Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-02-05
AT THE CAPITOL TO-DAY
THE DAKOTA BILL IN THE SENATE.
Mr.. Butler Defends South Carolina.
PRIVATE BILL DAY IN THE HOUSE.
The Senate.

| The Senate.
THE KNIGHTS OF LABOR AND OKLAHOMA.
among petltlOns presented and appropriately
referred were number by Messrs. Hoar Frye,
Cullom, Conger, Dawes and Allison from vari-
| GUS assemblies of Knights of Labor, praying
Congress to open up the Oklohoma lands to set
Element, and to establish a territorial govern
ment over those lands
CALLING FOR PAPERS IN THE WARD CASE.
Inc Chair laid before the Senate the resolu-
ton heretofore submitted by Mr.. Dawes, call
Ing on the Interior department for copies of
an papers IN the possession of the department,
OF tnat had peen received by any officer of that
| department., as to the performance of the duties
| OF Henry Ward while Indian inspector. The
re-, r 1iut t;I was agreed to without debate:
Inc joint resolution introduced by MIR. Call
70 make Tampa, a a p' r. of entry, was taken
| up, and after the ST.; Se>lion of an amendment
| by Mr.. Edmnnds, which proved acceptable to
Mr.: Call, IT was passed.
MIR. Allison, however, gave notice of a motion
| to reconsider.
On motion of Mr.. Conger, the Senate then
took up and passed the bill TO provide for the
sale of the old site of Fort Brady, Mich, and for
Inc purchase OF new site, and the erection of
| suitable building thereon.
On motion of Mr.. Sewell the Senate then
| passed the bill heretofore introduced by him,
amending the sections of the Revised Statutes
| relating to the annual appropriations for the
militia.
THE DAKOTA BILL.
On Mr.. Harrisons motion morning business
was iaio ASIDE ana the Dakota bill was taken
| up, on which Mr.. Butler took the floor.
Mr.. Butler said that the Senator from Indi.
ana (Mr. Harrison) had either evaded or forgot
ten many OF the facts bearing on the Dakota
question. He (Mr. Butler charged that the
opposition TO Dakota had first come, not from
the democratic side of the Senate but from the
republican side, and quoted some remarks from
| position.
Mr.: Mcmillan believed Mr. Hale had the n
stood alone.
MR.. BUTLER DEFENDS SOUTH CAROLINA.
Mr.. Butler did not care how that was; the
Senators from Indiana and Illinois, he said had
referred to the vote polled in South Carolina
votes with the vote of Dakota. Mr.. But
Ter mad to assume that that was
s aone for trt the purpose OF giving a
popular prejudice against the southern people.
The southern states, MIR. Butler continued, had
6 bsen sn under fire tor good many years They
turned against them and would survive this
w, Whatever might be said against South Caro-
f In the future, never until the political
sloe mad camped upon the fair bosom Of that
state had her officials been tainted with the
bi ,, of corruption. 1t had never happened
till then that her officials had been compelled to
fly from her borders to escape state prison and
while the degrading, disgraceful and humilia-
ting spoliation had been going on not one word
tors on the other side who now arraigned South
Carolina.
House Of Representatives.
The Speaker laid before the House message
from the President transmitting the response
OF the Secretary of the Interior to the House
resolution calling for copies of any contract or
| lease between the Southern Pacific Railroad
company and any land grant road; of the
charter of the Southern Pacific; and of any
contract between the Pacific Steamship COM
pamy and any land grant road. Referred.
Mr. Hampmond aGa0oncea me appointment OF
70 MI vacancies upon the committee on Ameri-
can shipping interests
THE PRIVATE CALENDAR.
At 1880 the House went into committee of
the whole-Mr. Blount (Ga9 in the chair-on
the private calendar.
The District in Congress-.
THE ARREARS OF TAXES ON ST. PATRIcK's
CHURCH PROPERTY.
In the Senate to-day Mr.. German presented
memorial from Father Walter and the congre-
cation OF st. Patrick's church praying for legis-
lation for the relief of that church, and also a
Dill providing that the congregation may pay
| inclusive. in square number 376, for the wears
from June 3Oth, 1874, to June 3Oth, 1880,
without the interest, penalties and costs that
have accrued thereon: and that upon the nav.
ment of the principal sum of taxes all interest
costs and penalties be RENTED and released
Z and were conveyed in trust for the use Of
the congregation, and soon afterwards the
church ediiee was erected thereon; that the
editice until 1870, when IL was temporarily
abandoned, having been declared unsafe, and
another building was used until the new church
could be erected; the old building was demol-
iShed in 1872 and soon afterwards q new edifice
was commenced at the rear part OF the lots and
the front part was subdivided into lots num-
bered from SO to 46, inclusive, with the view of
selling or dispOsing of them If the trust thereon
in the Supreme Court OF the District of Colum bia
for the purpose OF removing the trust, and on
Feb. %, 1881, a decree was rendered authoriz-
Ing the sale of the subdivided lots, whereupon
they were disposed OF and were for the first
time devoted to secular and not to religious
purposes. No taxes were assessed against the
lots until 1874, they having been legally ex-
empted. In 1878 or 1870 some tax bills were
sent to Father Walter He went to the collector
and was given to understand that the bills had
been sent as a matter of form, and he was led to
believe that the property was yet regarded as
church property and not subject to taxation. In
1880, considering that the property was thence
forward devoted TO secular purposes, Father Wal
ter paid the taxes for the current year, and has
since promptly paid all taxes. Not until 1882
did the memOrialists learn that the taxes had
been regularly assessed against the lots since
June 3Oth, 1874, and that the property had
been repeatedly sold for taxes aud bid in
by the District of Columbia. Thereupon suit
was instituted TO determine whether the prop
erty was liable to taxation, and that suit has
just been determined adversely to the memo
rialists. The latter assert that they acted in
good faith, being unaware OF the liability of the
property and believing 1t was legally exempt
from taxation; that under the declaration Of thu,
court they are now willing to pay the taxes.
but think the interest, cost and penalties ought
to be RENTED. They pray that this relief be
granted. Referred to the District committee.
MATTERS BEFORE THE HOUSE DISTRICT CON-
MITTEE.
The House District committee is working
along slowly to allow the subcommittee time
to look well into matters referred to them The
matters occupying their most serious attention
now are the questions of street railroads public
schools, and the free bridge across the Potomac
at Georgetown.
The general disposition of the committee is to
give the city ample street railroad facilities, as
far as will not destroy the beauty OF the streets
or collide with other interests. They will proba-
bly, favor the Incorporation of roads In the east
or northeast, where the facilities are not now
good. but there Is opposition to all propositions
10 occupy the broad avenues with car tracks
The school question Will receive very careful
consideration, and there is little doubt that the
necessary legislation will be recommended
The committee seems to favor the aaueduct
piers, instead Of the Three Sisters, for the free
bridge.
THE LOUISE HOME TAXES
The Senate District committee did not get q
quorum to-day until q late hour; hence very
little was done. The bill to exempt the property
of the Louise Home and property from which it
derives revenue and support was considered,
and it was decided 70 report q substitute to
o%a ant hrnsrn I~,,k