Evening star., 1886-12-10

house 81 600 is given; for the Washington monu-
men ment $5Q 600; for propagation OF food fishes
VS. 540; Freedmens hospital and asylum, $50, 740;
Garfield hospital $500; geological survey, $467-
200; homes for disabled volunteer soldiers 81 $780,
900; hospital SPIT for insane, s21e, $685. Howard unl-
Other items OF interest here are: For Interior
department. building, $3.50; international ex-
tce, department Of building, $500; Justice, depart
ment OF, miscellaneous expenses Of $50 600; life
SAYING service, 1861 500; National museum, $751;
for TINS object in naval appropriation for 1887;
public printing, 81 Oa5 600; records Of the rebel
Ion Ss6 600; repairs OF water pipes and fire plugs
Nothing is given for the Reform school Of the
District OF Columbia.
Department Of Agriculture and Labor.
A DEBATE IN THE HOUSE ON THE CONsTITuT1oNALITY
OF THE PENDING BILL.
After the passage OF the electoral count bill
yesterday afternoon the House took up Mr.. Hatchs
bill to establish department Of agriculture and
| labor. Messrs. Hatch, and Weaver Qowa) sup
ported the bill, and Messrs Breckenridge (Ark.),
Gibson wv. Va.) and Tucker opposed it.
Mr.. Hatch defended the measure against the
charge that it was unconstitutional He said
there was no constitutional objection to the crea-
tion Of a secretary of the army, who had control
Of little tOp-heavy army OF q, 600 men, nor to
the appointment Of secretary of the navy to take
charge of little feet which might be hidden
away between Washington and the mouth OF the
Potomac river: it was perfectly constitutional to
erect a department Of interior and let few
Indians be represented in the Cabinet, but the
great agricultural interest OF the country must be
insuted on this floor by the remark that 1t would
be unconstitutional to create department OF ag-
riculture and that the bureau of agriculture
was merely bureau for the distribution or pump
kin seeds. The SC, 900 600 OF farmers did not In
tend that the department of agriculture should
be blotted out Of the statute books OF the United
States.
Mr.. Tucker spoke Of his having been twitted
with always drawing the constitution on the
a representative OF the people could have than to
defend the constitution Of the United States even
against the proclamation OF 30O 600 600 OF farmers
demanding votes. He would not vote for the bill
although 80, ,OOO, 600 farmers demanded It, because
he believed that its whole tendency was uncon-
stitut1onal. The gentleman from missouri sald
"We have War department yet we cannot have
an agricultural representative in the Cabinet" ;"
Had the gentleman ever read the constitution?
was expressly given to the federal government to
raise and support armies and to declare and carry
on war. The power was given to raise and main
postoffices and postroads. The power was given
to lay and collect taxes. That was the reason
there was Treasury department. The govern
ment was charged with the regulation OF Foreign
affairs, and therefore there was State depart
ment. The Interior department was proper one
o Se
government. Congress had right to regulate
commerce, but only interstate commerce and com
merce with the Indian tribes; nothing else. What
did this bill do? 1t regulated agriculture. But
agriculture neither Interstate nor foreign and
could not come under the commerce clause. The
ture.
The Interstate Commerce Bill.
POINTS OF THE AGREEMENT REACHED By THE CON-
FEREES.
The conference committee on the interstate COM
merce bill reached an agreement upon every point
under consideration, stated in yesterdays STAR.
On Monday next the substitute for the House and
Senate bills agreed upon by the committee will
probably be reported.
The substitute embraces all the principal pro-
visions OF the Cullom bill in relation to the commits
sion. That much was conceded by the House
conrerees and, in return, the Senate conferees as
nstae TO suits IN hep s1
provtso that such suits must be brought
In the federal courts The substitute pro-
hfbits pooling by railroad companies, feature
that the House cOnfereeS contended for. In rela-
tion to the long and short haul the substitute pro-
ps ANY Ipm anS n
going in the same direction and under substanti-
ally similar circumstances and conditions, the
shorter being included in the longer distance with
provisO that in special cases, upon application
by any railroad company, and after due inveSttga-
tion, the commission may relieve the railroad
from the operation OF this general rule This pro-
viso is sort OF safety valve in case 1t shall prove
as some apprehend, that this feature Of the act
shall increase through rates instead Of decreasing
rates for short distances or local traffic. In re-
gard to publishing rates the substitute requires
that each railroad shall publish its own rates,
and shall also file with the commission any and
all agreements with other companies as to through
rates. The commission is authorized to make them
public. Each railroad must keep its rates at each
and every station for public inspection The act
is made I'd apply to the transportation OF paSsen-
gers or freight by railroad, Or partly by railroad
and partly by water, when both systems are un-
der the same control, and the term railroad is to
include all OF the road proper the bridges ferries,
ETC., used In the transportation OF freight and pas
SengerS III The United States.
Capitol Topics.
THE DEATH LIST OF THE PRESENT CONGRESS.
The death of Representative DOwdney, which
was announced to-day. swells to twelve the DEATH
list OF the Forty-ninth Congress. 1t is follows:
Vice President Hendricks, and Senators Miller OF
California, and Pike, Of New Hampshire; Repre-
sin; Hahn. OF Louisiana; Beach, Arnot and Dowd.
ney, OF New York; Price, OF Wisconsin,; Cole, of
Maryland, and Duncan, OF Pennsylvania.
PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
The House committee ON public buildings to-
day directed favorable reports to be made to the
House on the bills making appropriations for the
reconstruction OF the custom houses at Eastport,
Me-, and Charleston, s. G.
NOTES.
The Senate was not in session to-day. .
Congressman who have been looking over the
field TO determine the chances OF passing the
bankruptcy bill at this session have concluded
that the prospects are very discourae1ng.
Mr.. w. E Spencer journal clerk OF the Senate.
but is expected to recover soon.
Representative Sw1nburne has notified Repre-
sentative-elect U. T. Kane, from the 10Th New
York district, that he will contest his seat in the
F1ftteth Congress.
Death of Representative DOvvdney.
Representative Abraham Dowdney, OF the
twelfth district OF New York. died at his residence
in Madison avenue, New York city, at eight
O'Clock this morning. He was stricken with apo
plexy while entering his home last night. He was
born trIreland In 1S4O, but was educated in this
country and served as captain In the union army
during the late war. His business was that of
builder and contractor. Though holding offices OF
trust In New York city, he held no Office Qnder the
general government until elected to the Forty
ninth Congress- He declined nomination for re-
election. The Speaker this afternoon appointed
the following committee to attend the funeral:
MeSsrs. Campbell, Viele Merriman and Muller Of
New York; OrNeill, o, Missouri; Scranton OF Penn
sylvania, and Brady, of Virginia.
Gen. Howard ON the Sab0ath.
Gen. o. Q. Howard was recently elected presi-
dent Of the Sabbath Union OF San Francisco, which
intends to extend its organization throughout the
state OF California but he declined the honor for
4 acrua in tho follo VfuU Loft