Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-05-25

American steamships for carrying foreign
mails. Dingley commented on the fact that
last year the government paid sl29 900 to the
North German Lloyd line, while the Ameri-
can line from New York to Brazil received
only $4,000 for mail transportation. Tn
| less the government speedily encouraged
American steamship lines, within five years
they would be driven from the ocean and
| their places taken by foreign lines, supported
by liberal government bounties.
| Blount announced that there was no oppo-
sition to subsidies land attributed the decay of
American foreign commerce to prohibiting
American citizens from buying ships abroad
| Dingley suggested the policy adopted by
Washington and approved by Madison and
Jefferson; under il the merchant marine had
achieved the highest prosperity until revo-
luton occurred in modern architecture. 1t
cost much more to work an American than
foreign vessel. In the face of the large
subsidies granted by Great Britain, France.
Germany and Italy, the American steamship
lines would be driven from the ocean, unless
| the government should give them liberal
compensation for the transportation of mails.
| Mr.. Dockery of Missouri, thought that
Mr.. Dingley had not been exactly fair in in
stituting a comparison between the amounts
| paid the North German Lloyds line and the
| New York & Brazil line, in view of the fact
that had the Lloyd line been an American
line it would have received three times as
much as it had received.
| Mr.. Dunn of Arkansas, said that under the
conditions which prompted the fathers of the
republic to favor prohibition, free ships no
longer existed. The American merchant
marine has been driven from the ocean not
by subsidies given by foreign governments
to their vessels, but by the high tariff taxes
on carges and by the high price of vessels.
After further debate the committee rose
and the bill was passed.
The House again resolved itself into
committee on the state of the Union, and
Mr. Belmont of New York, called up the
Senate bill providing for an international
marine conference to secure greater safety
for life and property on the sea. This was
amended by the adoption of substitute sim
liar in all essential particulars, and the bill
was then laid aside for favorable report.
The committee then proceeded to the consid-
Grafton of the legislative, executive and ju
dicial appropriation bill.
Mr. Buchanan of New Jersey, criticised
sharply the action of the postmaster general
in sending circular throughout the country
inviting charges against the republican post
masters to cause their removal.
The committee rose without action on the
bill.
The Senate marine conference bill, as
amended, was passed.
Mr.. Gay of Louisiana, submitted the con-
ference report on the invalid pensions appro-
priation bill and it was agreed to. The bill
is essentially the same as that passed by the
Senate.
A resolution was adopted authorizing the
committee on foreign affairs to inquire into
the facts connected with the Imprisonment
in an English Jail of John Curtis Kent, a
naturalized American citizen.
The House then adjourned.
General Congressional News
At secret session of the Senate this af- |
ternoon Sherman's resolution to discuss the |
fisheries treaty with open doors, was debated |
for two hours. The democrats left no
doubt of their purpose to delay action through |
fllbustering motion to adjourn till Mon
day was lost by tie vote. Senator Morgan
took the floor and announced his intention to
talk till Saturday night, whereupon the Sen
ate adjourned till tomorrow.
The fisheries treaty will be discussed by
the Senate in open session. The republl-
cans have determined upon this, and have
the point. They tried to open the doors yes
terday in a special executive session of the
Senate, but did not let it go to vote, be-
cause they would have been defeated by
their absentees. Eugene Hale, for example,
who voted against open session Tuesday,
would probably have yielded to arguments
of party expedency, and would have voted |
for it had he not gone to New FORK. Besides.
the republicans and many of the democrats
wanted the Senate to adjourn early in order
that they might attend the funeral of Sen
ator Sawyer's wife.
The California and northwestern republi-
cans have compelled the eastern Senators to
agree to open sessions, because they feel the |
absolute necessity of explaining their votes
against the treaty to their constituents. The |
position of the Senate democrats on this |
question is mlsrepresented. They want the |
treaty postponed until next winter, and !
they will do everything in their power to
bring this about because they do not think it |
will receive as fair and just treatment now as
it will next winter. For a similar reason
they oppose open sessions if it is to be consid-
cred new. They say that the majority of the
republicans do not propose to discuss the
merits of the treaty. The majority of the
committee on foreign relations having said |
in their report of the treaty that 1.-The exist
ing matters of difficulty betwee us end |
Great Britain, respecting Canada are no |
subjects of negotiation. it is of couIse idle |
to think that any treaty good or bad would be
considered fairly by the majority of the re-
publcans. They simply will not do it. They |
will make bitter political speeches about the
treaty. They will attack England, they will |
attack the administration, they will try to stir |
up bad feeling among the lrish-in short, to |
make campaign capital.
Now the democrats do not think that is the |
way that business proposition, especially |
an advantageous business proposition, should |
be considered by the Senate of the United |
States. So by every means in their power
they will resist open sessions and urge post
ponement. They may even refrain from
voting in the effort to postpone the consdera
ton of the treaty until next winter. They |
may have the votes of several western re-
publicans who ,hnk that would be wise.
Notes.
The President returned today and attend
ed the laying of the corner stone of the Cath
olic University.
Prof. +. b. Elliott for years government |
actuary of the treasury department, died |
suddenly this morning of apoplexy.
BURLINGTON STRIKERS
Decide to Make the Question of Surren-
der Matter of Local Option.
CHICAGO, May "a.
The Tribune this morning says; At a
conference recently held between the chief
of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, |