Morning journal and courier., 1889-02-08
Fiftieth Congress-Second Session

! SENArE.-The conference report on the bill to incorporate the Maritime Canal company of Nicaragua was agreed to by the Senate to. day. The bill now goes to the President for his approval. Mir. Blair, from the committee on Wousn's suffrage, reported back favora ply joint resolution proposing a constitu- t1onal amendment to prohibit the denial or aorldgment of the right to vote by the United States or by any State on account of sex. It
 was placed on the calendar and MT. Cockrell said that minority report would be made hereafter. MT. Sherman offered 8 resolution which was agreed to for the appointment of committee of three senators to make the necessary arrangements for the inaugura- tion of the President-elect on March next. The bill further to sus- pend operation of the revised stat utes in relation to the Gusno Islands for five years from 18th of April, 1889. was passed.
 The bill to provide for writs of error or appeals to the Supreme court of the United States in all cases involving the question of the jurisdiction of the courts below was passed
 Mir. Chandler's resolution instructing the committee on appropriations to make an in- vestigation in relation to the longevity, mile age and "sea service" claims of naval officers was taken up, and after debate, went over till tomorrow.
 After passing few more bills the Senate then resumed consideration of the legislative appropriation bill the pending question be- ing on MT. Hawley's amendment to give an additional clerk of class to the civil service commission.
 MT. Chandler controverted the argument of MT. Cockreu yesterday and denied that there was anything in the action of the last admin istration which justified the action of the present administration in placing 5,200 pos- tai clerks under the supposed protection of the civil service rules since the November election. In his judgment that was not a bona fide execution of the law and he hoped that one of the first acts of the new admins tration would be to get rid of the disreputa- ble and incompetent postal clerks appointed since March, 1885. The parallel case which had been brought up against MT. Arthur's administration Chat of the extension of civil service rules to clerks of the department of agricultural had applied to only about 100 cases as against 3, 800 of these postal clerks.
 MT. Allison expressed the belief that the civil service law, so long as 1t remained on the statute books should be fairly carried out. He contended, however, that it's exten- sion to the postal mail clerks last December was not an extension by the commission it. self, for the commission was practically not 6 commission since October last, when one of it's members was confirmed as Commissioner of Indian Affairs, while another of it's mem- bers had paid no attention to it since then. He thought that the new administration should be allowed to make rules for the extension of the law to the postal mail clerks.
 After further discussion the amendment was agreed to.
 Another long discussion took place as to whether the board of pension appeals should be increased to six. The change was made. The salary of chief clerk of the department of justice, on motion of MT. Jones Of Arkan- sas, was increased to $2, 500.
 Tanvp6 f. n InnF0QEa salary of the assistant doorkeeper Of the Senate by $500, so long the position is held by the present occupant, who has been in the service of the Senate Gfty-eight years and who was 'fas modest ss he was faithful" Mir. Hoar suggested that the name of MT. Bassett be mentioned in the amendment, 'so as to em- balm the name of that excellent and honor-. ed public servant in the annals of the Senate" :" The amendment was modified accordingly, and was agreed to.
 The bill went over until tomorrow and the Senate at 6:10 p. n. adjourned.
 HoUsE-Mr. Holman of Indianar from the committee on public lands, reported back the Senate bill providing that the public lands of the United States now subject to private entry or which are adapted to and chiefly valuable for agriculture, shall be dis posed of, according to the provisions of the homestead laws only. The bill was passed.
 Mr. Lodge, of Massachusetts, offered an amendment appropriating s1,5 ,500 for riding and training master at West Point for the more thorough instruction of officers and cadets; agreed to. The appropriation of $100, ,O00 for the continuation of work on the new military post at Denver was stricken out. An amendment was adopted appropriating s2O.000 for officers quarters at the postofioe at Columbus, Ohio.
 MT. Randall raised point of order against the clause appropriating S500,000 for the purchase of moyeable submarine torpedoes. He sent to the clerks desk and had read 6 letter from the chief of engineers advising against the appropriation, stating that move able torpedoes were not perfected and setting forth the advantages of submarine mines. After discussion and pending a decision of the point of order, the committee rose. The House then at o'clock adjourned