Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-04-15
CONGRESSIONAL.
MONDAY, April <.

gOn, to purchase certain lands in Alaska
territory. The committee, Sen. GEORGE
said, recommended an indefinite post
ponement of the bill. Sen. Cockren took
the floor in opposition to the army bill
There was, he said, ample power to pro
tect our institutions without single reg
ular soldier. Our liberties did not depend
on standing army, but on the patriot
ism of our citizens. We need no stand.
ing army. Eternal vigilance is the price
of liberty. A standing army was a dan
ger to our republic, and was in direct
conformation to a republican system OF
government. After the executive session
the senate adjourned.
HouSe-In the house, after the call OF
states, a motion was made to suspend the
rules and pass the Mexican pension bill
1t was agreed to, yeas 15S, NAYS 6S. Mr.
Laird moved to suspend the rules and pass
the bill for the relief of certain settlers
and purchasers of lands in the public do
main in the states of Nebraska and
Kansas. Agreed to. This is a similar bill
to the one previously passed by the SEN
ate. Singleton moved to suspend the
rules and pass the congressional library
bill. Agreed to, yeas 159 nays 81. The
house then adjourned.
TUESDAY, April 6.
Senate-The chair laid before the senate
letter from the secretary of the treas
ury regarding the payment OF $12S, 900 to
the Chippewa tribe of Indians for dam
ages growing out of the construction of
reservoir at the head waters of the
Mississippi. Referred. The considera-
ton of the army bill was resumed and
90
Hale opposed the bill. Sen. Henderson
supported the bill. The chair laid
before the senate message
relating to the subject of Chinese immi-
grafton. The message was read and re-
ferred to the committee on foreign rela-
tions. After the executive session the SEN
ate adjourned.
House. Weaver from the committee on
commerce reported the bills authorizing
the construction of bridges across the
Missouri river near Kansas City and At
Crimson. Pending action the morning
hour expired. Then there was prospect
of struggle for the right of way between
the silver bill and the post-office appro-
priation bill, but those who supported
Bland, of Mo-, gave way, aud the house
went into committee of the whole on the
post-offic appropriation bill. Mr.. Burrows
offered an amendment increasing the APP
preparation for the transportation of for
eign mails from $4,000 to $425,OOO. The
amendment was lost 80 to LOG. The COM
mittee then rose and the bill was passed.
The house then adjourned.
WEDNESDAY, April Z.
Se1aate.-Sen. Blair introduced a bill in
the senate to-day, to provide that eight
hours shall constitute a days work for
letter carriers, that salaries shall not be
reduced by reason of the decrease in the
hours of labor. The army bill was taken
up and Sen. Hawley took the floor in it's
support. Sen. Van Wyck spoke at some
length in opposition to the bill. A vote
was then taken upon motion of Sen. Hall,
to strike out section of the bill This
is the section which establishes the future
army force at 10000 men. On this mo-
ton the yeas were % and the nays o.
The vote being a tie Halls motion was
lost. The senate then adjourned.
HOuse-The speaker laid before the
house the message of the president on
Chinese emigration Referred to the
committee on foreign affairs. Senator
Holman in behalf of the select Indian
commission, call up the bill providing for
the appointment of a commission to con-
s1st of SIX persons, to be appointed by
the president to inspect and report on
the condition of the Indian affairs. Sey-
eral amendments were offered, and pend
ing action the morning hour expired and
the debate on the silver bill was resumed.
Debate on the silver bill was resumed at
the evening session, and at 1910 p. N.
THURSDAY, April s.
Sendte.-The senate resumed considera-
ton of the bill some weeks since laid over
granting the Kansas and Arkansas rail
way company the right of way for rail
road through Indian territory. The
Washington territory bill was placed be-
fore the senate and Voorhees, spoke in
advocacy of his amendment, which con-
sists of the enabling act for the admis
sion of Montana territory. Voorhees,
amendment was voted down by a party
vote, yeas 10, nays %. A long discussion
ensued, but without reaching a vote, the
senate adjourned.
House.-In the house to-day the debate
on the silver bill was continued. An
amendment offered by Dibble, of South
Carolina, suspending further coinage of
SILVER uuueF the bldnQ act on July ISL.
1889, was defeated; yeas, 81, nays, POI,
The question then required on the en-
grOssment and third reading of the bill,
and it was decided in the negative, yeas,
126; nays, 1853; SO the bill was killed. Ad-
jOurned.
FRIDAY, April 9.
Senate Senator Ingalls, (by request) in
troduced bill to provide for the appoint
ment of a board of arbitration to ex-
anime and settle differences between the
railroad companies and their employees.
The Washington territory admission bill
was then placed before the senate. The
pending question being on Eustis' pro-
posed amendment limiting the right of
suffrage in the proposed new state to the
qualified male electors only. After the
debate the amendment was rejected
Yeas, u; nays, 25. Adjourned till to-
House In the house to-day, O'Neill ask
ed unanimous consent for the immediate
consideration of the resolution to the
effect that the house of representatives of
the United States sympathize with Glad
stone and his associates in their efforts
to secure free parliament for the peo-