Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-06-20
AT THE CAPITOL TO-DAY.
IHE SUNDRY CIVIL BILL
Leads to Sharp Discussion in the House.
BUSINESS IN THE SENATE.
The Senate.

MI EumunuS, from the committee on Foreign re.
lations, reported back, adversely, the bill intro
duced by Mr.. Farwell directing the President to
make proclamation prohibiting the Importation OF
products OF foreign states In certain cases, and
stated that the ground OF the adverse report was
that the substance OF the same provisions con.
tained In the bill was, with greater amplifcation
and wider powers, embraced in a bill which passed
the Senate this session concerning the exporta-
tion OF meats &C.,, and which was now pending
In the House OF Representatives.
A PENSION BILL VETOED.
message was read from the President return
ing without his approval bill for pension to a
widow, on the ground that her husbands death
was from consumption, and was not in any man.
ner connected with his military service, although
a lemale physician OF Washington had rtihed
that death had resulted from wounds received in
the Army The bill and message were referred TO
the committee on pensions.
Mr.. Morgan, from the committee foreign
relations, reported bill 10 amend and enlarge the
act OF 10TH June 1873, providing for the dlslrbu-
tion or the awards made under the convention
with Mexico of 4th July, 1865. Placed on the
calendar. minority report was made and argued
by Mr.. Brown.
The reading OF Mr.. Browns manuscripts occu-
pied more than an hour, the only attentive listen
er5 beiDg senators Morgan aad voorhees, When
he had concluded Mr.. Morgan asked that the bill
and the reports be laid on the table and printed,
Qnstead OF going on the ceiendar), and SAID that
he would reply TO Mr.. Browns argument to-mor-
row.
THE FRANKLIN STATUE.
Mr.. voorhees, introduced joint resolution au-
thorzing the Commissioners for the District Of
Columbia to designate site for a statue OF Benja-
min Franklin presented by Mr.. Stilson Hutchins),
and II was passed.
A motion heretofore made by Mr.. Vance to re-
consider the vote passing joint resolution to
amend the act OF 18th June, 1882, changing the
boundaries OF the fourth collection district or Nir-
ginia, was Withdrawn.
Senate bill appropriating $4,000 for a public
building at Staunton, Va, was, on motion OF Mr.
Daniel, taken up ana passed.
Mr.. Frye presented the petition Of the "Consti-
tutional Defence Association OF America" against
the ratification OF the fisheries treaty.
House bill appropriating $4,000 TO complete
the public building at Wichita, Kan, was, on
motion OF Mr.. Plumb, taken up and passed, with
an amendment increasing the appropriation to
The Senate then took up the private pension
bills on the calendar and passed all OF them, 81 in
number. The Senate then at 2:3O adjourned.
Nominations To-day.
The President has sent the following nOmina-
tions to the Senate:
John F. Phillips, Of Missouri, to be United States
district judge for the western district OF Missouri
James G. Jenkins OF Wisconsin, to be United
States district judge for the western district or
Wisconsin,
Edmond Mallet, OF New York, to be an Indian In
Spector.
House OF Representatives.
The Speaker laid before the House message
from the President returning, without his ap-
proya private pension bill for the relief OF Ellz-
abeth Burr. Three-quarterS or an hour was spent
In the effort to dispace certain private pension
bills, which had been made the special order for
to-day, and their consideration was finally post
poned for two weeks.
THE sUNDRY CIVIL BILL
The House then went into committee OF the
whole on the sundry civil appropriation bill.
SPECIAL AGENTS" DENOUNCED.
In the course OF the debate upon the item rela-
!
a reduction OF the appropriation from $780, 900 to
$50, 1000. He said he wanted less money placed in
the hands OF special agents 10 procure false aida-
Wits by bribery and To persecute settlers, instead
OF prosecuting fraud He knew OF these things
being done In the West.
