National Republican., 1888-01-26

Instruments placed on the free list.
BY Mr.. Evarts For the enactment OF an
international copyright law.
A resolution was reported by Mr.. Jones,
Of Nevada, from the committee oa contln-
gent expenses, to pay to Mr.. Lucas, who
contested the seat OF Senator Faulkner,
81 900 in full for all expenses and for any
claim for salary, and, on motion Of Mr..
Faulkner, II was adopted.
Mr.. Jones also, from the same commit.
tee, reported resolution directing the Dis
trict OF Columbia committee, or a subcom.
mittee thereof, to inquire whether the
Washington street railway corporations
are paying fair proportion Of taxes-re.
gard being had to the value Of their fran.
chise, their property, and the amount Of
their earnings; also, whether q judicious
tax on groes receipts was not preferable to
the present system-with power to send
for persons and papers.
Mr.. Manderson said he would like to
have the scope OF the inquiry enlarged SO as
to embrace the adoption of improved
methods OF looomotion-a cable or an
eleciric motor, and Mr.. Beck desired to
have Inquiry made as to why the compa-
nies should not be compelled to keep a
sufficient number OF cars TO accommodate
the public, and not to crowd passengers
alike pigs in PEN" But Mr.. Spooner
explained that select committee had been
appointed last session to investigate tue
whole subject, and said that that committee
was engaged on the subject at this time.
The resolution was adopted.
Mr.. Quay offered a resolution, which was
adopted, requesting the President TO fur.
Bish Information and supply copies OF cor
respondence as to the payment of awards
under the convention between the United
States and Venezuela.
The resolutions offered by Mr.. Chandler
some days ago, calling on the Navy De-
partment for information as to the purchase
Of plans and specifications 10 foreign coun.
tries, as TO the changes from the original
plans in the construction Of ships of war,
and as to contracts made for ships aud
ordnance since March 4, 1885, were
taken up. The first of them was adopted,
and the 8 cond referred to the committee
on naval affairs. As to the third, Mr.. But
Ter moved to amend 1t SO as to substitute
1850 for 1885.
Mr.. Chandler had no objection to the
amendment proposed nor to the reference
OF the resolution to the committee on naval
affairs. He preferred, however, to have
Mr.. Buffers proposition embodied in dis.
tinct resolution, because all the contracts
and four.ffths of the documents between
1850 and 1886 had already been transmitted
to Congress and were now in print, while
the information called for by his resolution
mitted to Congress.
Mr.. German favored the amendment.
MIR. Chandler said he had not the slight.
est objection to extending the call as de-
sired and to having all the contracts made
since 1880 printed In one book. But all the
contracts between 1880 and 1885 had been
once printed already, as well as all the
other documents that would be called for,
and, besides, the amendment would cause
delay in the answer. Still, he withdrew
oil opposition to the amendment.
The amendment was agreed to and the
resolution adopted.
The Senate then resumed consideration
OF the deficiency bill-the question being
ON the amendment offered yesterday by
Mr.. Hawley to pay certain amounts for
the ,,nn manuiaeture aS %, OF postage stamps,
Mr.. Hale (who has charge Of the bill,
said that the discussion yesterday had dis
closed the attitude taken by the Senate
committee on appropriations In regard tC
items which the House had retrained from
placing in the bill. The committee had
discharged It's duty In the matter, and II
was for the Senate to decide whether, under
all the conditions and circumstances, the
items which should be appropriated fol
land speedily would be put in this bill.
Mr.. Dawes said that, as member )f the
appropriations committee, he had agreed
W. th the policy presented yesterday by Mr.
Hale, and he recited the circumstances OF a
claim by one Of his constituents under
contract with the government which was o
equal merit with the case presented by Mr.
llawley, which had been inserted In tht
deficiency bill last year, but which wat
omitted by the Hause In the pending bill
In consequence Of the failure OF the govern
ment to Keep It's part of the contract tn,
contract Itself had expired and the uniin
ished work was on the contractors hands
and he had come into the position OF no
being able to borrow money to pay interes
on his notes aud was In worse condition
than the constituent Of the senator froG
Connecticut.
Mr.. Stewart suggested that 1t would be
good idea az members Of the House re
pudiated honest debts In order to make
Snow of economy to postpone appropria
iiors for payment of their own salaries
well as the constituents of the senator
from Connecticut and Massachusetts,.
Mr. Hawley related the circumstance
under which the contractor for supplyiu!
postage stamps, stamped envelopes, &c.
had supplied the Postofiice Department
last year to an amount beyond that appro
priated for. The department, he said, wa
otin fault, but his constituent was out o
his money, and was paying 6 per cent. In
terest to the banks, while the proceeds o
the sale OF the stamps and envelopes wer
In the hands OF the government.
Finally the amendment was agreed to.
Mr.. Hale from the committee on ar
propriation) offered an amendment az
propriating S26l, lG1 to complete the cor
struction and armament of the three stee
cruisers, Chicago, Boston, and Atlanta.
A long discussion ensued, many sens
tors arguing against the propriety Of put
ting into the bill amendments that woul
have the effect of delaying its passage
and Mr.. Hale defending his action |
offering the amendment on the ground tina
the Senate had just overruled the positio
taken on the subject mot to add any item
10 the bill as 1t came from the House) an
also on the ground that the Secretary c
the Navy stated that the appropriation wa
absolutely needed.
Mr., Allison, chairman of the commltte
Oh appropriations, made long and somq
what impassloned speech In contradiction G
statements made in the House to the eifec
that the failure OF the deficiency bl
lOst session was owing TO delays In tn
Senate and to the Senate having put upo
the bill amendments to which the Hous
could not assent to. lie said that that bi
had not reached the Senate until after
o'clock the evening OF the LIST OF Marcl
that II had not come back from the prlntC
In order to have 1t intelligeptly considere
by the committee on appropriations unit
the morning OF the 2d of March; that
wss reported back to the Senate the sam
evening aud considered that Its discusslo
In the Senate did not occupy more than
couple of hours, mainly devoted to I'll
items for paying the judgments Of the Su
preme Coult to the Pacific railroad comp.
nies: that 1t was sent back to the House o
the 81 OF March; that the conference con
mittee had spent upon 1t the hours while
should have been given to sleep, aud that
could not be enrolled in time TO have
signed by the President before the final az
iournment Of Congress.
Mr.. Butler asked Mr.. Allison to stat
what the committee on appropriations d
sired tue Senate TO do In the matter.
Mr.. Allison. | will tell you what pr
pose to do. / shall vote against the amen,