The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1888-07-05
WASHINGTON
Debate on the River and Harbor
Bill and Amendments
Thereto.
The President Very Busy-Gen eral
Sheridan Carried Aboard
the SWatara.
FIFTIErH CONGRESS.



WASHINGTON, June 30.-The senate met
at IL a. M, with less than dozen sena-
tors present, and resumed consideration
of the river and harbor bill. The follow
ing amendments, among Others, were
agreed to:
An amendment directing a survey for
ship canal from Las ALLIES to Lake
Michigan, near Chicago; also one direct
ing the secretary of war to locate a canal
from the Illinois river, at Hennepin, to
the Mississippi river, at the mouth of Rock
river. The latter amendment caused
considerable debate as to whether its
adoption committed the government to
the construction of the canal. Some
senators held that it did,
and others commended that it did not.
The last amendment to be voted upon was
the insertion of provision abolishing the
Missouri river commission.
Senator Vest spoke of the utter decay
of the commerce of rivers and canals,
there not being now a single steamboat
on the Missouri river between Kansas City
and St. Louie. That was something be-
yond the power of congress to prevent,
because time was great element in com
canals and rivers were immeasurably val
liable factors in checking exhorbitan
rates of railroads and, therefore, he fav-
ored them. The amendment wes agreed to.
Senator Beck moved to insert an item
of $4,000 for the purpose of Green and
| Barren rivers improvement in Kentucky.
Agreed to.
Senator Berry moved to increase the ap-
| preparation for White river, Arkansas,
from $4,000 to $4,000. Agreed TO.
| The bill and amendments were then re-
ported from the committee of the whole
to the senate, and the amendments on
which seperate votes were not asked were
agreed to. Separate votes were demanded
on the Hennepin canal amendment
the amendments abolishing the Missouri
river commission and the amendment for
purchase of the Green and Barren river
improvement in Kentucky. But, there
| beng no quorum, no further progress
was made with the bill, and the senate pro-
ceeded to executive business.
| After the doors were reopened the con
ference report on the diplomatic and con-
sular appropriation bill was presented
and agreed to. The only question be-
tween the two houses had been the senate
amendment for the appointment of a
commission to visit and report
upon the upper Congo basin
The result of the conference was the sub
stitute for the amount appropriating
$4,000 for salary and expenses of the com
mercial agent, at Bona, in lower Congo
basin, with authority to visit and report
upon the commercial resources of the
upper Congo basin and its openings for
trade with the United States.
Bill from calendar taken up and
passed: House bill to authorize the
building of railroad bridge at Fort
Smith, Ark. There were also thirty eight
private pension bills taken from the
calendar and passed, all of them house
bills, except one-senate bill increasing
the pension of the widow of General G
X. Warren to 800 month.
The senate them adjourned till Monday
at IL o'clock q. m.
| The committee on elections to- day de-
cided by a strict party vote in favor Of
Elliott, sitting member, in the election
contest in the Seventh South Caroline
district.
(; Speaker Carlisle Yves in the chair wher
| the house met this morning.
| On motion of Mr.. Stone, of Kentucky
the bill for payment of Fourth OF July
claims was taken up and passed. The
house then went into committee of the
whole on the tariff bill.