Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-03-11
AT THE CAPITOL TO-DAY,
MIR. JONES SPEAKS FOR SILVER.
THE RIGHT TO ANNUL A PATENT.
In ormation Asked About the Washington
Navy Yard.
The Senate.

response to q recent Senate resolution informa.
ton as to the expense incurred by the United
States in behalf of the Territory of Utah since
the passage of the act of June 23d, 1874. Also
from the same officer, in like response, trans.
uniting information of claims by government
warrants under the eight-hour law. The papers
were appropriately referred
MIR. JONES MAKES A SILVER SPEECH.
Among petitions presented and referred was
one by Mr.. Jones, of Nevada, from the National
Bi-Metallic Coinage association, and as its sub
5ect-matter, he said, was Of transeendant inn
portance to the industries of the country, he
Would ASK unanimous consent to submit few
observations on it.
Unanimous consent having been obtained,
Mr.. Jones addressed the Senate on it. The
memorial, he said, showed in q striking light
the disastrous effects on the silver products of
The extraordinarily rapid development and
expansion of all the resources OF India since
1873; Mr. Jones said, was the direct result OF its
use OF silver money, and instead of that country
Deing heid up to US as warning, should be
taken as an example to guide us.
Mr.. Morrill, asked Mr.. Jones whether the rea-
son for the depression of the wheat growth in
Great Britain was not that the importer of that
cereal could buy Indian rupees for one shilling
and six pence and then pass his rupees in India
Mr.. Jones admitted that that affected the
Be bought at one shilling and six Pence was
that the annuitants-those who had fixed in
cemes s.g to increase the value
entered into a conspiracy to destroy silver as
money. TO take away from it its principal use,
to deny 1t the royal priyiege OF coinage and in
duc1ng the rupee from two shillings to one shil-
ling aud six pence for one hundred years. Mr..
Jones continued at some length, expressing his
views on the subject of coinage.
Mr.. Teller said the price OF wheat in Liver
pool during November had been within half
cent bushel of It's price in Chicago.
Inc chair suggesting that the debate was
allowed only by unanimous consent, and OBJ
Jectlon being made, the matter was dropped.
THE PENSION OFFICE INVESTIGATION.
A resolution offered by Mr.. Cullom was
agreed to, authorizing the printing, for the use
of the committee, Of fifty copies of the testi-
mony now being taken relating to the Pension
office.
THE CIVIL SERVICE Law.
Mr.. Hawley, from the committee on civil
service, reported adversely Mr.. Vance's bill for
the repeal of the civil service law. Mr.. Hawley
said the committee was not unanimous. The
bill was placed on the calendar.
Mr.. Logan, from the minority of the COM
mittee On military affairs, submitted the views
Of the minority members on the Fitz John
Porter bill.
THE IOWA LAND FORFEITURE BILL.
No further morning business offering,
Mr.. Plumb again called up the bill for the for
fixture of part of the lands granted to the state
OF Iowa to aid in the construction of railroads.
The bill was taken up, and Mr.. Spooner took
the floor.
THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEES RESOLUTIONS.
After further debate, the hour of two o'clock
arriving, the matter went over till tomorrow.
The chair then laid before the Sem
Judiciary committee as to the right OF
the Senate 10 papers on file in the departments.
The galleries presented their usual crow ded APP
pearance and their occupants seemed to relish
the change from discussion OF land grants to
one involving consideration of executive pre-
rogattve and constitutional law.
Mr. Wilson add dressed the Soma fa in Sr1nr,ort
of the resolutions reported by the majority of
the committee.
House Of Representatives.
AN INQUIRY ABOUT THE WASHINGTON NAVY
YARD.
Mr.. Sowden Pa), from the committee on ex-
penditures in the Navy department, reported
a resolution, which was adopted, calling on the
Secretary of the Navy for a statement showing
the amount OF money expended in the ord
nance shop at the Washington navy yard, the
number Of guns made, altered and repaired
there, and the number OF cartridges purchased,
and from whom.
On motion OF Mr. Dunn (Ark.), a Senate bill
was passed providing for an American registry
Md.
THE RIGHT OF THE GOVERNMENT TO CANCEL A
PATENT.
Mr.. Hammond (Ga.) from the committee on
the judiciary, reported back adversely the reso-
luton directing that committee to inquire
into the right of the United States TO cancel
patents Tor inventions and discoveries. Laid
on the table.
Mr. Parker IN. W obtained leave to file a
The majority report goes into an exhaustive
review OF the legal points involved in the pro-
position, and after citing number Of cases in
which the United States took action to cancel
letters patent the committee says: 1t seems to
be not only the right but the solemn duty OF
the United States TO say that her seal attached
to such contract shall not cover a fraud.
The mere fact that some private person
may receive special benefit from such
action does not affect the question when the
suit is brought by the United States to protect
"the general public" The criminal laws are
expense OF the United States generally on the
! suggestion of individuals. And prosecutions
sometimes inure to individual profit, but the
purpose Is to protect the general public. From
Seaa sSeS havs
Justice On the suggestion Of the ' Depar t.
ment of the Interior. There are many
forcible reasons why the right shall not be re-
ments. Lest the disposition TO grant valuable
monOpOlies to honest inventors be destroyed it
is best to leave it easy for the government TO
fraudulently" obtained Your committee does
not deem any amendment to the law in this
regard as needful, and therefore recommends
that the resolution do lie on the table.
In the morning hour the House resumed the
consideration of the bill repeating the limita-
ton Of militiamen who were disabled while
acting under tie orders Of q United States off,
Ger must be filed.
The morning hour expired without any final
action and it was placed on the calendar as un-
finished business.
THE INDIAN BILL.
The House then went into committee of the
whole (Mr. Townshend, of Illinois, in the chair
on the Indian appropriation bill.
Capitol Topics.
n A my n
A delegation of the Philadelphia Textile As
ISOLATION, headed by Mr.. !. c. Search, appeared
before the ways and means committee to-day
and expressed their views upon the proposition
to reduce the tariff on textile products. Mr.
Ferguson, OF New York, representing the
thread manufacturers, also addressed the COM
mittee.
Mr.. EvARTS AND THE MATHEWS NOMINATION.
Senator Evarts to-day presented in open ses-
sion petition OF the lawyers of Albany for the
confirmation Of ]. c. Matthews, the colored
nominee for recorder of deeds. This is an exec
utive matter. The chair looked surprised, but
said nothing.
A POLITICAL DEBATE on THE URGENT Def
Cheney BILL
A political debate occurred in the Senate yes
terday over the item in the urgent deficiency
appropriation bill, to pay witness and jurors
fees. Mr. Ingalls, wanted to know why such
large expenditures were made, and thought 1t
would be q matter Ut criticism II it were under
a ronnlnlican m m afrafinr SENATORS hoth