The Portland daily press., 1886-05-25
XLIXth CONGRESS- FIRST SESSION.
SENATE.

WASHINGTON, May "a.
After the routine morning business, a
motion was made by MIR. Sawyer to
proceed to the consideration of private pen
sion cases. 1t was agreed to, and such bills
were taken up in their order on the calendar
Mr. Cocl1rell of Missouri insisted on hay
ing the reports read in number OF cases,
and had some Of the bills that he considered
of doubtful proprietypostponed. In short
debate on one of the bills covering case
that had been rejected by the pension officer,
Mr.. Cockrell said the division officer who
had rejected so plain and well proven case
ought to be discharged from the service OF
the United States.
A number of pension bills having been
disposed of, the bankruptcy bill was laid
before the Senate, and With MI. Hoars
assent was laid aside informally in favor, OF
the District of Columbia appropriation bill
That bill, in turn, with the assent Of Mr.
Plumb. was allowed to stand over in order to
allow Mr.. Gibson to address the Senate on
the subject of Mr. Platt's resolution regard
ing open executive sessions; MI Gibson
denied any necessity existed for the dis
cussion of treaties in secret. He made
special reference, in connection with this
point to the Mexian and Hawaiian treaties,
which he claimed affected the questions OF
revenue and should be discussed not secret
ly, but with the utmost publicity, in order
that the people of the United States might
be able to decide for themselves whether
these treaties were really for the national
benefit or only for the benefit of a few lndl-
yiduals. Withregard to the consideration of
nominations for offices, Mr.. Gibson main
tanned that the offices belonged to the people,
Selection for office were made in two ways,
either by election or nomination.. In the
case of persons who were candidates Tor
elective offices the character and qualnca-
tions of the applicant were fully discussed
in public and in the press: This was right
and reasonable. Why should not the same
rule apply to persons selected for office by
appointment? Offices were created not Tor
the benefit of the office holders nor as objects
of official patronage, nor as personal or
political perquisites, but for the necessary
work of the people, and the people out OF
their own pockets paid the office holders,
and the people therefore had right to know
about the qualifications of the persons pro
posed for Office, whether they were to be
appointed OF elected. Mr.. Gibson spoke at
considerable length, and was frequently in
terrupted with questions from different
Senators.
Mr.. Morrill, said he expected to speak
quired when the matter was to be discussed.
Mr.. Platt said he would move to take his
resolution up Immediately after the disposal
of the bankruptcy bill.
The matter of executive sessions was here
dropped and the Senate took up the bank
ruptcy bill.
Mr.. Plumb opposed the bill as being in the
interest of the great cities like New York
and Boston, and against the interests of the
smaller dealers throughout the country. He
regarded it as most vicious bill.
Mr.. Hoar defended the bill, differing en-
tirely with Mr.. Plumb as to its effect, and
contending that it was decidedly in the in
terest of the small traders, many of whom,
without such a bankruptcy law, if 0vertaken
by misfortune, must go through life as
paupers.
p. m. adjourned.
HOUSE
Mr.. Dingley of Maine, from the shipping
committee, reported back the shipping bill
with the recommendation that certain of the
Senate amendments be concurred in and
others honoured in.
The recommendation of the committee was
agreed to. Among the amendments non-con-
CURED in is that known as the Frye amend
ment.
The Speaker announced the appointment
of conferees on the post office appropriation
bill.
BY vote of 1o3 yeas to So nays the House
passed bill granting an increase OF pension
to the widow of Commander I. A. Craven.
Mr. Bennett of North Carolina introduced
a bill to divide the surplus money III the
Treasury on the 1st of June, 1886, among the
several States and Territories for educational
purposes. Referred.
Then q struggle for priority of consider
alton arose between special orders and after
a sharp debate the House went into commit
tee of the whole on the general revenue bills.
The first measure of this character on the
calendar was the Morrison tariff bill which
was passed over without objection but a con-
test was made over setting aside the next
revenue bill, being one to reduce the number
of internal revenue officers. The matter
was submitted to the House for determin-
alton and that body having decided-yeas
1856, nays S6-top pass over the internal revenue
bill the committee resumed its session and
the ''oleomargarine' bill was taken up.
Remarks were made by Messrs. Scott of
cock OF New York in favor of the bill while
Messrs. Hammond of Georgia and Reagan of
Texas opposed it on the ground of unconsti-
tutionality.
Without action the committee rose and the
House at p. N. adjourned.