Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-02-05
WRTY-NINTH CONGRESS-.
First Session,
SENATE.

hev. L. Dewitt Talmage of BROOKLYN.
Inc chair laid before the Senate a letter
iroii' the secretary OF the treasury in reply to
recent resolution of the Senate relating To
the conscience fund. The secretary saws il
mad lts origin in the public belief that d ma.
tiohs VI money received from persons un-
known we're because of money wroppfully
Withheld from the government. The first
item to the credit of the fund was made in
1871 and the fund now amounts to $500. TAI =
26.
several petitions were presented from or
CARNATIONS of the Knights of Labor urging
congress to open up for settlement the ter
rtory of Oklahoma.
Mr.. Cameron called up the bill providing
1or The appointment of assistant secretary of
the navy,
The amendment suggested by the naval
committee requires that the assistant secre
tary shall come from civil life.
Mr.. Plumb hoped that some explanation
would De given of the need of such an officer
ana the need of such haste in taking up the
Dill at this time, it having been but recently
reported.
Mr.. Hoar suggested an inquiry whether il
was wise Tor Congress to tie the hands of the
president In requiring that the proposed new
oflcer should come from civil life.
MT. Cameron said that the bill was origi
nally introduced in compliance with the wish
OF the secretary of the navy, and the COM
mlttee had thought it best to have the ap-
pointment made from civil life so as to avoid
Jealousies among naval officers.
Mr.. Hale thought it very desirable that
there should be greater infusion into the
navy department of business characteristic of
active and successful business men and he
hall vad . t,,l s1,a
pointment be made from civil life
Mr.. Plumb opposed the appointment of the
proposed officer. He was not necessary, Mr..
Plumb said. He would simply be another
functionarv to wear a rose in his buttonhole,
give receptions, and desport himself for the
ediflcation of outsiders so as TO make the
government "shOw" more complete. These
department chiefs were the ornamental part
OF the departments, Department work, like
brook, went ION forever" regardless of who
was the secretary. There was too much ma
chinery IN the government departments and
what was wanted was not an assistant secre-
tary but an entire reOrganizs alton of the de-
partmend methods. The responsibility was
now too much divided, and, in fact, when
traced up. was found nowhere.
Mr.. Hawiey favored the bill. The depart
ment expended twelve or fifteen million of
dollars year he said and it was not unrea-
sonable that the secretary should have q
competent assistant from civil life.
Mr.. Dawes thought it very necessary to
rehabitate the navy and spoke in favor of the
bill
Mr.. Plumb did not think the present Sec
retary of the navy had done anything to help
the navy.
Mr.. Van Wyck thought this an attempt on
the part of the republicans to force the pres
ent administration to accept another officer.
Perhaps. however, the word 'force" was too
strong Certainly additional officers we're
contrary to the expressed desire of the pub
lished platform of the new administration.
Mr.. Blackburn spoke for the bill. He did
not want to relieve the secretary of the navy
of any of his responsibilities, but on the con-
trary to rivet and clinch his responsibility on
himself. 1t was impossible for the secretary
of the navy to be always present in his office,
and it was indispensable for him TO have for
an assistant man from civil life of active
business habits The bureau Of detail in the
navy department was in the charge of cap
tain whose name was 18th on the list of cap
tains in the navy, yet there was not an Off
Ger in the navy, including sdmirals, whose
detail of duties were not made by that subor-
dinate officer. He was not finding any fault
with the detailing officer but he thought it
hardly the proper thing for a captain 18th in
line to be issuing orders for sea service to
every officer Of the navy, including the high
est sea serving admiras.
Mr. ingalls, would have been better salts
fed if the naval committee instead of confer
ring new patronage in the,1navy department
had arranged for satisfactory inquiry into
the conduct of that department in connection
with our naval construction and the transac-
ton by which attempt after attempt had been
made to reject the dolphin" Mr.. Ingalls,
referred with some severity upon the course
of the secretary of the navy in connection
with the Dolphin, saying he sent it to sea
time after time in special search of cyclone
Uaughter) in order to show the structional
weakness. and the Dolphin finally succeeded
in encountering a cyclone of Cape Hatteras
aud the waves were so high and the winds so
tempestuous that the experts appointed had
to 90 below, seasick. The American people,
Mr.. Ingalls, continued, could not forget that
studious research nan been made by the Sec
retary Of the navy to crush out great Ameri-
can enterprise and that by a pre- determined
plan one of the greatest of American indus
trial establishments, employing 5000 men,
had been forced into bankruptcy.
Mr.. Cockrell said If Mr.. Ingalls, believed
his own statements true he was neglectibg his
public duty Ov not Gazing Ior an lnVestlRa-
ton which the republicans IN the Senate had
power to order. The secretary of the navy.
he said. courted the fullest investigation.
Mr.. Logan expressed his willingness to
vote for the pending bill if the secretary of
the navy said it was necessary.
Mr.. Cameron urged an immediate vote on
the bill, but Mr.. Logan opposed this and
the matter went over.
The Dakota bill was then placed before
the Senate and Hr. Harrison took the floor,
taking up the objections made to the admis
sion of Dakota. He insisted that the real
amimu. of the objection was that another
presidential election should pass before the
people of Dakota were to be permitted to
participate in such election.
Messrs Butler and Morgan frequently in
terposed with comments and inquiries a. to
Mr.. Harrison's points and the debate occa-
sionally became warm.
Without further action on the bill, at 80
p. NJ. on motion of Mr.. Edmunds, the Sem
ate adjourned, the chair first putting before
fore the Senate messages from the president
of the Union Pacific railroad and the draft
of bill authorizing certain expenditures
from the Indian lands fund to meet the press
ing needs of the Miami tribe. The messages
were appropriately referred.
After the reading of the journal the speaker
proceeded to call on the committees for re.
ports, but no measures of public Importance
I