The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-05-11
THE FORTY-NINTH CONGRESS
A Call for Information as to the Seizure
of the Schooner David J. Adams.
Further Debate on the Interstate Commerce
Bill-Mr. Breckinridge's Plan for Paying
Small Portion of the Public Debt.
THE SENATE.
The Seizure of the Schooner Adams-Debate
the Interstate Commerce Bill.

THE SENATE.
The Seizure of the Schooner Adams-Debate
on the Interstate Commerce Bill.
WASHINGTON May l0.-The Chair lad before
the Senate joint resolution of the General
Assembly of Ohio, memorializing Congress for
the pensioning of ex-soldiers who were confined
in confederate prisons Referred.
Also, a memorial of the Chamber of Com
merce, of Cincinnati, O., praying Congress to
create court for the settlement of customs dis
putes. Referred.
Also, petition of the Tippecanoe Club, of
Indiana, praying that memorial be erected by
Congress over the remains of Gen. William
Henry Harrison, in Indiana Referred.
Mr. Frye introduced bill "To limit the privi-
leges of vessels of foreign countries in the ports
of the United States to such purposes as are &C
corded to American vessels in the ports of such
foreign countries"
Mr. Dawes offered the following resolutions.
both of which were agreed to without debate;
Resolved, That the President be requested to COM
municate the Senate it, in his opinion it is not in
compatible with the public interest any information
in the possession of the government concerning the
alleged seizure of the United States fishing vessel,
David J. Adams. while engaged in lawful commerce
in of the ports of the Dominion of Canada, and
what measures, If any, have been taken to protect
fishing vessels of the United States while engaged in
lawful commerce in the ports of the Dominion OF
Canada.
Resolved That the committee en- foreign relations
be instructed to inquire whether the United States
fishing vessel David J. Adams has been seized while
engaged in lawful commerce in port of the Domin-
ion of Canada and what measures, if any, neces
to protect the and property of American
citizens while engaged in lawful commerce in the ports
of the Dominion of Canada, and to report by bill
otherwise
the Union Pacific Railroad Company to construct
branch roads. Referred
resolution. offered by Mr.. Wilson, was
agreed to, calling the Secretary of the Ipte-
rior for information as to whether any, and if
so, what, applications for the renewal of Ii
censes Of Indian traders had been refused and
why
Mr. Hoar submitted resolution directing the
committee on commerce, when reporting the
river and harbor bill to report the facts on which
each item of the bill is based, the reasons why
each of the items of the proposed appropriation
IS advisable and OF national Importance, and also
to furnish a statement of the condition Of the
work if already begun. Referred.
A resolution offered by Mr. Logan was agreed
to, directing the committee pensions to
port back to the Senate bill No. 30, providing for
the repeal of the limitation on arrears of pen
sions This is the ingalls, bill.
resolution was offered by Mr.. ingalls, direct
ing the Postmaster-genera to report to the Sen
ate all the of unadjusted salaries of post
masters and late postmasters in Kansas. under
the act of March 3, 1883, with statement
showing the pay each postmaster would have
received if paid upon the basis of commissions.
under the act of 1854 and the amount of salary
allowed and paid under the act of July l, 1864;
also, the amount allowed under the act Of March
g. 1883, and the period of service for which such
allowance was made such statement to exhibit,
by comparison, the amounts under the different
acts.
Mr. Conger moved to amend SO as to include
all the States, and not Kansas alone Agreed to.
The interstate commerce bill was placed
before the Senate. and Mr. Ingallss proposed
amendment was agreed to- giving to the Com
mission the right to use the Circuit Court and get
its speedy judgment complaints whenever
railroad companies delay the action of the Com
mission.
An amendment offered by Mr.. Conger was
agreed to- modifying the first section of the bill,
which relates to the class of companies to which
the bill is made applicable In the case of COM
mon carriers whose routes are partly railroad
and partly by water, when both are used for
continuous passage or equipment from one State
to another Mr. Conger's amendment limits the
bill to such of those companies under a
common control, management, or arragement
In the debate to which the amendment gave
rise Mr. Allison said the effect of Mr.. Conger's
amendment would be to place the people who
lived on the lake border in more favorable con-
diton than those who lived in the West.
Mr.. Conger said the American people had
spent millions of dollars in improving rivers and
harbors and in attempts to maintain water COM
peCltlOQ against the railroads.. IL MS amend
| ment we're not adopted, all those millions might
as we'll have been thrown into the
Considerable debate arose between Messrs
Beck, Aldrich, Allison, Brown, Sewell, Stan
ford, Van Wyck, Mcmillan and German, as to the
effect of the bill in its present amended condition,
and as it might be further modified by various
proposed amendments, some of which have not
yet been formally offered.
Mr.. Stanford, in the course of his remarks,
made in reply to Mr. Beck and to some questions
of Mr.. Van Wyck, said the hardest competition
which the Pacific railroads had 20 meet was the
Cape Horn route Speaking of the bill as
whole, Mr.. Stanford said, with emphasis, that,
if passed, it meant complete commercial disas-
ter In reply to question of Mr. Van Wyck as
to whether the Pacific roads had not, at a time
stated, controlled the Pacific Mail steamship line
by paying it 1000, 900 year in order to stop
| competitition. Mr.. Stanford said the railroads
had chartered so many tons in those ships and
paid them much for them-not much
had been stated-and filled them with such
freight as they did not want to carey on the
roads, but that was done, not to stop competition
in proper sense, but to preclude ruinous com
petition; he would not say that there was any
black mail in it. So far as the railroads were
concerned, it was business.
Mr.. Sewell said if the bill became law with the
Camden amendment in it, 1t would destroy the
railroad system that we had been fifty years in
building.
Without further action on the bill, the Senate
adjourned.