Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-03-05
RORTY-NISTH CONGRESS.
SENATE.
WAsurxcrov M..,h

WASHINGTON, March4
Mr.. Sewall, from the committee on library.
reported bill in favor of accepting from W.
IL. Vanderbilt and Julia Dent Grant the val.
liable objects presented by foreign govern
ments to the late Gen. Grant. The bill was
passed.
The bills for the relief of Gen. Fitz John
Porter was reported favorably from the com.
mittee by Mr.. Sewall.
After some minor discussion the education
bill came up.
The yeas and nays were taken upon Mr..
Dolph's amendment, offered Wednesday. and
resulted rs follows: yeas II, hays 2S. So the
amendment was rejected.
MIR. Dolph then offered an amendment.
providing that Alaska tie included in the bill
MIR. Teller thought the bill ought also to
include Indian Territory.
Mr. Dawes favored liberal education pro.
vision for Alaska and also for our own Indi.
ans, but thought it better to have the money
go direct than through the pending bill
MIR. Conger denied that Alaskans were In.
dians. They were civilized people, always
living "home" life, and understanding and
appreciati1g the benefits of education. II
there was one dark strain with which our en-
lightened republic could be charged, it was
that we had taken those people from what
we sometimes prone to term a half barbarc
despotism. RUSSIA and yet we had never
done thing to elevate or educate them. Mr.
Conger severely criticised the course of the
United States government officials in Alaska.
They had Joined with the worst elements
there, he said, and encouraged the first vices
of the worst classes in Alaska. He gave all
the praises to the President for removing the
q VI hn hoH dishn
in that far off country. The conduct of these
officials, by comparison, make the vices OF
brutality and inhumanity of the Kaffres pale
into insignifcance. No more kind, gentle,
patient, hospitable people existed than the
Alents.
Mr.. Blair said the population of Alaska, by
the last census, was 33,43O, of whom the
white were 430, though since the census there
had doubtless been an increase. Education
was going on there under the benevolent eff
forts of religious organizations, but Mr..
Blair favored the inclusion of Alaska in the
bill, as evidence that we regarded Alaska a
part of our Union, and establishing what
might become a valuable precedent.
Mr.. Dolph could see no reason why it
should not be included. The money
of the bill would be a great aid to Alaska.
He thought the Alents were already entitled
to be citizens under the treaty with Russia.
Mr.. Dolph's amendment was agreed to.
Mr.. Logan moved an amendment, increas-
ing the appropriation to the total amount of
$l36, 900, 900 in ten years. giving the first
year $l5 100000 second year Sl7, 80 900,
third year 10000, 900. fourth year $l8,000,-
600, fifth year SIG, 900. 900, sixth year Sl4,-
100000, seventh year $l2,OO0,OOO, eighth
wear Sl0,000,000, ninth year $4,000, 900,
tenth year Sc 100000. Mr.. Logan spoke in
support of his amendment. If we are going
to do anything for education, he said, we
should have nerve enough to do some good
before we get through with the educational
subject We shall find that we shall have
expended $3.50, 0,000,000, and he would not be
surprised if it proved to be double that sum.
Mr.. Blair repeated his former statements
as to the undoubted insufficiency of $77, ,000,-
900, but said that it had been thought best by
the friends of the bill not to make too large
an appropriation at first. He had no doubt
that experience under the bill would be such
as to encourage the making of further ap-
preparation when the $77,000,000 was ex-
hausted. Mr.. Logan's amendment was re-
jected; yeas IL. nays 80.
Mr.. Logan then, ''to see," he said, whether
our educational friends mean what they say,
moved that another amendment already sug-
gested by him, appropriating S2,000,000, to
aid in building schoolhouses in communities
of sparse population among people who would
find it comparatively difficult to erect school
houses.
Mr.. Blair expressed himself strongly in
favor of this amendment.
After some debate Mr.. Logan increased the
limit of expenditure under his own amend
ment to $3.50 instead of 800. His amend
ment was adopted. 1t provides for S2,000,-
900 to aid in the building of schoolhouses in
localities where the population is sparse, moi
more than one-half of the expense of build
ing to come from the fund and not more thar
$3.50 in any event. The debate for the day
then closed.
Mr.. Plat said that, owing to the desire o.
many of the senators to express their sympa
thy with his colleague, (Mr Hawley,) in hi.
sad affliction, the death of Mrs. Hawley, he
would now (4.l0 P. M. move the adjourn
ment of the Senate. This, he said, woulc
give the senators an opportunity of attend
ing the funeral services.
The Senate then adjourned until tomor
row.