Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-05-22
WRTY-NIATH COVGRESN.
First Session,
SENATE.
WASHINcroN Moro

SENATE.
WASHINGTON, May 2l.
on motion of Mr.. Hoar the Senate took nm
the bill providing for closing the business Of
the Alabama claims.
After some debate the bill was passea as il
come from the House-Yeas, 30; navs. I3.
The urgent deficiency bill being reported
ny Mr. Allison, from the committee on an
preparations, 1t was passed without debate.
Mr. Plumb moved that the Senate insist m
its amendment to the post office appropria
ton bill
Inc Senate agreed to the motion and the
chair appointed Messrs. Plumb, Malone and
Cali as conference committee.
On motion of Mr.. Dolph bill was passed
providing for the forfeiture of wagon road
land grants in Oregon.
On motion of MIR. Conger the House hill
passed establishing life saving stations at the
Following places: Allerton, Mass, one be-
tween Parmel river life station and the south
end OF Mansett beac!, Cape Cod, Mass. one
at cape Pogc, Mass one on the northwest
side OF Block Island, r. L.; one between
Point Judith and Watch Hill, RI
The Senate then proceeded to the consid-
Grafton Of favorablv reported pension bills
standing on the calendar.
-ANN' 'hS PosSdsc vi d uuHlUeT OI Sucn DlllS
Mr. Beck suggested that once in while it
might be well to have the committee report
bearing on the case read. just to show that
somebody had looked at the case The ex.
preston, read third time and passed." gave
very little information. We had two or three
vetoes and several suggestions that nobody
Knew anything about what was being done
he (Beck) certainly did not know and he
didn't believe any member of the Senate did
Mr Blair replied that there was full and
carefully printed report of each senator on
nie showing the facts of each case. The re-
ports had been there month and senators
who wanted information had but to read
them
Mr. Beck understood from the Presidents s
veto that he had allowed several bills to be-
come law without being able to ascertain
whether they were right or not. Could the
senator from New Hampshire (Blar) tell the
Senate now, without reference to the report
whether the case just presented to the Senate
was proper one or not.
Mr. Blair replied that he could not That
bill had been reported not by him but by
another Senator
very lengthy debate then followed which
was at last brought to close by an inter-
change of compliments between MIR. Blair
and MIR. Rddleberger. The Senate then, at
5.lO, went into executive session, and at 5 so
the doors reopened and the Senate adjourned
until Monday
In the House the naval appropriation bill
was referred to a committee of a whole.
Mr.. Reed of Maine then spoke on the bill
to prohibit the importation of mackerel dur
ing spawing season. He favored it as a
means of protecting the mackerel. He said
that the mackerel fishery had been very i'm
portant to the people in times past and could
be made of equal Importance in times to
come if judicially attended to. There had
been of late years great falling off in the
character and nature of the fisheries. This
he attributed to the practice of net fishing
during the spawning period, All men en-
gagged in the mackerel fishery condemn this
and urged that its continuation would result
IN the obstruction of the fisheries. The only
protest against the bill came from the fish
mongers association and was based on the
ground that its passage would prevent people
from getting cheap food But people wanted
not only cheap food but good food and mack
erel caught in the spawning period were not
good food. The bill would have the effect of
Improving the character of the fish provided
for the American people.
Mr.. Hewitt of New York opposed the bill.
He said that there were three results that
would follow from its passage. First, it
would deprive a very large number of people
of cheap and nutritious food; second, it would
deprive more than 20) fishermen of employ
ment between April and June; third. it would
confine mackerel fishing to the States of
Massachusetts, and Maine
Mr.. Miliken of Maine argued in favor of
the bill.
Mr.. Breckenridge of Arkansas closed the
debate in support of the bill and cited au-
thorities to show that mackerel caught after
the spawning period were much superior to
those caught during the spawning period.
The bill, he said, was in the interest of cheap
food and better food and more of it.
Mr. Buchanan's amendment was slightly
modified and as so modified WAS agreed to.
On motion of Mr. Reed of Maine the see.
ti"n was stricken out tnat provides that moth
ing in this act shall be construed as conflict
ing with existing treaties.
The hill was passed, yeas l20, nays So As
pa IS, the bill prohibits. for period of FIVE
years from the first of March, 1887. impor-
tstion into the Unitel States or landing upon
its shores. of mackerel (except Spanish
mackerel) caught between the first of March
and the first of June of each year. The
penalty prescribed for violation of this act is
forfeiture of msckerel imported or landed,
and if the vessel violating the act being of
the United States. forfeiture of its license.
Nothing, however, in this act is to be held to
pertain to mackerel caught off shore with
hook and line from open row boats of less
than 20-foot keel and landed in said boats.
On melton of Mr.. Morrison of Illinois. the
order setting apart Saturday sessions for gen.
eral debate was rescinded. This action is to
take effect after tomorrow.
Consideration of private business was then
proceeded with, and several bills reported to-
day and on previous Fridays from commit
tee of the whole, were passed. Among the
Among the bills passed was one removing the
charge of desertion from the record of Frank
lin Thompson, alias S. E. Seely. This is
the case of woman who for two years
served in Michigan regiment as soldier,
without discovering her identity.
The house then, as 8 o'clock, took a recess
until 7.30.
The evening session will be for the consid-
Grafton of pension bills.
The House at its evening session passed 80
pension bills and at 10 o'clock adjourned unit
tomorrow.
DIR. Dio Lewis Dead.
YoNKERs, N. Y, May 81.
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