Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-01-25
AT THE CAPITOL TO-DAY.
THE NAVAL CONTRACTS INQUIRY.
DEFICIENCY BILL IN THE SENATE.
BUSINESS IN THE HOUSE.

BUSINESS IN THE HOUSE.
The Senate.
Among the petitions and men0rials presented
and referred were the following: By Mr.. Brown, O
| the Medical Society Of Georgia-To have surgeons
supplies and Instruments placed on the free list
| BY Mr.. Evarts-For the enactment of an interna
tional copyright law.
resolution was reported by Mr.. Jon6a Of Ne
vada, from the committee on contingent expenses
10 pay to Mr. Lucas, who contested the seat O
senator Faulkner $1,000 in full for all expense.
ana tor any Claim for salary, and on motion OF Mr.
Mr.. Quay offered resolution, which was adopted
requesting the President TO furnish Information
ment 81 awards under the convention n between bet s
the United States and Venezuela.
Nh cHANDLER's RESOLUTION CALLING ON THE NAVY
DEPARTMENT FOR INFORMATION.
| The resolutions offered by Mr.. Chandler somt
days ago, calling on the Navy Department for In
formation as to the purchase Of plans and specin
cations In foreign countries; as to the changes
from the original plans in the construction oi
ships OF war, and as to contracts made for ships
up. The nrst OF them was adopted and the second
referred to the committee on naval affairs AS tc
tne third Mr W. Butler moved to amend 1t 80 as to
Mr.. Chandler had no objection to the amend
ment proposed nor to the reference Of the reSolu-
o. seys Un MAYA r me
embodied In distinct resolution, because all the
contracts, and fOur-nfths OF the documents be-
| mitted to Congress and were now In print, while
the information called for by his resolution was
not in print and had not been transmitted to Con-
gress
Mr. German favored the amendment, saying
that no intelligent view OF the whole TRANSACTION
could be obtained unless the statement covered
the whole period.
Mr. Chandler said he had not the slightest
objection TO extending the call as desired and to
having all the contracts made since 1880 printed
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 all opposition to the
The amendment was agreed to ana the resolu-
The resolution offered by Mr.. Mitchell some days
since calling on the Interior Department Tor tnfOr-
nation as 10 the boundaries OF the CDur dAlene
Indian reservation In oregon was taken up and
THE WARN SPRINGS RESERVATION.
Mr.. Mitchell offered like resolution, which was
adopted, calling for Information as to the bound
ary lines OF the Warm Springs reservation In Ore
The Senate then resumed consideration of
THE DEFICIENCY BILL,
the question being on the amendment offered yes
terday by Mr.. Hawley to pay certain amounts for
the manufacture Of postage stamps stamped en-
velOpes, &C.
Mr.. Hale {who has charge Of the bilD said that
the discussion yesterday had disclosed the attitude
m regard TO items which the House had retrained
fCom placing IN the bill. The committee had dis
charged its duty In the matter and 1t was ror the
senate 10 decide whether under all the conditions
ana circumstances, the items which should be ap-
proprated for (and speedily would be included In
this bill.
Mr. Dawes said that as n roencbar NJ tbo oc,,o
priation committee he had agreed with the policy
presented yesterday by Mr.. Hale, and he recited
stltuents under contract with the Government,
which was OF equal merit with the case presented
BY Mr.. Hawley, which had been inserted in the
deficiency bill last year, but which was omitted
by the House In the pending BILL In consequence
OF the failure OF the Government to keep its
part Of tho contract the contract itself had
expired, and the unfinished work was
ON the contractors hands; and he had come
into the position OF not being able to borrow
money 10 pay interest ON his notes, and was in q
worse condition than the constituent OF the Sena-
tor from Connecticut.
MIR. Stewart suggested that it would be good
idea Qr members Of the House repudiated honest
debts in order to make show OF economy to post
pone appropriations for payment or their own sala-
rles. he did not see why they could not wait as
necticut and Massachusetts,
Mr.. Hawiey related the circumstances under
which the contractor for supplying postage
stamps, stamped envelopes, &C, had supplied the
Post once Department last year to an amount be-
yond that appropriated for. The Department (he
said was not In fault but his constituent was out
10 the banks, while the proceeds Of the sale the
stamps and envelopes were In the hands OF the Gov
ernment. Finally the amendment was agreed to.
COMPLETION OF THE NEW CRuIsERa
mi. Hale, from the committee on appropriations,
offered an amendment appropriating S26l, ,l6l to
complete the construction and armament OF the
three steel cruisers, Chicago, Boston and Atlanta
House, OF Representative.
Mr.. Randall (Pa) introduced q bill for the ap-
pointment Of q board OF engineers to examine and
report whether Smiths Island and Windmill
Island in Delaware River between Philadelphia
and Camden constitute an obstruction to COM
merce, and authorizing the Secretary Of War, In
case this should be found TO be true, 70 purchase
those islands for the purpose Of entirely removing
the same from the river. Referred.
Mr. Belmont IN. W introduced bill extending
for one year, from June 16, 1888 the time for the
completion OF bridge across staten Island Sound;
also for the re-admiSsiOn free OF duty OF exhibits
sent from the United states to the Paris exhibi-
tion in 1889. Referred.
Mr. Morrow (CaL) introduced q bill to enable the
Japan suitable recognition OF their humane
treatment OF the crew OF the American bark Cash.
mere. Referred.
TO AMEND THE INTERNAL REVENUE LAWS
MIR. Henderson IN. CO.. from the committee on
judiciary, reported o bill to amend the internal
revenue laws. House calendar. Ut abolishes what
are known as the minimum punishments and gives
a discretion to the court to impose any punish
ment for violation Of the internal revenue laws
not exceeding the maximum limit authorized BY
statute. 1t requires that warrant issued by q
commissioner or other judicial oflcer must be re-
turnable before some judicial onicer residing In
the county OF arrest; and IL authorizes the Com.
missioner OF Internal Revenue to compromise any
civil or criminal case under the internal revenue
laws)
INFORMATION WANTED.
Mr.. Lander Qnd.N from the committee on bank
ing and currency, reported back resolution call
ing for Information from the Secretary OF the
Treasury whether at the da.e when the act OF 1873
dxed the amount OF United States notes at q nuiit
OF t3A6, "a, 900 such amount was actually in ex-
istence: House calendar.
MI Anderson Qowa), from the committee on
commerce, reported bill authorizing the con-
struction Of bridge across the Mississippi River
at Burlington, Iowa House calendar.
PROVIDING FoR TIE GALE OF INDIAN LANDS.
In the consideration morning hour Mr.. Peel Of
Arkansas In behalf Of the committee on Indian af.
fairs, called up the bill providing for the sale Of
certain New York Indian lands in Kansas.
M Perkins, OF Kansas, explained that In 1888 q
for certain Indians ia New York, who, however,
had not avatled themselves OF their treaty riRhta
ana In 1858 the lands were declared 70 be public
lands. though no PROCLAMATION OF this declaration
thirty-two Indians had been allotted $40 acrea
Each one proved that they had availed themselves
OF the nghtA They were permitted 70 select their
ailotments. and they had chosen land upon which
The had never entered upon % @ tnOss % iands nd the
setlierS were stlll In possession
The object OF the bill was TO permit the settlers
TO purchase the land at 81 so per acre the money
20 1e ps,o into the Treasury In trust Tor these
Mr.. Blanchard (La) opposed the bin.