The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-02-10
PROCEEDINGS OF CONGRESS
A Day of More than Usual Interest in
Both Ends of the National Capitol.
Senator Vest Ma kes Few Pointed Remarks
on the Value of Public Documents. and
Deacon" White Talks on Telegraphs.


the committee on foreign relations. reported
bill to incorporate the Maritime Canal Company
OF Nicaragua and said he would move TO take
II up as early next week as he could get the
floor Placed on the calendar
Among other bills reported from committees
and placed on the calendar We're the following:
Granting the right of way through the Crow
Indian reservation to the Billings & Clarks
Fork railway; to divide portion of the Sioux
Indian reserv alton in Dakota into separate res
eryation, and to secure the REIMBURSEMENT Of the
Indian title to tae remainder; to provide for the
sale of tine site of Fort Omaha. Neb, and for
the purchase of q new site.
Mr. Marderson, from the committee on print
ing, reported Joint resolution for the DISPOSE
ton of undstributed copies of the records of
the rebellion, the reports Of the tenth CEN
sus, and the reports of the Public Lands
Commissioner The resolution gave rise to q
discussion. in the course OF which Mr. Vest gave
expression to his ideas the value or the publ
cations of the Government Printing Office. He
said he had room in Washington in which
there were several hundred volumes of public
documents, bound In calf at the expense of the
government, which books he could not give
away. He could not trade them off. He could
not dispose of them unless he put them in the
fire. He had asked dealer in secondhand
books to make bid on them, and the offer was
81 for the Iot-the dealer thinking that the offer
a personal favor to him. The upper por-
ton of the Capitol crammed to the roof
with books. and he had been informed by the
architect that il spark of fire touched that ma
terial the gas from it would blow off the roof.
And yet there was continual stream of these
publications pouring out Of the Government
Printing Office. The money might as well be
taken and thrown into the Potomac river.
MIR. Teller admitted that there was great
waste in that direction, but his experience
not like that of the Senator from Missouri. He
TMr. Teller represented a community that was
largely without library facilities, and he be-
ieved that there was not book published by
the government that the people of Colorado
not willing to take. and he never had as
many as they were willing to take.
The discussion was further participated in by
Mr. Henderson. who suggested that Mr.. Vests
statement was the best argument he had heard
for the passage of the Blair education bill; by
Mr. Aldrich, who suggested that Senators from
the States interested in commerce and naviga-
ton would be glad to take all of Mr. Vests
documents thosesubje cts. and by Mr. Vest,
who declined to contribute, directly or indirectly,
to the campaign funds OF the Republican party.
An allusion by Mr.. Salisbury to ssthe Presi-
dents message and accompanying documents"
as something which the people took no interest
in, created much amusement on the Republican
side of the chamber. Finally the joint resolu-
ton passed
A bill was reported extending the criminal
District Courts to the great lakes and their con-
Meeting waters.
Mr. Riddleberger's resolution for amending
the rules so as to allow the British extradition
treaty to be considered in open session was
reached in regular order.
Mr. Riddleberger explained that the British
lions tail having been twisted by vote of % to
81, the passage Of the resolution was no longer
necessary.
Senator Hawley and others called the vir-
ginian to order and he sat down, remarking as
he did so that he supposed he had right to say
much, and that he did not like to be called TO
order every time he rose.
Mr.. Riddeoerger's alusion to a vote in
secret session last night, by which consideration
of the treaty was postponed to next December
The resolutions offered by Mr.. Plumb calling
on the Secretary of War for information as to
why adequate care is not taken of the military
cemetery at Mound City, Kan, was adopted, as
was also resolution offered by Mr.. Plumb,
calling on the Secretary of the Interior for in
formation to charges made by registers and
receivers of land offices for. reducing testimony
to writing.
The Blair bill was taken ND as the unfinished
business and laid aside.
The bill to authorize the sale to aliens OF GER
tain mineral lands was then taken uD. and after
discussion turning principally upon the fact
that none of the three Democratic members of
the committee on mines and mining was present
when the bill was under consideration in COM
mittee, and that the four Republican members
of it Stewart, Jones of Nevada, Mitchell aud
Teller) were ell from one corner" as Mr.. Beck
put IL. motion was made by Mr.. Jones, of
Arkansas, to refer it to the committee public
lands That motion was afterwards withdrawn,
lest it might be regarded as reflection on the
committee on mines and mining, and Mr. Ed
munds moved to recommit the bill TO that COM
mittee, which was DONE
On motion of Mr.. Morrill, the Senate joint
resolution for the erection of statue to the late
Spencer T. Baird secretary of the Smithsonian
Institution, in front OF the National Museum,
and appropriating $751; 900 for the purpose, was
taken up, and, after some eulogistlc remarks by
Mr.. Morrill,, passed.
On motion Of Mr.. Coke. the Senate bill to pro-
vide On additional mode of taking dispositions of
witnesses in cases pending in United States
courts, taken from the calendar and passed.
The Senate bill appropriating $4,000 addi-
tional for the public building at Pensacola was
taken up and became the text for general dis
cussion as to the erection OF public buildings
Mr.. Vest from the COMMITTEES public build
inRs, stated in reply to question from Mr..
Edmunds to the aggregate amount of the
bills for that purpose now before that commit
tee, that he was unable to furnish the informa-
ton, but that the tariff bill and the Blair bill
would sink into insignifcance compared with
the estimates for public buildings. The COM
mittee public buildings and grounds was now
wrestling with the question, and hoped to re-
port general bill on the subject and get rid of
all log rolling
Mr.. Dawes related his experience in regard to
public buildings mentioning the cases OF the ST.
Louis postofice where the original limitation Of
cost $500. 900, aud where the actual cost has
been So. 000. 600; the New York postofice. where
Limitations Of cost were changed and increased
three several times; and the Boston postofice,
whore the cost had run up TO three or four mill
ions IN the sameeway. Every man connected
with such increases of expenditures should be,
he said indicted. Until somebody was indicted, |
aud made to realize that the law was made to be |
obeyed by officials. the evil would not cease
Mr.. Call said he observed that these spasms OF |
economy always occurred in connection with
buildings in small States, aud he explained the
cause of the deficiency in connection with the
Pensacola building.
Mr. Plumb gave his hearty Endorsement to the /
of Mr.. Call. The city of New York /
had got six or seven millions TO. its postoffice,
and yet one OF its newspapers, the other day, |
had devoted entire column to abuse of Con- I
grsss for appropriating few hundred thousand /
dollars for buildings in other parts OF the |
try. He gave some amusing Illustrations of how |
money appropriated for public buildings is |
wasted. on the principle of "a dollar for the |
dress and and ten dollars for the trimmings"
There had been, last year spent on the new |
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