The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-03-09
Lth CONGRESS-..FIRST SESSION.
SENATE.
su1NGTnN


Among the petitions and memorials pre-
sented and referred, was one said to have over
1900 signatures from 80 states and terri.
tories, against the admission of Utah as a
state, so long as the people are under the
control of Mormons.
A bill was reported to provide for joint
celebration at the national capital.by the IL
American republics, in honor of the centen-
nial of the United States.
The Senate resumed consideration Of the
bill granting pensions to ex-soldiers and
sailors who are incapacitated for perform
ance of manual labor, and for pensions to
dependent relatives of deceased soldiers and
sailors, the question being on the amend
ment offered by Senator Wilson of Iowa, to
add the words ''the infrmities of age"
Senator Manderson replied to some of the
remarks made by Senator Vest, last week, /,
particularly as to there being no Federal
ex-solders or confederates in the almshouses
in Missouri In.contradiction of Senator
Vests statement that so per cent of the
number of those enrolled during the war
were either pensioners or applicants for pen
siOns, he showed there were 367, ,425 invalid
pensions granted, and 240662 for widows,
words there were (of pensioners and claim
ants not over "a per cent of the whole num-
Der enlisted.
Senators Hoar and Hawley spoke in favor
of the bill.
Sci ator Dawes stated that he would sup
port Senator Wilson's amendment.
The question was taken and Senator VIII
sons amendment rejected, yeas, ID; nays, 43.
The next vote was ON Senator Plumbs
amendment striking out the word totally"
before the word "Incapacitated."
Senator Davis opposed the amendment
and favored restoring the word totally"
Senator Platt said he would follow the adj
vice Of the committee, but it was against his
judgment. He compared it to running the
gauntlet, as eaptiyes were compelled to do in
the days of Indian atrocities.
Senator Platt said that, if all the Senate
heard was true, the prediction of Roger
Sherman thatklegislati0n would have to be
shaped to meet the wishes of one man, had
come. An allusion which had been made to
Roman history reminded him of the ques-
tion, when could it be even said until now
that the wide walls of Rome contained but
one man? And so, when the Senate was
told that any other legislation than that re-
ported would fail, he said that he, at least,
was not to be Influenced by any such con-
SideratiOn.
Senator Beck expressed regret that the
chairman of the committee on pensions
should have stated that the bill had been
framed, not py lne commlttee, DuI Dy the
Grand Army of the Republic. Congress
should consider respectful petitions but
should use its own Judgment as between
petitions and the country at large.
Senator Davis said that the pensions COM
mittee had considered the bill carefully and
had struck out several clauses.
Senator Beck replied that the Senator's
language had been so broad that he had con-
strued it as meaning that the committee had
adopted, without change, the bill of the
Grand Army of the Republic. The Senator
should also remember that petitions did not
always originate with those from whom
they purporteu to come. Petitions in favor
of the bill came not so much from eX-soldiers,
as from pension agents who expected to get
the lions share under it.
Senator Davis declared that no such agents
had put in an appearance before the pension
committee. No pension agent had been
heard and no one, except the regularly con-
Sttuted legislative committee of the Grand
Army of the Republic.
Senator Beck stated his objections to
some of the details of the bill, and charac-
terized it as bad legislation.
Senator Teller protested against Senators
being coerced and terr0rlzed In their votes,
first by some influence, which nobody dared
to mention, and second by the pensions COM
mittee. He proposed to vote according to
his own judgment. irrespective of such in
fiuences.
After further discussion, vote was taken
on Senator Plumb's amendment, striking
out the word totally" and it was rejected
yeas, IA; nays, AS. The bill was then passed
yeas, A; nays, 16.
Senator Blair introduced his bill OF former
sessions to grant pensions to all soldiers
who served three months in the army during
the war of the rebellion. Referred to the
committee on pensions.
Senator Blair, from the committee on
education and labor, reported the bill apply
ing the eight hour law to letter carriers.
Calendar.
The Senate at $50 adjourned till Monday
HOUSE.
Mr.. Tillman, of South Carolina, asked
unanimous consent for the immediate consid-
the purchase of certain swords belonging to
the widow of Gen. James Shields.
After several other members had spoken
in laudatory terms of General Shields the
bill was passed.
Mr. Oates, of Alabama, from the commit
tee on judiciary reported adversely bill to
enable the people to name their postmasters.
House calendar.
Mr.. Raynor, Of Maryland. from the COM
mittee on commerce, reported the bill to es :
tablish postal telegraph.
Mr.. BlOunI, OF G6OTSld, odiu bhaS ShO o"D-
ject of the bill was one over which the com
mittee on post offices and post roads had jur-
isdiction, and he reserved the right, at the
proper time, to raise the question whether
the committee on commerce had jurisdiction
over the subject of postal telegraphy. The
ILL was referred to the committee OF the
whole
Mr.. Hatch. of Missouri, from the commit
tee on merchant marine and fisheries, re-
ported, adversely, bill exempting the Amer
lean ccoastwise sailing vessels, piloted by
their licensed masters or by United States
pilots. from obligation to pay State pilots for
services not rendered. At the request OF Mr..
calendar.
Mr.. Sowden, of Pennsylvania, from the
committee ON public buildings and grounds,
reported bill for the erection of a public
building at Nashua, n. Fl. 1t was referred
to the committee of the whole.
OL motion Of Mr.. Nelson, of Minnesota,
and after consideration in committee of the
whole, the bill was passed for the allotment
of lands in seyeralty on the White Earth
and Red Lake reservations to the Chippewa