Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-05-05
FORTY-NINTH CONGRESS,
First Session,
SENATE.
WASHINGTON, Nav 4,

WASHINGTON. Nav 4.
In the Senate today MIR. Hosr preses.ed
letter received by him from Emmilt Tomp-
kins, secretary of the Ohio legislative inves-
ugatlng committee regarding the printing of
the report OF that committee recently sub
mltted to the United States Senate The
letter states that Tompkins. on examining
the copy printed by order of the Senate, finds
that surreptitious Interpolation has been
made in the copy furnished the printer, the
matter interpolated not being iu the original
copy sent to the Senate by the Ohio House of
Representatives. The interpolation, the sec
retary says, is of matter intended to reflect on
the good faith of the Ohio committee and
mislead the Senate committees on elections
and privileges. The inspection of the copy
Mr.. Tompkins adds, shows that the added
matter Is written upon soft paper and wholly
disconnected with official papers. He asks
an investigation of the subject by the Senate
committee in order that the perpetrator OF the
fraud NAV be discovered. On motion of Mr..
Hoar the letter was referred TO the committee
on privileges and elections. The matter was
ordered reprinted in correct form and the dis
trioution OF incorrect editions ordered
stopped
AT two o'clock the post office appropriation
bill was laid before the Senate.
Mr.. Call favored the proposal to appropri-
ate 100000 for the carriage of United
States mails to Central and South America,
China, Japan, etc. He did not regard il rs
subsidy. 1t was a necessary step, he said,
TO the establishment of commercial relations
with those countries and that we should have
regular and speedy mail communication with
them
The debate was closed by Mr.. Plumb. who
spoke at same length.
Several amendments were agreed to.
The committees provision for foreign
mails as finally amended by the Senate and
agreed to appropriates $500, 900 for the trans
portation OF foreign mails by American built
and registered steamships to Brazil, Repub-
hes OF Mexico, Central and South America
Sandwich, West Indies and Windward Is
lands, New Caledonia, New Zealand and
Australian colonies, China and Japan. Con-
trrcts are to be made by the postmaster gen
eral at rate not exceedieg so cents tor each
nautical mile actually sailed, and the post
master general shall. if in his judgment it be
practicable, contract for semi-monthly ser
vice between New York and New Orleans re-
spectively and the port of Rio Janiero under
the provisions of this law.
The vote on the amendment as thus amend.
ed was, yeas, so; nays. is.
On Mr.. Plumbs motion the sum of $50, 900
was added to the amount already in the bill
for railway postal car service.
One OF the Senate committees proposed
amendments authorized the postmaster gen
erdl ITO contract for inland and foreign
steamboat mail service when it can be CON
blned i'll one route where foreign Offices are
not more than 200 miles distant from the do
nestle office on the same terms and conditions
as steamboat service. Contracts are to be
made with apd performed by American built
and registered steamships"
! This was agreed to by the Senate, while
the limitation of compensation for such ser
vice to so cents per mile was struck out. In
other respects the bill was passed AS reported
| from the committee.
! The vote on the final passage of the bill
was yeas. As nays, TO-
| On motion of Mr.. Frye the Senate passed
| his bill to construct an eDtension to the pub
lie building at Belfast, Maine. The bill ap-
propriates SIS 900 for the purpose.
| MIR. Morgan offered a series of resolutions
which were ordered printed and to lie on the
table declaring that it is the duty of Congress
to extend foreign mail service across the seas
from the principal ports of all foreign coun-
tries with which the United States had any
considerable trade or where trade can be
profitably developed; that it is the duty Of
Congress to provide that American people
shall have the right to buy ships abroad ard
import them at reasonable rates of duty and
that the laws prohibiting the importation OF
foreign built ships are as unjust and unwise
as laws would be that would prohibit the i'm
portation of all other articles of foreign man
ufacture.
The Senate at go adjourned.