The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-03-26
THE HOUSE.

OA 4h0 A1AAA
WASHINGTON. March 25.-On motion of Mr..
Scott, of Pennsylvania, a resolution was adopted
calling on the Secretary of the Treasury for a
list of claims allowed by the accounting officers
of the Treasury.
On motion of Mr.. Dibble, of South Carolina,
a resolution was adopted setting apart Saturday,
April IL, for the consideration of bills reported
from the committee on public buildings and
grounds which do not involve an expenditure OF
more than $25, 1000.
Mr.. Van Eaton, of Mississippi, from the COM
mittee on public lands, reported u bill to promote
the introduction of fresh water into the Colorado
desert. Referred to the committee OF the whole.
Mr.. Hill, of Ohio, from the committee on Ter
~ritories, reported a bill to provide for the organi-
cation of the Territory of Oklahoma. Printed
and recommitted.
Mr.. Dunn, of Arkansas, from the shipping
committee, reported the free ship bill, and it was
placed on the calendar. Mr.. Dingley, of Maine,
presented a minority report.
MIR. Dockery, of Missouri, reviewed the legis-
lative history of the foreign mail service Of the
Postofice Department from 1916 down to the
present time. He quoted what he denominated
as the subsidy clause of the last postofice ap-
preparation bill. It gave to the Postmaster gen
eral authority to advertise for letting contracts
to American steamships, but there was nothing
mandatory in the act. 1t vested IN him a -
erection, and in the exercise of this just and wise
discretion tho Postmaster general had been sub
jected to unmerited, unjust and harsh criticism.
The gentleman from Michigan Mr.. Burrowsl
had said a good deal about the decay of Ameri-
can commerce. TIL gentleman's party had been
in power during the last twenty-five years. 1t
the laws had operated harshly on American
steamships and driven them from the sea, then
the Republican party, and not the Democratic
party, was responsible for it. When the Demo
cratic party left the control Of the government, it
left the Republican party IN possession OF q
splendid merchant marine, manned by Ameri-
can sailors and carrying American commerce.
Mr.. Brumm, of Pennsylvania (~interrupting)
And you gave us the Alabama and Shenan-
doah to drive it from the sea.
"Oh, l know it hurts" replied Mr.. Dockery.
when we come again to our fathers house, we
find that only 10 per cent. OF the OF
this great country is carried on in American yes
sells; and these vessels are manned by whom2
American seaman? No.; 95 per cent of the sail
ors that carry your flag, or what is left of your
flag, are foreigners. Who is responsible for
that2"
"Semmes was not a foreigner" intsrjected Mr..
Brumm.
Mr.. Dockery-The gentleman from Pennsyl-
vania [Mr. Brumml is one of the most extreme
of the leaders who faunt the bloody shirt.
"When your party stops brandishing the bloody
dagger, we will stop waving the bloody shirt"
exclaimed Mr.. Brumm.
81 know the CALLED jade winces, ." was Mr..
Dockery's comment, as he dismissed the subject.
He then went on to discuss the question of re-
viving American m and said that he
wanted to see once again American ships, owned
by American citizens, manned by American
crews. on all the waters of the globe, protected
by the broad @gis OF the American flag.
Mr.. Peters, of Kansas, made a strong appeal
to the committee to do an act Of justice to the
railway postal clerks by giving them the full
salary allowed by law.
Mr.. Guenther, of Wisconsin, said that Jeffer-
sonian simplicity and Jacksonian honesty had
lapsed into q state of 'innocuous desuetude.
He did not approve of the removals that had
been made. He granted that this Democratic
administration, including the Postmaster-gen-
eral, had committed sins enough to send them
to innocuous political desuetude at the next gen
eral election; but he did not think it should be
charged with sins it had not committed. A
good deal had been said in the newspapers of the
country about the foreign mail service. The
Postmaster general had been made the target
for ~innumerable and vicious assaults and mis-
representations, which, in his opinion, had been
entirely unfounded, and dictated solely from a
spirit of revenge and spite by certain steamship
companies, and especially the Pacific Mail
Steamship Company, which, seeing its well laid
plans for a successful raid on the treasury frus-
trated by the Postofice Department, had set up a
most terrific and prolonged howl, ft to be COM
pared only to the howl of a tiger whose prey had
been snatched away from him. The reasons
given by the Postmaster general for not exer-
cising the authority given him in regard TO for
elgn mall service were gooo ana Sumclent rea-
sons. Mr.. Guenther said, In conclusion, that If
grasping corporations. in their greed for gain,
came to the Congress Of the United States pos
ing in the roll of disinterested patriots, singing
their plausible song of the revival of American
shipping. asking for subsidies and expecting $40
for every 81 worth of service performed, do not
be deceived but tear the mask from their faces
and show the shylock countenances to the coun-
try.
TIL committee then rose. and the House took
q recess till 7:30 o'clock.
The evening session of the House was devoted
TO consideration of. resolutions expressive of the
sorrow of that body at the death of Joseph
Rankin, late Representative from Wisconsin.
Eulogies were delivered by Messrs. Henderson,
of Iowa; Bragg. Hudd, Guenther, Thomas and
LaFollett, of Wisconsin,; Henderson of Illinois,
Mayberry of Michigan, and johnson of New
York. The resolutions were then unanimously
adopted, and, as a mark Of respect to the de-
ceased, the House, at $50 p. NJ, adjourned.