The Portland daily press., 1888-01-31
HOUSE.

HOUSE..
Mr.. Barry of Mississippi, from the commit
tee on elections, submitted majority report
on the Lowry-White Indiana contested cleo
tion case, declaring the seat vacant. The
minority report confirming Whites title was
presented by Mr.. Rowell of Illinois.
Both reports were ordered printed Mr..
Barry gave notice that he would ask action
on them Thursday.
The Speaker, pro tenn, laid before the
House letter from the public printer in re-
sponse to resolution calling on him for in
formation as to the discharges made by him.
The public printer makes a statement Justl-
flying and explaining them and defending the
administration of his Office, emphatically de-
nying the charge that the Congressional work
of the Office is largely in arrears: He calls
attention to the fact that during the 40 days
of the Fiftieth Congress the printing ordered
by Congress has increased As per cent. over
that ordered during similar period OF the
Forty-ninth Congress, but states that the
work has been promptly handled with a
working force of 800 less employees than were
ON the rolls of the office at the beginning OF
the 10th Congress.
Mr.. Cutcheon of Michigan said he was the
author of the resolution to which the letter
read was an answer. He had been impeiled
to draw up the resolution blythe story OF :
soldier discharged with Sixty otner emPioyes
from the printing office in the middle OF win
ter, without cause, at time when the print
ing ordered by Congress was greatly in ar
rears. The :public printers letter gave in
formation about everything except what
Congress wanted information upon. ne
would like to know why the public printer
selected the middle of January to turn work
ingmen and women into the streets that he
might put climax to the proceedings of the
House in refusing to investigate the claims
of wOrkingman who was conteStlng his
seat in the House.
Mr.. Henderson, of Iowa, declared his ut
ter disbelief in the statement of the public
printer that there were more Union soldiers
employed at the printing office to-day than
ever before. He denounced the statement as
false. The son of a widow of dead soldier
had been dropped from the rolls and his
place filled from that great fountain of
Democratic officials, Baltimore, Qaugh-
ter by one. of the nimble fingers OF
A daughter of the same woman was dis
charged from the Treasury Department
about the same time The gentleman who
discharged her, told Eer she bad no recon-
mendation but her efficiency, which was un-
who could help the Democratic party. Those
two children, the support Of their mother,
were left without means of support In the
dead of winter. he stood there to proclaim
that it was not in the power OF himself or
an, Republican Representative Of the people
to secure the pettiest place in Washington.
even to save widow and the children OF a
dead Union soldier from starvation. After
further debate, Mr.. Cutcheon offered a reso-
luton for the appointment of a special COM
mittee to investigate the present administra-
tion of the printing Office.
Mr.. Springer Of Illinois, offered as sub
stitute resolution instructing the commit
tee on printing, with the addition Of two
members, one from each side of the House,
to investigate the administration OF the
printing office during the incumbency of the
present public printer and his predecessor
Mr.. Reed, of Maine, suggested that the In.
vestigation of a man who is dead could
hardly help the members get their documents
quicker. He appealed to Mr.. Springer not
to make partisan thing out of the inquiry.
Mr.. Springer denied there was anything
partisan in the resolution. He wanted to in
stitute comparison between tie work OF
the printing Office under the present admin
istration and under that of the former pub
lie printer. The substitute offered by Mr..
Springer was agreed to.
Mr.. Hatch, OF Missouri, called up the bill
making provision for agricultural expert
ment stations, and on motion of the Senate
amendments (merely formal were concurred
in.
Mr.. Breckenride, of Arkansas, introduced
and had referred to the ways and means
committee the Hewitt Administrative tariff
bill
The House. at 4.25, adjourned.