The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-05-05
XIIXth CONGRESS- FIRST SESSION.
SENATE,

WASHINGTON, May. 4.
Mr. Hoar presented a letter received by him
from Emmitt Tompkins, secretary of the Ohio
legislative investigating committee, regarding the
printing of the report of that committee recently
submitted, to the Unite d States Senate. The let
ter states that Mr.. TomRkins, on examining
copy printed by order of the Senate, finds that
surreptitious Interpolation has been made in the
copy furnished the printer, the matter interpoated
not being in the original copy sent to the Senate
by the Ohio House Of Representatives The in
terpolation the secretary says, is of matter in
tended to reflect on the good faith of the aority
committee ON privileges and elections can nspec-
tion of the copy" Mr.. TompkinS adds, "shows
that the added matter is written in pencil on soft
paper, and wholly disconnected with the official
papers. He asks an investigation of the subject
by the Senate committee, in order that the per-
petrator of the fraud may be discovered.
On motion Of MT. Hoar, the letter was referred
to the committee on privileges and elections. The
matter was ordered reprinted in correct form,
and the distribution of the incorrect copies was
ordered stopped.
At 2 O'Clock the post Office appropriation bill
proposal to appropriate $500, 900 for the carriage
of United States mails to Central and South Amer
ics China, Japan, etc. He did not regard 1t as
subsidy. 1t was a necessary STEP he said, to the
establishment of commercial relations with those
countries that we should have regular and
speedy mail communication with them.
The debate was closed by Mr.. Plumb who spoke
at some length Several amendments were then
agreed to- The committees provision for foreign
mails as finally amended by the Senate and agreed
to approprates $500 900 for transportion of the
foreign mails by American built and registered
steamships to Brazil, Republics of Mexico, Central
New Zealand and Australian colonies, China and
Japan; the contracts to be made by the Post
master General at a rate not exceeding 90 cents
for each nautical mile actually sailed over and
the Postmaster General if in his judgment it be
practicable shall contract for the mi-monthly
service between New York and New Orleans
respectively and the port of Rio Janeiro under the
provisions of this law
The vote on the amendment as thus amended
On Mr.. Plumb's motion the sum of $4,000 was
added to the amount already in the bill for the
railway postal ear service.
One Of the,Senate committee proposed an amend
ment which authorized the postmaster general to
contract for inland and foreign steamboat mail
service when it can be combined in one route,
where foreign Offices are not more than 200 miles
distant from the domestic office, on the same terms
and conditions as steamboat service contracts, to
he made with and performed by American built
and registered steamships. This was agreed to
by the Senate, while the limitation of the compen-
saton for such service to 30 cents mile each
way was struck out. In other respects the bill was
passed as reported from the Senate committee.
The vote on the final passage OF the bill was yeas
On motion Of MI Frye, the Senate passed his
bill to construct extension to the public build
ing at Belfast Me. The bill appropriates $4,000
Mr.. Morgan offered series Of resolutions,
which were ordered printed and to lie on the
table declaring that it is the duty of Congress to
extend the necessary mail facilities across the
seas from the principal ports of all foreign coun-
tries with which the United m ed States has any con
developed that it is the duty of Congress to pro-
vide that the American people shall have the
right to buy ships abroad and import them at
reasonable rates of duty and that laws prohibit
ing the importation OF foreign built ships are
unjust and unwse as laws would be that would
prohibit the importation of all other articles of
foreign manufacture.
The Senate then, at $50 p. m, adjourned.