National Republican., 1888-05-15
THE KEYSTONE IN THE ARCH.
REPRESENTATIVE SYMES on
PROTECTED AMERICAN LABOR.
sim Debating ON the Mills Bill in the
House-Scnator Vest Wants Meat
Products Investigated Tho District
Railroad Problem Discussed.

Among the memorials and petitions pre-
sChted and referred were the following:
From the legislature of Massachusetts,
relative to tile immigration aud importation
OF cOnvicts, lunatCs. idiots, and other per-
Sous liable to become Il public charge
To authorize the Secretary Of the Treas.
ury 10 refund and exchange bonds with a
view to the reduction of the public debt.
For the reduction of letter postage to one
cent for an ounce.
Among the bills reported from commit
tees and placed On the calendar were the
following:
senate bill to incorporate the District of
Columbia Suburban Railway Company.
Senate bill to amend the route of the Ana.
costa and Potomac Steel Railway Company
Of the District of Columbia.
Senate bill to define the routes of steam
railroads in the District of Columbia
Senate bill authorizing the purchase of u
site for building for the Supreme Court
Among the bills introduced and referred
were the following:
BY Mr. Spooncr (by rcqucst) For the 4,
ssue Of y per cent. ilfty-ycar bonds.
AIso, to provide for Il commission to de-
tcrminc the location of steam railroads and
stations IN the District of Columbia.
Also, TO provide for the redemption Of
lands sold under trust deeds in the District
Of Columbia.
BY Mr.. Stewart; Proposing an amend
ment to the constitution OF the United
States 80 as to reduce from twO-thirls 10 u
majority the vote in each house overriding
presidential vctUes. He remarked that the
time had come for such change, and said
that lie would at a convenient time make
some remarks OH the subject
Mr.. Blair, by request introduced bill to
prevent convict labor from competing with
organized lalor Referred 10 committee
on education and labor.
Mr.. Stewart offered a resolution, which
was adopted, calling on the Secretary of the
Treasury for statement ms to the existence
of any regulation Of his department under
which lead ores containing gold or silver arc
admitted free of duty, and, il so. under
what law: also as tO the amount of lead ore
and silver ore imported during the past ten
months.
MIR. llOar, from the committee on privi-
leges and elections, to which had been re-
ferrcd certain resolutions of joint cOnvcn-
tion of the two houses of the Indiana legis-
lature concerning the election of Mr.. Tur-
pie as United States Senator, made report
and asked to be discharged from the further
consideration of the resolution and memo
rials "Thcreby confirming the title of Mr..
Turpic 10 his seat" lie asked that the re-
port, which he said was unanimous, be
printed in the Record
Mr.. Vest offered n resolution for the ap-
pointmcnt of n select committee of five
senators TO examine fully all questions
touching the meat products of the United
States, and especially as to the transporta.
tion of beef and beef cattle, and the sale of
the same in the cattle markets, stock yards,
| and cities: and whether there exists or has
existed any combination Of any kind by
reason of which the prices Of beef and beef
cattle have been So controlled or affected rs
to diminish the prices paid to the producer
without lcssening the cost of meat to the
consumer; the committee to he permitted
to hold its sessions during the recess at such
| times and places as II may determine, with
| power to send for persons and papers, to
employ n stcnographer and sergeant-at-
arms, and to report ut next session. lie
asked that the resolution be printed and
| laid Oh the table, and gave notice that he
would call it up to-day.
The House bill making an appropriation
| to enable the executive departments, the
| bureau Of agriculture, the Smithsonian In.
| stitution, and the fish commission to par
| ticipate IN the centennial exposition of the
Ohio valley aud central states at Cincinnati,
| from July TO October, 1888, was taken up.
| amended In several particulars, and passed.
| and a conference committee ordered. The
amendments strike out the provision FOR q
| committee of Congress to act as an advisory
| board, reduce the appropriation from $780,
| $50 to Sl45,250, the 50, 900 for the advisory
board being struck out, and requires the
President to designate u person to make
final audit of the accounts.
Mr.. Farwell asked unanimous consent IL
| proceed to the consideration of the Senate
| bill to authorize the Baltimore and Potomac
Railroad Company to acquire and Use real
estate for railway purposes in the District OF
| Columbia.
| l., 81, l,,;,
| sidercd and acted upon before action was
taken on the bill for the removal of the
| depot and the change of the tracks Of the
! Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company, but
the Senate decided-2l to l0-to take it NJ
for consideration
| Mr. Vance moved to amend the bill by
requiring the Baltimore and Potomac Rail
road Company to remove its tracks aud
depot from the public grounds where they
| are now located and to locate them on tn,
land SO to lie acquired lie argued in favor
| of the amendment,
| Mr.. Hawley opposed the whole bill lie
| cOmplimented the Pennsylvania Railroad
| Company as the best managed railroad cor
| poratiOn In the country, If not In the world
| and as having model civil service ar
rangcment but he regarded 1t as national
misfortune that it had been permitted tC
| locate its track on the magnificent mall
and that it had been presented without
compensatory with the most valuable piece
of land in the city of Washington. The
pending bill proposed to sanction and per
petuate this state of things, and also tt
permit another railroad company to locat,
It's track alongside. lie hoped that, In til,
last emergency at least, some limit would
| be placed on these railroad companies, Sc
that they might not extend their machine
shop and buildings down to the Washing
ton monument. lie regarded the gift Oi
that mangillcent property to the Baltimore
and Potomac Railroad Company us most
extraordinary thing, aud felt obliged to vot'
against the whole proposition.
| Mr.. Farwell said that the question Of til,
| removal of the Sixth street depot was not in
volvcd In the bill at all, 1t had been con
sidered before the District committee, bu
had not been agreed to. The bill did no
touch or involve the question of the reten
tiOn or removal of the depot, 1t simply
provided that IN order to enable the Balti
more and Potomac Company To transact IT
freight business with some comfort, and I,
take its ears Off the streets, land may b.
| condemned for its use south of Marylan,
and Virginia avenues,
That was all that the bill did, except tina
II also permitted the company to go upon
the plot of land which it owned at the rivcl
near the Long bridge, lie hoped that til,
amendment would he voted down. Aftc
remarks by Senators Riddlebcrgcr, Vance
and Call, and without action on the bill, tn,
animal industry bill was (at 2 p. m,) lai,
before the Senate rs the unfinished bust
ness" aud then the presiding officer (ure
sumahly under an order agreed upon in eX
ccutivc session last Thursday ordered th,
galleries to be cleared and the doors to b.
| closed, and the Senate proceeded to the con
sideration of executive business.
The Senate continued in executive session
until .. o'clock, when without resuminl