Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-02-06
NAVAL OFFICERS CLAIMS.
Investigation Resolution in the Senate.
NICARAGUAN CANAL BILL.
1t. is Discussed in the House.
The Senate.

rltOry or elsewhere except sucn as are Eelu
and occupied by them homes) is ceded to
the United States. was laid before the Senate,
read, and referred to the committee on Indian
affairs.
The Senate bill granting to the Big Horn
Southern railroad company right of way across
the Fort Custer military reservation in Montana
was reported and passed.
Mr.. Chandler offered a resolution (Which was
agreed to- calling OH the Secretary OF the In
terror for statement as to authority given by
him for cutting timber on the Chippewa Indian
reservation with the La Pointe agency.
THE NAVAL OFFICERS CLAIMS ISvgsTIG ALTON
= RESOLUTION.
The resolution heretofore offered by Mr.
Chandler instructing the committee Oh appro-
priations to investigate the matter of naval
officers claims was taken up.
Mr.. CHANDLER AND THE CLAIM AGENTS.
Mr.. Chandler said that before he offered the
resolution he had suggested remedy for, the
evil, in the shape of proposed amendment to
the deficiency appropriation bill. Withdrawing
jurisdiction over such claims from the Court of
Claims, and forbidding Treasury officials from
going back farther than three years in the set
tlement of such claims. This suggested
remedy, he said. had been printed on slips of
claim agents and attorneys of Washington, and
sent out all over the country with the sugges-
ton that persons interested in such claims
should write letters to their Senators and Rep
resentatives asking them to oppose the adoption
of the proposition.
WHAT Mr.. HALE KNOWS ABOUT CLAIM AGENTS.
Mr.. Hale said he knew something about the
class of Washington claim agents and how they
attempted to enlist public sympathy by declar-
ing that the Senator from New Hampshire pro-
posed to interfere with the just claims of old
soldiers. He asked Mr.. Chandler whether he
desired any legislation that would interfere
with
THE JUST CLAIMS OF OLD SOLDIERS.
Mr.. Chandler denied that his proposition had
any such object. The point he wished to make
was to prevent the consideration of old claims
of this kind, going back. some of them. forty
years. He wished to have statute OF limita-
ton applied to them.
Mr.. Henderson expressed the opinion that
the amendment suggested by Mr.. Chandler was
neither desirable nor advisable. 1t was en-
tirely too sweeping i'll its character
STATUTE OF LIMITATION.
1t might be we'll to have statute of limita-
ton applied to officers of the regular army or
navy, but it should not be applied to officers
Of the volunteer army.
The resolution and proposed amendment
were also oscriticised unfavorably by Senators
Spooner and Call s.---
CLAM AGENTS AND GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS.
Mr.. Cullom presented and read circular
issued by a Washington claims agency firm
Talmage & Talmage) stating that they make
specially of naval claims, and referring. by
permission. to Mr.. Charles NJ. Shelley, fourth
auditor of the Treasury. and Mr.. JAS. W. Hyatt,
treasurer of the United States. There seemed,
Mr.. Cullom said, TO be a relation between this
firm of attorneys and those government officers
of the Treasury. He did not assume
that there was any improper relation between
them; but he should infer that, in the course
of month or so. those two government officers
would be found either in that firm or in some
other firm of attorneys for those naval claims.
Mr.. Hale asked whether the Office of the
fourth auditor was that in which such claims
were examined.
Mr.. Cullom said he was under that impress
sion.
Mr. Voorhees, read an argument which. he
said, he had prepared carefully, against MIR.
Chandlers movement on the subject of claims
for sea service pay, longevity allowances, &c.
The resolution went over without action.
THE LEGISLATIVE, ETC., APPROPRIATION BILL.
The conference report on the
interstate commerce bill also went
over, and the Senate resumed
consideration of the legislative, executive and
judicial appropriation BILL the pending ques-
ton being the amendment to increase the cler
ical force of the civil service commission.
House OF Representatives.
Mr.. Browne Qnd.) presented the credentials
of Frank q. Posey. elected to fill the vacancy
occasioned by the resignation of A. 2. Hovey.
The credentials having been read, Mr.. Posey
took the oath as representative from the first
congressional district of Indiana.
The Speaker having laid before the House
q message from the President, giving the terms
of an agreement between the United States
and the Creek Nations of Indians for the ces-
sion of portion of the Indian lands to the
United States it was referred to the COM
mittee on Indian affairs, and leave granted
that committee to report thereon at any time.
The consideration of the
CONFERENCE REPORT ON THE NICARAGUA CANAL
was then resumed, it being agreed that debate
should be closed at o'clock.
Mr.. Nelson (alinn.) thought that the bill re-
ported by the conference committee out
Heroded the original bill. BY the bill.
as it came from the Senate, full
paid-up stock could be issued for real
or personal property or concessionary
rights. The House had stricken out this pro-
vision and had adopted an amendment sub
stantially requiring that all stock should be
paid for in cash. The cOnferees had stricken
out the amendment and had gone beyond the
provision of the Senate bill by authorizing the
issuing of stock. not only for property and con-
furnished. The conferees had seen the Senate
bill and gone il good deal better.
THE FATHER OF THE HOUSE ON THE MONROE Doc
TRINE.
Mr.. Kelley Pa.) regarded the construc-
ton of the Nicaraguan canal essential to the
maintenance of our just influence over the
American continent-an influence which was
named the Monroe doctrine, and of which
generations had been proud. More than that
it was necessary to the internal development of
the country. The Pacific coast, rich as it was in
mineral wealth, lacked one mineral coal The
Rocky mountains stood as n barrier between
the Pacific coast and the rich coal beds of the
east. There was an offset to this mountain
barrier. 1t was canal across Nicaragua.
Here was an available gateway between the two
coasts of the country. With that canal con-
structed, California could obtain a supply of
coal as cheaply as it could be obtained in many
parts of Pennsylvania.
He would cheerfully vote for the bill. He
would not scan itwith eyes too nice in the hope
of discovering possible harm which might
come to some remote unknown widow or or.
phan. He looked at the great magnitude of
the work and at the extent of the blessings
which it would confer upon the southern coast
states and upon the Pacific coast flib $50
FAVORED THE BILL sgyS,f. Il
Mr.. Chapman (dich.) said that he had fav-
ored the bill as it came from the Senate. He
had not favored it as it passed the House, the
amendments which had been placed upon it