The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-05-05
THE F0RTY-NINTH CONGRESS.
interpretations in the Payne Testimony-Pas-
sage of the POstoffice Appropriation Bill.


WASHINGTON May Mr.. Hoar presented
letter received by him from Emmit Tompkins,
secretary of the Ohio OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES COM
mittee, regarding the printing Of the report of
that committee recently submitted to the United
States Senate. The letter states that Mr.. Temp
kins, on examining the copy printed by order of
the Senate, finds that surreptitious interpola-
ton has been made in the copy furnished the
printer, the matter interpolated not being in the
original copy sent to the Senate by the Ohio
House of Representatives. The Interpolation
the Secretary says, is of matter intended to re-
fleet on the good faith of the majority OF the
Ohio committee and mislead the Senate commit
tee on privileges and elections. An inspection
of the copy, Mr. Tompkins adds, shows that the
added matter is written in pencil, on soft paper
and wholly disconnected with the official papers
He asks an inves tigation of the subject by the
Senate committee. in order that the perpe traitor
Of the fraud may be discovered On motion OF
Mr.. Hoar, the letter was referred to the commit
tee on privileges and elections. The matter was
ordered reprinted in correct form. and the distri
button of the incorrect copies was ordered
stopped.
The interpolated matter in the report OF the
Payne investigation transmitted from Columbus
to the Senate consists Of the following para
graph which appears at the end of the volume
made up Of the majority and minority report
and the testimony: 1.-The majority have all
along conducted this investigation as though
they felt it incumbent on them to find somebody
guilty; as though some great party interests
would be jeopardized unless they reported that
somebody was guilty of something We have
helped them to draw the drag net In every mud
dy point anywhere and everywhere they were
pleased to designate, and every time they
thought they had captured the boss boodler. and
when they rushed in to grapple with and to land
him, they invariably found that 1t was only
small sucker which they took between their fing-
ers and threw back into his native element. The
majority report should read that, although they
did not find any one guilty of corrupt practices,
they think it burning shame that some one was
not guilty of bribery SO that they might report
his capture by this committee"
After the passage of number of private bills,
the postofice appropriation bill was laid before
the Senate.
$780, 900 for the carriage of the United States
mails to Central and South America, China, ia
pan, etc. He did not regard 1t as subsidy.
Mr. Salisbury opposed the appropriation.
A number of amendments were offered, some
of which were agreed to- The committees pro-
vision for the foreign mails, as finally agreed to
by the Senate, reads as follows:
For the transportation of foreign mails by
American built and registered steamships, to
secure the greater frequency and regularity in
dispatching and greater speed in the carriage
of such mails to Brazil, the Republic of Mexico,
Central and South America the Sandwich, West
India and Windward islands, New Caledonia,
New Zealand and the Australian colonies, China
and Japan, $500, 900; and the Postmaster general
is authorized to make. after due advertisement
for proposals, such contract or contracts with
the owners Of American steamships for term
of not less than three nor more than five years,
and at a rate Of compensation not exceeding fifty
cents nautical mile on the trip each way actu-
ally travelled between the terminal points in the
most direct and feasible sailing course between
the terminal points as shall be found expedient
and desirable to secure the end above set forth.
And il he shall be unable to make such con-
tracts for any such respective services, he shall,
so far as possible, cause the mails of the United
States to be carried to and from said places re-
spectively, in the most expeditions manner prac
ticable, in American vessels, and for reasona-
BILE compensation, not exceeding the rate before
mentioned. And the Postmaster general, if in
his Judgment it be practicable, shall contract for
mimonthly service between New York and
New Orleans and the port of Rio Janeiro, under
the provisions of this law"
The vote on the amendment, as thus amended,
was yeas 80, nays H.
The Senators voting in the negative were
| Messrs. Beck, Berry, Blackburn. Butler Cam
| den, Coke, Gray, Harris, Jones of Arkansas,
Kenna, Maxey Morgan, Ransom, Salisbury,
Vance. Vest, Whitthorne. and Wilson Of Mary
| land.
| On Mr.. Plumbs motion the sum of $4,000
was added to the amount already in the bill for
| the railway postal car service.
One of the Senate committees proposed amend
ments authorizes the Postmaster general ito
| contract for inland and foreign steamboat in
mail service when it can be combined in one
route, where the foreign offices are not more
than 200 miles distant from the domestic Office,
| ca the same terms and conditions as inland
-Seamboat service, the contract to be made with
aud performed by American built and registered
| steamships
| This was agreed to by the Senate, while a lin
| itation of the compensation for such service to
| fifty cents mile, each way, was struck out.
| In other respects, the bill was passed as re-
| ported from the Senate committee.
The vote on final passage Of the bill was:
Yeas 49, nays 10. Those voting in the negative
were Messrs Berry, Coke. Gray, Harris, Jones
Of Arkansas Kenna, Maxey, Salisbury, Vest
and Whitthorne
| Mr.. Morgan offered o series of resolutions,
which were ordered printed and to lie on the
table, declaring that it is the duty of Congress
| to extend necessary mail facilities across the
| seas, from the principal ports Of ali foreign
countries with which the United States has any
considerable trade, or where trade can be profit
| ably developed; that it is the duty of Congress
| to provide that the American people shall have
| the right to buy SHIPS abroad and 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 importation of all other art-
| cles Of foreign manufacture.
The Senate then adjourned.
Proceedings in the House.