Sacramento daily record-union., 1888-12-07
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.
A BILL TO EXTEND THE PRESI.
DENTAL TERM.
The Tariff and Direct Tax Bills in
Congress-Notes Stolen in the
Treasury Department.
ESPECIAL DISPATCHES TO THE REooRD-uNIoN.l
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS.
In the Senate.

CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS.
In the Senate.
WASHINGTON, December 9th. Senator
Blair introduced bill to-day to establish
public bureaus of information in different
parts of the country relating to employ
ment, occupation, wants. means of liveli-
hood and homes. The bill is very long,
and the purpose of its author is evidently
to supersede the want" columns in the
newspapers and to give Government aid to
those who will not work.
Senator Stewart to-day introduced in the
Senate bill to throw open the unoccupied
military reservations in Nevada to home
stead entry. OF these abandoned reserva-
tions there are Camp McGarry, 25000
acres; Fort Halleck, 10, 900 acres; Fort Nc
Dermitt, $500 acres, and Camp Carlir, 920
acres.
A letter was received from the Secretary
of the Treasury containing report from
the Director of the Mint on the amount of
purchased silver bullion and the prices paid
therefor since the coinage of the standard
silver dollar was resumed.
The Secretary of State transmitted to the
Senate copies of the certificates of the cleo
ton of Presidential Electors in the States
of Kansas, Maryland, North Carolina and
Georgia.
Senator Sherman expressed the opinion
that the new law which requires these GER
tiicates to be sent to the Senate might be
extra constitutional, inasmuch as the Con-
stitution provided that the electoral vote
must be opened by the Vice-President in
the presence of the two Houses of Congress.
Senators Hoar and Edmunds explained
that the new law was simply intended to
throw additional safeguards around the
electoral vote, and that the original certi6-
Gates would be brought by a messenger TO
the Vice President. Copies were referred
10 the Committee on Privileges and Elec-
i tons.
| Senator Mitchell introduced resolution
which was agreed to, directing the Secre-
| tary of the Treasury to transmit to the
| Senate copies of the settlement between
] the United States and Oregon or account
of the sum of S70 268 appropriated by Con
gress to pay the Modoc war claims also
a statement of fifteen per cent. of Oregon'S
| quota of the direct tax, and the settlement
| of five per cent. claims on account of cash
sales of public lands in Oregon.
Alter the morning business was finished
| consideration of the tariff bill was re
| sumed.
The time this afternoon was occupied il
the discussion of the iron schedule.
Senator Plumb offered an amendment tC
reduce iron and steel beams, girders, etc.
to $40 of cent per pound. He said thu
f, object of his amendment was to stimulate
! greater competition among home manu-
facturers.
Pending a vote on the amendment the
Senate agreed to adjourn over until Mon
day.
In the House.
WASHINGTON, December 9th. In th,
| House to-day Oates of Alabama secured
unanimous consent that the order settin
apart Thursday, Saturday and Tuesday 70
the consideration of the direct tax bill, b
changed to Thursday, Tuesday and Wed
nesday. Oates is the chief opponent of th
bill and led the filibustering last session
He stated to-day he would not offer dilator
motions and not interfere with the bil
coming to vote at o'clock Wednesday,
The House then took up the direct ia
bill. Creswell of Iowa made few prelimi
nary remarks explaining the bill and the
yielded the floor to Oates, who made
speech in opposition. Oates said there wa
no authority in the Constitution for Cor
! gress to refund the direct tax, and if it We
| done it would be a case of clean usurp;
ton by Congress. Oates offered an amend
ment to the bill, providing for refundin
the tax levied on cotton during the wa
! anu diiSI Waiu ihCledScu' uhN AhduC d sPOtN
in favor of the amendment. He was 70
lowed by Barnes of Georgia in length
legal argument in favor of the cotton ts
amendment
The House spent the afternoon discus
ing Oates amendment to the direct tax bill
Stewart of Georgia and Hooker of Missi
sippi made long speeches favoring Il
! amendment.
When Hooker of Mississippi conclude
his remarks, the further consideration
the direct tax bill was postponed unit
Tuesday next, and the House at $3.50 o'cloC
adjourned until tomorrow.