The Portland daily press., 1886-05-19
XLIXth CONGRESS- FIRST SESSION.
SENATE.

WASHINGTON, May 10.
Mr.. Hale introduced today a memorial
from several steamship companies. Mr.
Hale remarked he denied squarely what had
been stated in certain newspapers, namely,
that attempts had been made to improperly
influence Congress in favor of what were
called subsidies. He wished to say in con-
nection with the recent action of the Senate
in regard to the foreign mails that if this
great effort to revive American commerce
ever prevailed Congress it would not be
done by the influence OF any lobby. 1t could
only come about because the American peo-
pie were growing more and more interested
in the subject and sooner or later Congress
would have to respond to the popular de-
mand.
Mr. Hoar presented the petition of the
New England Methodist Episcopal confer
ence, urging the United States to enforce the
terms of the Chinese treaty so as to. protect
the lives and property Of Chinese subjects In
the United States. Referred.
The Senate then proceeded to the calendar
The first bill in order was the Staten Island
bridge bill
MI. Mcpherson objected to its being taken
up at present as his colleague, Lowell, was
necessarily absent
Mr. Frye moved the yeas and nays be
taken, and it resulted, yeas 22, nays "a. Inc
bill, on motion of Mr.. Harrison, was per
mitted to return to its place on the calendar.
At 2 o'clock the pension bill was placed be-
fore the Senate, but was temporarily laid
aside to permit Mr.. Coke to address the Sem
ate in favor of the House labor arbitration
bill -
After some remarks by Mr.. Logan, outlin-
ing the substitute for the House bill which
he would submit at the proper time, the pen
sion bill was laid before the Senate Inc
pending amendment is that Of Mr.. Blair TO
the amendment of Mr.. Van Wyck. MI. Van
Wyck's amendment is to add to the bill a
proviso that no soldier under the act should
hereafter receive less than $S month. The
amendment proposed by Mr. Blair is to pro-
vide instead that no pension paid hereafter
under any law to any soldier should be rated
at less than 81 a month.
Mr.. Mcpherson said the Senate was not
definitely informed as to the amount the bill
would take from the treasury. In order TO
get some information as to the approximate
amount, he moved that the bill be recon-
mitted to the committee on pensions.
A discussion then arose as to the precise
meaning of certain provisions of the bill but
without acting on Mr.. McPherson's motion
the Senate at 3.20 p. m. went into executiv
session, and after an hour 80 spent the doors
were reopened and the Senate adjourned.
HOUSE.
The House went into committee OF the
whole on the post office appropriation bill to
consider the Senate amendments thereto.
Mr.. Blount spoke against the clause known
as the subsidy amendment.
Mr.. Burrowes of Michigan in supporting
the amendment drew a comparison btWeen
the pay for mail service to the coastwlse com,
panies and that allowed to the foreign mali
companies. All this talk about subsidy was
simply an appeal to the prjudice instead OF
an appeal to the reason OF a reasonable man.
The United States paid more for mail service
between Tampa and Key West than was
paid to all the American lines engaged IN
transatlantic commerce or in the commerce
between the United States and South and
Central America.
1t paid more for services between San
Francisco and Sacramento than was paid to
the American lines from San francisco to
Hong Kong and to Panama and to Mexico,
and It paid Sc 900 more for service from Ia
coma to Port Townsend than was PAID to tne
whole American Pacific service. He then
passed on to the consideration of the neces-
Sity of extending our commerclal relatlonS
South America and maintained that the In
crease in the facilities for mail transporta-
tion would have tendency to extend our
trade with those States. In % years Great
Britain had paid $22, 900 for mail service
to South and Cen. America, while in the same
time the United States had paid for the same
service only $350,000. Trade was almost
monopolized by Great Britain while the per-
centage of trade of the United States was
insignificant. OF the 1857, 100000 worth of
manufactures imported in Chill, the United att q
States furnished only four per cent. ms
was attributable to the fact the United
States had no communication with Chill and
the moment an appropriation came in which
would permit the extension of steamship
lines to that country up went cry OF sub
sidy." He would not permit England to
hold this market on the threshold of this
country if, by paying liberal compensation
for the carrying of mails the United States
could rescue this trade from her.
Messrs. Wakefield of Minnesota, Riggs OF
Illinois and Guenther of Wisconsin, spoke
against the amendment, and pending further
discussion the committee rose and the House
at 4.45 adjourned.