Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-05-03

Among the petitions presented and referred was
one from the G. A. R OF New York asking for an
appropriation for a monument on the site OF Fort
Green, Brooklyn, in memory OF the "pr1son ship
martyrs
BILLS REPORTED.
Among the bills reported and placed on the cal
endar (unless otherwise noted were the following:
The Senate bill to retire certain disabled Officers
OF the Army
The House bill authorizing the President to re.
TIRE Alfred PleaSantOn with the rank or colonel.
House Oil for promotion OF Army officers after
twenty years continuous service in one grade "a
minority disSenting).
House bill Tor The presentation OF gold medal Of
Ine nrst,class to Capt. Thos Samson, OF New York
clly IOr bravery In reScuing five boys from drown
ihgmlhree In June, 1854, and two in June, 1866.
Mr. stewart introduced bill to execute certain
Treaty Stipulations prohibiting Chinese immigra-
''oh. helerred 10 committee on foreign relations.
THE LAND FORFEITURE BILL
The Senate then resumed consideration OF the
railroad land grant forfeiture BILL the question be-
Ing on the amendment offered yesterday by Mr..
Hoar.
Mr.. Hoar withdrew his amendment with the ex-
PLANTATION that Mr.. Palmer desired to offer one
which would accomplish what he (Mr Hoar) in
tended 10 accomplish and something else. Mr.
Palmer thereupon offered an amendment provd-
any right OF the Portage Lake Canal Co. or the
Ontonagon and Brule River Railroad Co., or any,
oSsr oUay &c claiming I'M under Them 10 apply here
legal or equitable relief to which they
may now be entitled; nor to prejudice any right
OF forfeiture or recovery OF the United States in
respect OF any OF the lands claimed by such COM
panies; nor TO prejudice the right of any person
assigns.
MIR. Berry opposed the excepting Of any rail-
road company from the operation OF the bill; and
ne therefore moveI to strike out Of the amendment
All reference 10 the Ontonagon and Brule River
Railroad Co.
Mr.. Hoar remarked that that part of the amend
Inent was not put in at his suggestion, but that
the senator from Michigan desired 10 put 1t in,
ana he (Hoar) had no objection It, for Of course
II was equally just with his amendment.
MT. Plumb (who has charge OF the billy sai0 he
the purport or effect OF the bill ia the slightest
particular, and as senators on each side OF the
question seemed to favor II, he had no objection.
Arguments against Mr.. Palners amendment
were made by Senators Berry, Call, and Reagan,
the former declaring his opposition TO giving TO
any Railroad company one foot more OF the public
land than IL was now absolutely entitled to. To
which Mr.. Palmer repled that he was in favor Of
fOrelting all unearned lands, but that he believed
In giving fair play to the railroad companies. He
thought that Congress had erred In going TOO far
In lavor OF railroad companies, but now IT was
dululn the other way. The vote was taken on Mr..
Berry's motion to strike out OF Mr. PameIs
brule River Railroad company, and the motion
was rejected, yeas, 20; nays, 26. The amend
ment was then agreed TO.
THE PLEURO-PNEUMONIA BILL
ne Scudlt tuiS dlIeTuOOn resumed cOnSlUeratlOn
OF the pleuro-pneumona bill
NOnsinatiOns To-Day.
The President sent the following nominations
to the Senate to-day:
Henry George, OF Kentucky, to be agent for the
Indians OF the Colorado River agency In Arizona.
POstnasterS: Howard H. Edwards, Fayetteville,
NJ; n T.; James James b keeer, Ellenville N. Y; n. IL.
Slxoy, Horse Heads, n. y.
House of Representatives.
I'm pnpt nP NJ Dr,n ,
ment was concurred In to the House bill providing
for the purchase OF additional ground and for the
improvement Of the post-office at Indianapolis.
