National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-02-27
THE CREAM OF CONGRESS-.
A RESUME OF THE WEEKS WORK IN
BOTH HOUSES.
Tho Blair Bill and tho south--A silver
Discussion in the House Passage OF
the Grant Monument Bill-Interest-
Ing Features of Yesterday.

Mr.. Hoar called up the bill appropriating
S250,OO0 for the erection Of a monument in
Washington city to the memory of Gen.
Grant.
Mr.. Blair thought the amount promised
by the bill too small for the purpose in
tended. 10 was hardly commensurate with
the magnificent results of Gen. Grants
fCivices aud the greatness Of the American
Union. He regretted that Congress had not
yet seen proper to erect fitting monument
10 the memory Of Abraham Lincoln, and
characterized the Lincoln monument
erected In Washington as not worth S25 as
work of art.
The bill was passed, Mr.. IIoar saying that
The committee on the library would con-
slider the matter Of an appropriate monu-
mCnt to the memory of Lincoln.
The remainder of the session was occu.
Tied in the discussion OF the educational
The morning hour Of the House was con-
sumed in the consideration Of the bill to
annex the northern part OF Idaho territory
to the territory Of Washington but no fiual
action was taken
The House then proceeded TO the consil-
grafton of the business on the House calen-
dar, the first bill being that authorizing the
several executive departments TO exhibit
articles at the New Orleans Exposition,
The pending motion 10 lay the hil ON the
able was Curricd--ycas 1875, nays III.
The next bill on the calendar was that
foifciting the unearuod land grant OF the
htlputlc ard Pacific Railroad Company.
On motion Of Mr. Holman, ~ Indiana, an
amendment was adopted providing that the
forfdtCd land shall be subject tn settlement
under the homestead law only.
The substitute offered by Mr. Mc3le, OF
hikansas. oil behalf uf the minority Of the
con mitteu ON public lands. iUrfeiting all
the nds Of the company not earned within
the time limited by tho granting act. was
debated briefly, and was rejected: and the
Till was passed without division or objec-
ton.
on motion Of Mr. Morrison, Of Illinois, 1t
was ordered that Saturday Of each week be
devoted to general debate In committee of
the whole on the state OF the Union, and
tl,rn, on motion Of Mr.. Morrison, the House,
at $50, adjourned.
In the Senate Wednesday Mr.. Morrill,
called up the House bill permitting ma
tIonal banks to change their name, location,
aud capital by vote of two thirds of their
shareholders. The bill makes the changes
subject to the approval OF the comptroller
Of the currency.
On motion Of Mr.. Hoar, an amendment
was made to the bill, limiting the right of
Il bank to change its location, 80 that 1t
shall not change TO another state, nor to
piece more than thirty miles distant from
the original location
The bill was then passed.
The education bill was then taken up,
and Mr.. Blair addressed the Senate In reply
to the objections and criticisms made against
il. He denied that the people Of the south
were opposed to the measure, and insisted
that they favored 1t.
On behalf of the committee on railways
and canals Mr.. Murphy, of Iowa, called up,
and the House proceeded to consider, In
committee of the whole, the Hennepin canal
bill.
Mr. Murphy promised his speech in sup
port Of the bill by reading In full the report
Of the committee, In which are presented
the arguments which impelled it to a
favorable consideration of the meas.
ure. He then proceeded to empha-
size the beneficial results in the shape
of cheap transportation which would fol-
low the construction of the Hennepin canal
II the government Of the United States
would do its duty and construct this canal
The people of the northwest could save so
per cent. over the present rate of transpor-
,tatiUn and save enough In one yearto build
tie canal two or three times over. The
- United States Lad formidable competitors In
Tie Liverpool market, aud II the rates OF
transportation were not reduced II would
koUn Ind itself without that market
fudiug the conclusion OF Mr.. Murphy's
speech the morning hour expired anu the
committee rose.
Tie House then went into committee OF
lUt NUOlt MT. I1hUlununNs vi NtOIRluY III
the chair on the half-gallon tax bill.
At the conclusion of the morning hour
Thursday the education bill was laid before
the Senate, and Mr.. George took the floor
TO continue lis remarks In favor OF the bill,
and the discussion continued until adjourn
n.rLt.
The debate in the House Thursday after
the morning hour upon the pension appro-
priatiOn bill was marked by much interest
and some excitement, though comparative
good nature was preserved ut all times.
The Chairman, Mr.. Crisp, Of Georgia, had
much difficulty In keeping the committee In
order, but succeeded well in his hard task,
though at times the confusion was SO great
that the voices OF the SPEAKERS were
drowned in applause and laughter
Mr.. Townsheud, OF Illinois, who had
change Of the bill, explained its provisions.
IL appropriated, he said, $40, I54, 200, OF
about Sl5,CC0000 more than was carried by
the law for the current year. This increase
was occasloned by the accelerated work
that was being done in the pension office
and for this work the commissioner OF pen
sious and his employees deserved commenda
tion-und by the larger number OF cases that
were now being disposed Of. The amount
of money appropriated by the bill wal
large, but II should be as cheerfully sane
toned by Congress and qorne by the people
as any other sum thar was paid out on pub
lie expenditure. No appropriation wa
national treasury accomplished more gen
eral good than the money expended by thi'
bill. No better use could be made OF the
vast surplus In the treasury than II
pay 1t out on meritorious claim!
Tor pensions aud other just dues to the sol
diers. He then passed on TO discussion o
the proposition to repeal the Limitation o
the arrears Of pension act and advo
Gated II as a measure demanded by goo'
faith and patriotism. The question shout,
not be how much the measure would cost
but whether 1t was just. The soldiers coult
never be repaid for the sacrifices they hat
made. Yet, when measures were proposed
10 pay the soldier what had been promised
him, those who advocated the measure
were denounced as demagogues. Dema
gogue was a word which, when unjustlN
applied, had ceased TO be stigma. "Cal
me a demagogue, II you please,h he said
shut do not call me unjust or ungrateful,'
MIR Henderson, Of Iowa, while concur
ring with Mr.. Townshend in his genera
remarks upon pension matters, differed
from him when he attributed the increased
appropriation to tie accelerated work o
the pension office. 1t was not his purpOs
TO attempt to detract In the slightest de
gree from the good work of any officer o
the government, but he did not believe tina
the gentleman had stated the correct rea
son for the increase. The gentleman has
failed to call attention to the fact that tn
commissioner Of pensions had stated to tn
committee on appropriations that Their
would be deficiency Of about 50, 900, 00
for The current year; so that the $50, 000, 90
which had been appropriated for the lsca
wear 1856 was confessed by the commits
eioner TO be insufficient to meet the r.
quircments of law. The average appropr
alton for pensions for the last six years wa
E77, $4,000, showing that the appropriate
contained I'm the UenninV hill was 81 Gll