Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-02-29
THE NATIONS SCAPITAL.
The Presidents Idea Of a Pen
sion Bill Defined.
Partisan MotiVes Charged by the Oppos.
Ing Members Of the House,
In the Making of Appropriations for Va
rious Public Buildings.
WASHINGTON, Feb. Is.
Senate.

The resolution offered last week by MIR.
ioar, to continue the investigation of the
last session into certain events alleged TO
have taken taken place in Texas in the peti-
ton OF Stephen liaekworth and others, was
reported back from the committee. and agreed
TO.
The Senate Committee on Finance has
ordered a favorable report on Senator Sher-
mans bill for the investment of certain funds
in the treasury.
The Senate resumed the consideration of
the dependent pension bill, the question be-
ing on the adoption of Calls amendment,
making the bill 10 apply also to all who
served in the war with Mexico, or. for so
days, IN any war of any kind The amend
mend was agreed TO after long debate.
The bill went over without action. Dur
ing the debate several partisan speeches
were made ON both sides, the republicans
claiming there was an intent 10 pass the bill
IN such a shape that the President would
sign ii to relieve the necessities of the suf-
ferlng veterans. Such a bill as the yeter-
ans deserved would certainly be vetoed The
democrats claimed that the statement of the
Presidents views was all assumption ON the
part of the republicans. The &. A. r. had
no right 10 dictate to the Senate what bill
should be passed or what should not.
Plumb, Blair, Msnderson, Blackburn and
others participated in the debate. After
wards the Senate proceeded to executive
business and at five O'Clock adjourned.
House.
The House resumed in the committee of
the whole, the consideration of the bill for
the organization of the territory of Okahama
Barnes of Georgia gave notice that he would
offer substitute for the appointment of a
commission TO negotiate with the Indians in
Indian Territory with view to opening up
that portion of the territory lying west of the
9ith meridian of longitude, 10 white settle
mcnts. He opposed the report of the ma
jorty of the committee AS unjust TO the
Indians. The committee bill proposes to
organize territory composed of ''No Mans
Land" and SO much of Indian territory as is
not actually occupied by the five civilized
tribes. The committee rose without taking
action on the bill.
The House then went into the committee
of the whole on the public building measures.
The first bill called up was one appropriat-
ing $50, 900 for building at Bar Harbor,
Maine.
Bland of Missouri opposed the bill and re-
ferred to statement made by Mlliken of
Maine, that under the present administra-
ton no republican could secure contract to
erect a public building. In view of this
statement he was surprised that the gentle
men asked for public building now, and
that he did not wait until the dim uncertain
future, when his party might come into pow
er.
Milliken said that if he had been as par
tlsan AS the gentleman from Missouri he
might have pursued that course.
Bland replied that he was not part isan
enough to accuse any department of dong
what it had not done. For the last few
days the gentleman from Maine had been
running around like a cock-roach on the
kitchen floor Now his excitement is ex-
planned by the appearance of this Bar Ilar-
Dor bill
Allen of Mississippi ridiculed the idea of
giving a public building to Bar llarbor be-
cause, as Milliken said, there was good
supply of pure air and good water there.
The appropriation was finally reduced to
S25 900, and the bill was agreed to.
The House unanimously agreed to the bill
for the erection of the appraisers building
in New York on site that cost $3.50 900,
the building to cost $50 900. Bills for
public buildings in other cities were agreed
to. The committee rose and the House
subsequently passed the bills.
A bill was passed authorizing the use and
improvement of Castle Island, Boston har
bor