CIhe amendment increases the appropriation from
S125.OOO TO $lJO.OOO)
on motion OF Mr. Rogers (Ark), Senate bill
was passed authorizing the construction OF a rail-
road bridge at Little Rock, Ark
ON motion OF Mr.. Townshend ull), Senate bill
was passed authorizing the Secretary OF War TO
receive for instruction at the Military Academy
Jose Andreas Utercho, OF Nicaragua.
THE FRENCH INVITATION.
Mr.. Belmont IN. Y.) presented and the
House adopted the conference report on the joint
resolution accepting on behalf OF the United states
the invitation Of the French republic to take part
IN the international exhibition TO be held In Paris
In 1889 (the commissioner representing the United
states will receive a salary OF 100000. The House
then went into committee or the whole (Mr.
Springer OF Illinois, In the chair the tariff bill
MR.. WILSON IN FAVOR OF THE TARIFF BILL
Mr.. Wilson (W.Va), member OF the ways and
means committee, said that the opponents Of the
tariff bill represented the Issue to be between free
trade and protection. 1t was rather an effort OF
the people to recover the right to tax themselves.
The rule that only those who paid taxes should
Impose taxes was the universal test Of free gov-
ernment, but after twenty-five years OF protection,
private interests were so entrenched In the tariff
and had SO overborne public interests that
they regarded It. as their exclusive domain.
aud resented the Intrusion OF the people that OF
tre5pasSers. In this tone and with this assllmp-
tion they spoke through the press and even
through their advocates on this floor. This was
not new. SIX years ago, when demand came
from the country for reduction OF taxes urgent
that not even a republican Congress could neglec
ways and means came into this House,
not with bill TO reduce the peoples taxes,
or stay the unneeded TOW OF their money into the
Treasury, but with set argument to prove that
the peoples representatives were not capable Of
framing a bill 10 tax the people. the 47th Con-
the protected interests to make known through q
commission. a majority Of whom they were per-
privilege grows with what it feeds upon, and even
rises TO higher tones. The time was when
TEST OF LOYALTY TO THE COUNTRY
was devotion to the Union in the struggle for its
preservation Lately, however, the country had
been told that even a Mcclellan and a Hancock
must be ranked as allies Of the COnfederacy, be-
cause OF their disloyalty 10 particular party, but
In this debate new test had been set UP, and we
have heard the name OF citizen who
living representative OF American literature with
a long and honorable record OF public service be-
hind him, poet whose words In days paSt-like
Luther's wOrds-had been "battes" FOR freedom
connected with that OF Benedict Arnold because
he would not bow down to the fetch OF protection.
He repelled Mr.. Burrows criticism Of the manner
In which this bill was prepared, saying that such
criticisms could not Justly be made by
those who stood for the defense OF the existing
law. He said that while our tarif rates were rum
ming up from lS to 4S per cent during the war and
Immediately thereafter, every interest that wished
TO become parasite on the people was Permitted
to dictate Its own terms, and these terms still
NAMED The SO-called revision of 1883 soon turned
into struggle between the captains OF industry
for an increase OF their bounties and was finally
thrown into
SECRET CONFERENCE COMMITTEE,
where higher rates were given than either house
had dared to vote In public, and was then hurried
through Congress without being sifted or read.
suppose the pending bill was prepared In secret.
There was all thed1nerence In the world between
q bill prepared in secret and then presented for
months OF debate and examination.
The Eastern Branch Bridge Bill.
AWAITING THE PRESIDENTS sIGNATuRR-POINTs OF
LAW AND ENGINEERING TO BE SETTLED BEFORE
THE PLANS ARE PREPARED.
The bill appropriating $50 600 to alter the plans
OF the Eastern Branch bridge passed the Senate
yesterday, and will probably go to the President
and be signed in a few days. Col Hams said this
morning that he has as yet made no plans as to
the alterations that will be made In the bridge
and shall probably consider no details until he re.
celves orders from the Secretary OF War to DO so
"There are," he added. '.Several nice points of
both law and engineering involved that win have