the present con-
duet of the Dominion government Mr. Hoar
was sure however, that the committee on for
sign relations Of the Senate was fully alive and
alert in regard to the necessity of preserving the
honor and dignity of the United States and the
rights and interests of its citizens. There was
no class of our citizens whose wrongs would ex-
site in the Senate more instant sympathy and
desire for redress than would those Of
Ahe American sailors Mr. Hoar was sure that
under the lead of the Junior Senator from Maine
tMr. Frye]. who, he supposed, knew as much
&bout this subject as any man in she United
States, everything that legislation could ac-
eomplish would be accomplished to maintain the
position of the United States IN this contro-
versy. Mr.. Hoar wished, however, to add that
fn his Judgment, it would be necessary to en-
aargs somewhat the scope of the legislation al
ready adopted in the amendment to the shipping
bill, and to put it in the power of the President,
when commercial privileges were denied to
United States vessels in foreign ports, to retail
T.
privileges, but by authorizing the President on
bis discretion. to deny all commercial privileges
30 United States ports to vessels of the power
denying, Or to vessels Of any province, colony,
or dependency of such power. This proposition,
DIR. Hoar said, was embraced in the bill intro
duced somewhere by his colleague of the
Cape district of Massachusetts," and met his
EMr. Hoar's hearty approval
The Senate then. at 1890 P. NJ, on motion Of
DR. Edmunds, went into executive session.
AT lilo the doors were reopened, and on mo-
zion of Mr.. Dolph, the Senate decided to take up
the House bill providing for the repeal of the
pre- compton, timber-culture and desert-land
Aete.
Mr.. Wilson, of Iowa. obtained leave, pending
the regular order, to address the Senate on the
bill making the rate of postage ON fourth-class
matter two cents an ounce. Mr.. Wilson gave
way, however, for consideration of the invalid
pension appropriation bill, which was reported
by Mr.. Logan, and at once passed by the Senate
rs reported from the Senate committee on APP
preparations.
The Military Academy appropriation bill was
then taken up. On the passage of the bill Mr..
Plumb'caled for the yeas apd nays. He said he
would vote against all appropriations for the
; West Point Academy till such time as change
was made in the law which would allow at least
pne-half the appointments to army vacancies to
be made from civil life. He believed that in the
exclusiveness which we were creating in the
,AnrEay ne were building up an aristocratic, anti
republican institution which would some day re-
turn to plague us.
The vote resulted--yeas, AZ; nays. 4 The
nays were Messrs Chase, Plumb, Teller and
Wilson, of Iowa The bill was passed as re-
ported from the appropriations committee
Mr.. Allison stated that the Senate appropria-
tions committee had now no bills before it for
consideration. We were now within two weeks
of the expiration of the fiscal year. 1t was i'm
possible that some of the important appropria-
hon bills could pass the Senate by the first of
July, as the Senate could not consider them till
bility or embarrassment, he added, might attach
TO failure to pass these appropriation bills be-
fore the expiration of the fiscal year. could not
rest with the Senate.
Mr.. Wilson, of Iowa, then addressed the SEN
a4e on the postal biz He said the present law
relating to postage on merchandise was most
effective instrumentality for centralIzlng. Fig
ures showed that package carried over TIVE
hundred miles by rail at the present rates,
brought a loss to the government; at the same
time it tended to destroy the business of the
local dealers all over the country. Mr. Wilson
read o number Of letters from country merchants
from different parts of the Union, recounting
the evils of the present system, by which few
merchant princes of New York and other large
sites we're coming to monopolize the local busi-
pess of every section of the United States. Mr..
Wilson therefore advocated the passage of the
bill increasing the rate of postage on merchan-
disc If Congress, he added was not ready to
pass 1t, the time would come when the disturb
hnee to the business of the country by the pres
ent system would compel an increase of the rate.
The Senate then proceeded to consideration of
the House bill repeating the pre- emption, timber
culture ana desertlaud acts The Senate CON-
mittee on public lands have amended the House
pill by substituting the provisions Of the Senate
bill
Mr. Blair offered an amendment providing, in
effect, as to the desert lands, that on the expen-
ulture or the required sum for improvements,
she government should patent the title and that
none of the lands should be held in larger bodies
than $40 acres by single ownership.
Mr. Plumb did not agree that there had been
any gross frauds. as had been generally sup
posed. with regard to the desert lands, or any
other form of public lands He asserted that
thsre had been much misstatement aud inter
ested exaggeration in regard 20 that subject No
doubt there had been frauds, but not to any
thing like the extent publicly charged. Much
Of shis so-called fraud consisted in a
mere failure to make technical compliance
with the regulations OF the Land Department..
Such fraud as that not involving
moral fraud He Mr.. Plumb had pre-empted 100
acres of land in Kansas thirty years ago, and had
made his home on it, but be had no doubt that,
recording to the sensational and exaggerated
descriptions of the present time, he had commit
ted fraud on the public lands. If some of
the keen.eye and leather -tonged agents of the
Interior Department should find that q man had
left his land and that another man had bought
il, it would be set down as fraud. of the first
magnitude. Mr.. Plumb pictured the struggles
of the early settlers of the West and deprecated
eli attempts to belittle the struggles of those
people, or 70 interfere with their well earned IL
Ties 70 their lands. The interpostion of mere
technicalities was no way for a great govern
ment to treat its settlers. There was no ius,ifi-
cation for such a course. Security of title was
an indispensable necessity for civilization
After further debate the Senate adjourned
without action on the bill or the pending amend