The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1886-07-09
CONGRESSIONAL


W UtO NVt O1 Will IN OAAA
prohibiting members OF congress from ac-
cepting retainers from subsidized railroads
was passed recently, and by q vote of so to
81 referred the bill to the judiciary CON-
mittee.
The senate debated the bill to repeal the
presumption and timber-culture laws, and
finally agreed to take a vote on 1t at 3 p. m.
tomorrow.
In the course of some remarks ON the
bill Mr.. Plumb said that ii there was not
some change i'm the methods of manage
ment of the general land Office the litiga-
tion that would ensue would OutlaSt the
lifetime of every man who heard him and
would exhaust the entire value OF the
lands. The malicious, interested, and care
less investigations OF special agents In
vested with absolute power would ruiz
thousands and tens of thousands of persons
who had never had a thought OF wronging
the government
Senator Van Wyck submitted, by way of
an amendment to the bill authorizing the
Union Pacific railroad to construct branch
roads through the states and territories
through which the system of railroads now
operated by 1t extends, a proyls0 that the
u. S. provided for by the Thurman act.
JUNE 24.-After routine morning BUSH
ness in the senate, this morning, the bill re-
pealing the presumption and timber-culture
laws was laid before the senate.
Mr.. Plumb cited figures to show the enor-
HlOuS tIduodCllOuo III DuDllC ltlluo- III iOCf
there were SIS, 945 entries under the home
stead law-embraclng nearly 8, 600, 600 acres.
The figures for 1880 were nearly the same.
In this enormous aggregate OF entries there
had no doubt been some frauds-meaning
thereby a failure to make strict technical
compliance with the regulations made by
the government. In referring to the recent
order of the land department suspending
execution of the presumption and timber
culture laws, Mr.. Plumb remarked that
whatever purpose there was IN that order
was the purpose of the land department.,
and not OF the secretary OF the interior.
Mr.. Stanford stated that the provisions
of the bill, as amended In the senate, would
absolutely prevent the reclamation of the
desert lands. There were enormO GUAM
titles of such lands, he said, not worth q
penny an acre, and they could only be re-
claimed by the expenditure of large sums
of money. In order to make reclamation
possible he moved to restore certain words
already struck out by. the senate.
Mr.. StanfOrd'S motion was rejected.
The bill then came to a vote and was
passed: Yeas "a, nays 20.
On motion of Mr.. Dolph q committee Of
conference was ordered on the disagreeing
votes of the house and senate on the bill.
JUNE 25.-The chair, to-day laid before
the senate a Geographic memorial from the
Portland (Oregon) board of trade in OPP
position to the Van Wyck amendment to
the Northern Pacific forfeiture bill as
passed by the senate. The petitioners said
that with that amendment i'll 1t the bill
would make it impossible for the Northern
Pacific Railroad company to secure capital
wherewith to complete the Cascade branch,
and that that branch is necessary to the
commerce of the northwest. The bill hav-
ing been already passed. the petition was
laid on the table.
The Fitz John Porter bill was next taken
up, and after a spirited and acrimonious
debate was passed by a vote Of-yeas 81,
nays IL.
A number OF pairs were announced. Mr..
Plumb was paired with Mr.. Morgan. The
bill having already passed the house, and
not having been amended in the senate,
now goes to the President for his signature.
The bill authorizes the President by and
with the advice II consent Of the senate
to appoint Gen. Porter to the position of
Colonel In the army OF the same grade and
ran held by him at the time of dismissal,
and authorizes the President to place Gen.
Porter OH the retired list as Of that grade;
Gen. Porter, however, TO receive no COM
pensation or allowance prior to his appoint
ment under the act.
JUNE 2S.-Mr. Allison lin the absence of
Mr.. Logan submitted the conference re-
port on the pension appropriation bill-the
house receding from its dis~agreements.
The report was agreed to.
MIR. Teller introduced a bill authorizing
the president to appoint and retire Alfred
Pleasonton as major general. Referred.
Mr.. Edmunds called up the bill granting
q pension of 500 per month to Emily j.
Stannard, widow Of Gen. %Stannard, OF Yer
mont. The bill was passed..
The senate insisted upon It's amendments
to the postofiice appropriation bill and the
matter was rec0mmitted.
After discussion of the Des Nome river
land veto the senate went into executive
session and subsequently adjourned.
JUNE 29.-The senate esumed considera-
A;A., 80 lI.n .rngiInnt1o xrafn Of fhn hill fA
quiet titles of settlers on the Des Moines
lands to-day. and after arguments by Sem
atOr EvartS III support or the veto ana by
Senators Allison and Wilson In favor of the
bill 1t was passed over the presidents veto
by the requisite two-thirds majorlty-yeas,
"a; nays, l..
The legislative, executive, and judicial
bill, and some amendments reported by the
committee on appropriations increasing the
clerical force Of the state department was
next considered, and gave rise to q sharp
debate, In which Senators EdmundS. In
gals and Hale criticised the administration.
Senator Cockrell brought the discussion
to a close with the remark that the admin
istratiOn needed no defender In the senate.
The people of the United states would live
to bow their knees In everlasting thankful
ness to Almighty God that Grover Cleve.
land had become president of the United
States. He was an honest man, a brave
man, and a true man.. He was dong all
that any mortal being could do to give the
people of the United States an honest, fear
less, economical, and constitutional admin
iStration.
The discussion having closed the amend
ments on which 1t was based were agreed
to-.
House.
JUNE 23.-The house refused to-day, by q
standing vote of 81 to so on motion of Mr..
Reed, to consider the proposed amendment
of the rules so as to permit of the insertion
i'm every pension bill provisions for the
imposition of an income tax to meet the
appropriation. Later, however. on a yea
and nay vote of 1873 to lis, the house voted
to consider the amendment.
MIR. Reed moved to reconsider, and Mr..
Hiscock moved to adjourn, and that when
the house adjourn 1t be until Friday. The
Republicans refrained from voting, leaving
the house without q quorum. Mr.. Reed
suggested that the sundry civil bill be con-
sidered, whereupon Mr.. Morrison CURLY in
formed him that he (Morrison) would take
care of that measure.
A call of the house was ordered, after
which call followed call until 4:l5 p. m,
when the motion to adjourn was voted
down-yeas 2, nays 145. Another ~roll-call
was ordered, which consumed the time
until 5 p. III, when the house adjourned.
.IIrNE 4-In tha house the sundry civil