Crawford avalanche., 1888-03-15
CONGRESSIONAL.
Work of the Senate and the House
Of Representatives

BILL TO incorporate the Atlantic and Pacific
Ship Canal Company was reported to the Senate
on the 6th inst. A resolution was agreed to in
structing the select committee on Indian traders
70 inquire into the methods Of allottinR lands in
severalty TO Indians ON reservations In Wiscon-
sin and Minnesota, and as to the sale Of timber
on those lands. Mr.. Cullom's bill to confirm
certain Mississippi River bottom lands TO Ran
per acre was favorably reported. Mr.. Sherman
presented thirty-two petitions for the passage
Of the per diem service pension bill. Mr.. Rea,
gan reported adversely from the Possofftce and
Post Roads Committee the Edmunds and Gull
lom postal telegraph bills, and reported favor
ably an original bill 20 regulate Interstate COM
merce, carried on by telegraph. and to subject
telegraph companies to the supervision OF the
Interstate Commerce Commission. Mr.. Gull
lom insisted that this bill should be referred
TO the interstate Committee. sharp
conflict between the two committees
followed, and the matter finally went over
without action. The President transmitted to
the senate the remaining Documents and pro-
tocols relating TO the fisheries treaty. together
with a letter from Secretary Bayard The
against Davidson was discussed in the House
without action. Mr.. White. OF Indiana offered
a resolution providinE for a special com
lington strike. Mr.. Hit, OF Illinois. in
troduced joint resolution for promotion OF
commercial union with Canada. which was re-
Bills were introduced az follows: BY Mr.. Kerr,
OF Iowa, for public building at Cedar Rapids,
Iowa; by Mr.. breckenridge: OF Kentucky, TO de-
clare trusts unlawful by Mr.. Thomas, OF Wis
consin, to define trusts and 10 prohibit trusts
from carrying on interstate commerce by Mr..
Nutting, Of New York. for the construction
in New York by Mr.. Farquhar, of New York,
for the better protection OF the northern and
northwestern frontier by MI. Breckinridge, OF
terest on the bonded debt and to provide for
the special deposit OF public money; by Mr..
Weaver, of Iowa, for the erection Of public
buildings at Ottumwa and Oskaloosa, Iowa.
THE Grand Army pension bill gave rise to
another heated partisan debate in the Senate
on the 9th inst, in the course Of which Mr..
Ingalls,, OF Kansas, made bitter attack upon
the President in particular and the Democratic
party in general. The Senate agreed to a rule
that treaty may be made public or considered
in open session whenever q majority vote SO
decides. The following was offered by Mr..
ported from the Finance CommIttee o. S 1 Tnat all
laws and parts of laws requiring main
tenance OF a sinking fund and the purchase OF
bonds OF the United States for said sinking
fund as heretofore authorized, are hereby
repealed Mr.. Sawyer reported back ad-
versely the bill for the construction OF
bridge across the Mississippi River at Men,
phis. A minority report was presented. The
House resumed consideration OF the Alabama
contested election case OF McDufhe against
Davidson, and after a long partisan debate IL
was decided in favor OF Davidson by 144 yeas
TO I22 nays.
THE House Committee on Pacific Railroads,
ON the 7th inst, unanimously reported the
Cultivate bill extending the time for the pay
ment OF the Government debt by the sub
sidized roads comprised in the Union
Pacific system. The bill is amended
by striking out all roads except the
Union Pacific and its aided divisions. The
make II more positive in dealing with the cor
poration As an instance. it directs tho At
torney General to bring suit ht once to re-
cover misappropriated FUNDS of the road in
stead OF leaving 1t within his jurisdiction.
The extension of the indebtedness Is for fifty
years. 1t is understood that separate bills
p Tor each of the paOifio Roads will be eventual
ly reported to the House, 1t having been de-
termined that the roads shall be dealt with in
dividually instead of collectively. Mr.. Hatch
OF Missouri, from the Committee on Agriculture,
reported bill 10 create Department OF Agri-
culture and Labor. The Senate resumed consid-
GRAFTON OF the urgency deficiency bill, the ques-
ton being on striking out the provision inserted
by the House requiring the Public Printer to
enforce rigidly the eight-hour law The item
was struck out-yeas, 81; nays, 20. In response
to Senator Culloms resolution OF inquiry the
President sent to the Senate a letter from the
Secretary Of State giving history OF the pro-
hibition by France of the importation OF Amer
lean pork The Secretary says that the de-
partment knows OF no ground to expect that the
decree of the French Government will be
yoked at an early day
BY vote OF "A yeas TO 16 nays theBenate. on
the sth inst, passed the bill granting pensions
to ex soldiers and sailors who are unable to
perform manual labor and TO the dependent
relatives OF deceased soldiers and sailors
Amendments including those incapacitated by
the infirmities of age. soldiers who served In
the war with Mexico, or for thirty days in
any OF the Indian wars and limiting the
benefits of the bill to those totally incapaci-
tated were voted down. Those Senators
voting against the bill, ON it's final passage,
were Bate, Beck, Berry, Blackburn, Coekrell,
Coke, Colquitt, Daniel. Eustis. Gibson. Harris.
Pasco, Reagan, salisbury, Vance, Wilson Md
-l6. The President sent TO the Senate a mes
peror of China for treaty that shall
exclude the importation Of Chinese laborers
into America was begun several months ago.
and he hopes q satisfactory treaty will soon
be concluded. Bills were reported to the SEN
ate for the establishment Of an Indian indus
trial school in Michigan and giving right Of
way to the Duluth, Rainy Lake River ana
Southwes Railway Company through In
dian lands in Minnesota. Mr.. Cockrell sub
mitted the report OF the special committee
which has been investigating the busi-
ness methods Of the executive depart
Inents. The committee finds fault with the
prevailing methods of doing business in the
various departments, aud reported two bills
intended TO rectify the defects, The House Of
Representatives passed the bill for the allot-
ment OF lands in severalty on the White Earth
Indians in Minnesota and for the opening up
TO settlement OF the other reservations
OF those Indians IN that State. A bill
to enable the people TO select their post
masters was rel orted adversely. Mr Rayner,
Of Maryland, from the Committee on Com
merce, reported the bill TO establish q postal
telegraph. The Postmaster General sent to the
House comm unication In which he says that
careful inquiry and close examination of the
complaints to the railway mail service In
Kansas and generally In the region west Of the
Mississippi fails to disclose any tenable ground
for the complaint quoted in tho resolution.
TIE House OF Representatives, on the 9th
inst, passed the omnibus war-claim bill, by q
vote Of yeas los, nays 100, after a sharp debate.
At the evening session the House made the
Logan and Blair pension bills special orders
for March %. Thirty -four pension bills were
passed, including one increasing the pension OF
tho widow of Gen. Robert Anderson to 500 q
ca, In