The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-04-29
THE HOUSE.
Bill TO Regulate the Oie0margarine Business
More Talk About Rivers and Harbors.

Bill TO Regulate the OieomarGarine Business
More Talk About Rivers and Harbors.
WASHINGTON, April 2S.-Mr Hatch, of Mis-
souri,, from the committee on agriculture, re
ported bill defining butter and imposing taz
upon and regulating the manufacture, sale, ex
portation and importation of oleomargarine
Referred to the committee Of the whole.
bill was passed granting to the Ohio Cen
trail Railroad Company the right to lay its track
through the United States lock and dam prop
erty in the Great Kanawha valley, Virginia
A bill was passed authorizing the improvement
of the water-power of the Mississippi river al
Little Falls, MINI.
AT the conclusion of the morning hour the
House went into committee of the whole-Mr.
Wellborn, of Texas, in the char-on the river
and harbor bill The appropriation FOR the i'm
proyement of the Yellowstone river having been
reached, Mr.. Beach, of New York, said. that
three years ago he had tried to catch fish in that
river and his efforts had been as fruitless this
appropriation would be to improve its naviga.
ton. The Yellowstone was a beautiful river.
Its waters were like those Of the broad Juniata,
aud as they leaped tumultuously over the gray
eled bed, they cleaned in the sunshine with a
silvery CLEAN which attracted aud fascinated the
eye laughter and applausel, but the course OF
the stream was crooked and the swift current
threw up shoals Here he was again greeted
with applause. which lasted SO long that he was
compelled to yield the floor and obtain leave to
print his remarks in the Record
Mr. Warner, of Missouri, offered an amend
ment increasing from $500, 600 to $500 900 the ap-
preparation for the Missouri river from its
mouth to Sioux City, and earnestly advocated it
as being in the interest of cheap transportation.
Mr. Hale of Missouri, offered an amendment
providing that the appropriation shall be ex-
pended in protecting the banks of the Missouri
river from washing and combining the stream to
its natural channel Lost, as was the original
amendment
Mr. Hepburn, OF Iowa, offered an amendment
to the same section providing for the expendi-
ture of the appropriation by the Secretary of
War without tho intervention Of the Mississippi
River Commission. Heattacksd the commission
charging that their salaries, amounting to 1892
600 per annum, were more than one-third of the
appropriation made in the section. A half
pennyworth of bread to an infinite deal of sack,
it seemed TO him. He asserted, and challenged
contradiction, that there was no commerce
worthy of tho name on the Missouri river. Ten
steamboats, had passed Council Bluffs in Ave
years. Again, the river meandered all over the
country; he had known it to change its course
eight miles in night
Mr. Willis humorously suggested that the
river might make its way into Iowa next year
and the gentleman would then regret his speech.
Mr.. Warner, of Missouri, defended the com :
mission, declaring that its members We're actu-
ated by motives of honesty, and that the only
purpose was to utilize the river and cut down
the exhorbitant freight rates of railroads.
Mr.. Blanchard. of Louisiana quoted from a
letter written by Mr.. Hepburn TO the Missouri
river convention. in which he expressed his sym
pathy with all honest efforts to improve the
water ways of the country Now the gentleman
had said that the Missouri river was not one Of
the waterways Of the country.
"And the worst of it is" suggested Mr.. Reed,
of Maine, she has proved it. A man." he con-
tinued, ''who was not in favor of all honest i'm
provements of waterways was foolish man.
But did that mean that Congress was in favor of
throwing money into every watcr-wayq'
MIR. Grosvenor, of Ohio defended the commit
tee on rivers and harbors, and intimated that
Mr.. Hepburn's opposition to the Missouri river
appropriation arose from the fact that two lines
of railway ran along the river
Mr.. Hepburn repealed the insinuation. He
had no interest in any railway, more than any
other citizen, but he was not one of those, like
the gentleman from Ohio. who were always
ready to howl against corporations because, in
certain cases, votes could be gained by it.
Mr. Bland and Mr.. Dockery, of Missouri, de-
Tended the Missouri river appropriation, and
dwelt upon the necessity of securing cheap
transportation for the people.
Pending vote on the amendment, the COM
mittee rose and the House adjourned