Mr.. Laird (Neb.) bitterly denounced the past
policy OF the General Land ONCE, especially when
under that man whom "Presdent Cleveland had
the nerve, courage and manhood to lake by the
neck and sling out OF Ofice" He, also, knew OF the
nefarious operations OF these special agents, and
cited Instances where, he said, they had used false
affidavlts- The acts OF these men were outrageous
and Infamous.
Rivers and HarbOrs.
REPORT IN FAVOR OF THE HOUSE BILL.
Senator Frye submitted to-day his report on the
river and harbor bill. 1t says the bill exceeds by
s.. sOO.OO the largest appropriation ever made
in river and harbor bill, but bill was passed
last session. and is likely to pass in the short
session following the presidential election, this
bill practically represents period OF three years
ably less than the average expenditure OF recent
years. The report says the first river and harbor
Ss6. 700. aud that from that time to date the
aggregate OF appropriations Is sl6l, 600 OOO
There Is 1t says not one Of the great maritime
nations which does not expend more In proportion
TO its harbors and seacoast than We do
France expends $2O,OOO,OOO annually, and En-
gland, with only 1900 miles OF coast, expends a
like sum. BY this bill only a, 209, 200 are appro-
prated for our $4,000 miles OF stormy and dan
gerOus coast.
moved ami exchanged In this country through the
medium OF the inland water ways amounts to
twenty-five or thirty thousand million dollars
annually, and that the vast and wonderful In.
crease In internal commerce is materially due to
the expenditures or the Federal Government in
waterway improvements. 1t argues that the
| opening OF new regions and the cheapening OF
| transportation more than justify the expendi-
| lures, and that the 80 per cent OF the money
| OF the country, and Is, therefore, more fairly
distributed and more quickly restored to circula-
tiOn than through any other channel
! Capitol Topics.
IN THE HOUSE, YESTERDAY
after THE STARs report closed, the remainder
OF the afternoon was spent In the consideration
| OF the two paragraphs OF the sundry civil bill
| relating to salaries OF registers and receivers
and contingent expenses OF land offices.
vandever (CaL), and Others assaiied the appro,
priatons committee for alleged inadeQuacy OF
appropriations for the Land Ofrice, and MIR. Blan-
chard secured the passage OF an amendment, in
| creasing the appropriation for salaries and CON-
missions OF registers and receivers from $500 00O
| 10 $124,O The committee then rose, and after
! passing bill authorizing the appointment of an
additional associate justice for the Territory OF
| Dakota. the House, at rve O'Clock adjourned.
| SENATORIAL COURTESY.
| The Senate this afternoon presented q scene
not often witnessed In that body where courtesy
| held to be paramount duty. senator Brown had
| written speech on the Mexican claims-the Wei
and La Abra cases Owing TO his weak physical
while he read. He read in a very low
| tone OF voice, and his utteranceS could
| not be heard at the clerks desk. The few
| Senators who were present busted themselves
| In writing, reading or In conversation. Not one
| was listening. Senator voorhees,, observing this
latter wheeled his chair as to face the Senator
from lnciana and turn his side toward tie PreSi
dent pro feJapOre. From the galleries IL looked
II there were recess as the Senator who wa:
speaking could not be heard above the floor.
COMMISSIONER SPARKS ATTACKED AND DEPENDED
In the course OF a debate the House to-day upOr
appropriations for the Ge neral Land ONCE, Mr.
Laird, OF Nebraska, attacked Gen sparks, lat,
land commissioner. MIR. weaver defended Gen
Sparks. He eulOgZed him in the highest OF term
and concluded with the assertion: 'Ihere is no
land-grabber In the country who Will not indors
the remarks OF the gentleman from Nebraska Mr.
Laird)."
ECONOMY.
Representative Randall chairman OF the appro
priations committee, to-day quite enectuaIl,
squelched amendments to increase appropriation
In the sundry civil bill. He said the democrats al
| talned power and the nation by their pledges Z
enforce economy In public expenditures; that tn
democratic majority IN the House was a result @
lsr and hn alaAs