The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-06-30
FROM WASHINGTON.
The Hearing Before the Senate Com
mittee on the Mackerei Bill.
July 1 9th Said to be the Date for
Congress to Adjourn.
rspecial to the Press.1

Especial to the Pressl
WASHINGTON, June 30.--At the hearing
before the Senate fishery committee on the
mackerel bill, o. B. Whitten, of Portland,
said that mackerel fishing was confined en-
tirely to Massachusetts and Maine vessels.
They fit out early in March and go down to
Cape Hatteras and follow up the mackerel
schools to the New England coast in June
They then return and fit out for fishing
from Cape Cod to the Bay of st. Lawrence
which lasts from July 1st to the last OF No
vember. About 600 vessels and 5000 men
are actually engaged in the business. The
fish caught from March to June are sold
fresh in the New York market. The later
catch are salted and sold in Maine and Mas
sachusetts ports. Catching mackerel during
the spawning season, from March to June,
has the effect of driving the large fish all out
to sea and greatly injuring both the number
and size of the fish found on the New
England coast. This year not a single bar
rel has yet been taken on the New England
coast He said that 80 out of 100 of the fish
ermen of Maine desired the passage of the
bill, while the only opponents were few
dealers in Fulton market.
P. Benjamin of New York appeared
against the bill. He said that mackerel did
not spawn until after June 1st, so that the
bill would not be any protection. He
acknowledged that only few dealers in
New York desired the bill to be defeated.
Thomas A. Rich, of Boston, said that
mackerel are never caught in June; that
that was the month for fitting out vessels
for the later fishing; so that to pass the bill
would practically protect mackerel until
July 1st.
Senators Hale and Frye and Congressman
Reed were present and frequently ques-
toned witnesses.
a Vetoed Sill Passed in the Senate.
WASHINGTON, June 29.-The Senate
passed the Des Moines land bill over the
Presidents veto by vote OF "a to 10
Senator Manning improving in
Health.
Secretary Manning telegraphs here to
deny the stories of increased i'll health, lie
is much better than when he left here.
Inspection of Cars at Island Pond.
An attempt has been made to re-establish
the inspection of cars at Island Pond, in
augurated by Secretary BristoW, which
caused an expense to Portland people. Con-
gressman Reed has had conference with
Acting Secretary Fairchild and it is proba-
BILE that the obnoxious system will not be
renewed.
Improvement at Bar Harbor.
The Senate river and harbor bill provides
for survey at Bar Harbor with view OF
establishing a breakwater and deepening the
waters of the harbor, especially between
Rodiek's Island and Mount Desert Island.
Resignation of William e. Smith.
William E. Smith, Assistant Secretary of
the Treasury has rendered his resignation
to the President to take effect July lst next
in order to accept the position Of solicitor
for the st. Paul, Minneapolis and Manitoba
Railroad Company at st. Paul. The Presi-
dent has selected as his successor Hon
Hugh Thompson, Governor OF South caro-
lima His nomination will be sent to the
Senate tomorrow.
Mr.. Whitten Before the Senate Com
n1itttee.
Mr.. o. B. Whitten of Portland appeared
before tie Senate committee on fisheries to-
day in favor of the mackerel bill.
A Prediction.
July 18th is the date set by the knowing
ones for the adjournment of Congress-
The Veto Messages.
The invalid pensions committee of the
House today considered the Presidential
veto messages. They were referred back to
the sub committees and it is the present IN
tention to select the strongest land most mer-
itorious case and make an attempt to pass
the bills over the vetoes.
Acts Approved.
The President has approved the act to le-
galize the incorporation of the national
trades unions, a bill to pension the widow OF
Commodore A. A. SemmeS, and has vetoed
two more private pension bills.
a Denial OF Charges.
Indian Commissioner Atkins was this
morning before Senator Platt's special COM
mittee to investigate charges with reference
to the appointment of Indian traders, and
made general statement under oath in ex-
planation of his policy. He made general
and positive denial of all charges rejecting
upon the administration of his Office
Charges Against the Committee
Compiling Rebellion Records.
The reason why the Senate appropriations
committee has stricken out the appropriation
for the compiling of the rebellion records is
said to be this: The compiling of the rec
ord is in charge of eX-Confederate officers
that in debates on the Fitz John Porter case
his advocates quoted copiously from the
Confederate records. General Logan, who
is member of the committee on appropria-
tions, and some of the other Republican
Senators, were much excited at this quota
tion be made. They claim the publication
of the report of the board of officers con-
vened in 1878 to examine new evidence IN
connection with his trial was irrelevant and
should not have been made part of the his
tory of the war The full report of this
board and copies of all the papers relating
thereto in volume Is of the Rebellion Record.
They also claim that much matter unfavora-
BILE to Porter has been omitted from the
publication, while everything favorable has
been prominently inserted. 1t is said that
an investigation has been demanded as to
these charges.
Three Reports of the Pan Electric
Telephone Committee.
Three documents, in the nature of reports,
will be presented to the House by the Pan
Electric Telephone committee, but as neither
will be signed by majority, of the commit
tee, technically speaking, there will be no
''report" before the House for action. The
report, drawn up by the chairman, will be
signed by himself and Messrs. Oates, Enden
and Hall, all Democrats. Mr.. Ranney has
secured the signatures of Messrs. Mlllard,
Hanback, and Moffatt, all Republicans, to his
report, while Mr.. Hale, a Democrat, has pre-
sented his views in an individual report.
Chairman Boyle's report will not be made
public before Thursday. The report signed
by the Republican members is long, and
treats of the evidence in detail. 1t begins
with the history of the. formation of the
company, and states that $780, 600 or Sc, 200,
600 of $i0O00,O0O of capital stock was actual
ly paid in cash. Testimony is cited to show
how the Pan Electric Company was organ
lied and $3,500,000 of its stock given to gen
tlemen for the use of their names and repu-
tations. The opinion of Senator Garland,
declaring that the Rogers patents do not in
fringe the Bell patent is quoted, with the
statement that it had been gotten because
the Pan Electric could not sell rights With
out IT, and it was, as it was intended to be,
an inducement which led large numbers OF
persons to pay in money, part OF which was
divided among Garland and his associates.
At the same time the Pan Electric knew
their instruments did infringe the Bell pat
ents. The report throughout severely criti,
cised the course followed by Garland and
his associates.
There is good reason to believe, says the
report in conclusion, and we feel constrained
to find that in our Judgment proceedings
would not have been allowed or asked fo1
had it not been for the relations OF the ran
Electric Company with government. officials
and for their large interests therein, espe-