The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-08-17
YESTERDAY IN CONGRESS.

WAsHNaToN. Aug. decentralization Of
tho river and harbor bill was resumed this
the pending question being the
proposed by Frye to the Har-
lem river item. After . long debate the
offered BY Hawley was rejected
and the amendment offered yesterday BY
Frye for draw bridges was laid on the table,
with the understanding that the whole
question is to be determined by g confer
ence committee. Various other amend
ments to the river and harbor bill were Of
fered and discussed. Quay asked unani-
nous consent to refer the resolution for
change Of rules, 30 as to bring the senate to
q vote on the tariff bill on the 30th of Au
gust, and limit other legislation to the ap-
preparation bills, public buildings, confer
ence reports, ETC., but Edmunds objected
and the resolution was not received. The
consideration of the river and harbor bill
was then proceeded with on amendments
offered by individual senators.
In the course of the discussion Edmunds
oppressed the idea that an appropriation in
bulk of thirteen millions. half of the
amount carried in the bill, would. with five
millions unexpended out of the river and
harbor bill of '88, be amply sufficient for all
really national works of internal improve
ment. He expected that it would turn out
that on the Both of June, 81, the treasury
would be fifty millions short, even II the
duty were not taken of sEgar. Frye, in
charge Of she bill, replied to Edmunds and
gave some facts and figures to prove the
immense advantage to the commerce of
the country which had followed the deep
ening of rivers and harbors. The army
had reported that $46, ,565. 600 ought to be
appropriated this year for rivers and har-
bors. The chief engineer had re
duced the estimate to $38, ,532, 900,
and to that sum was to be
added $S, BAG. 600 estimated for by the Mis-
sissippi and Missouri river oom missions.
The pending. bill covered two years, and if
it did carry SIC, 600. 600, that was not over
one-third of the chief engineers estimate,
and not over one-fourth that of the local
engineers. The bill was then reported to
the senate. All the important amendments
were agreed to, and the bill passed. A con-
ference was asked and Frye, Joseph and
Ransom appointed conferees. The confer
ence report on the house bill to establish a
national military park at the battle field of
Chickamauga was agreed to. Quay gave
notice of his intention to move for change
of rules as set out in the resolution which
he had to-day asked unanimous consent to
offer, and said he would not call up the mo-
tion before Tuesday.
The committee on postofices and post
roads reported to the house a resolution
calling on the postmaster general for in
formation relative to alleged frauds perpe-
trated by A. j. Wedderburn. Adopted. The
Mckay bill was passed. Yeas, 83; nays. 65,
the speaker counting quorum. The COM
mittee on rules reported resolution for the
immediate consideration of the anti-lottery
bill, the previous question to be considered
as ordered at 4:40 this afternoon. The res
olution was adopted and the lottery bill
taken up.
Williamson, of Louisiana, in supporting
the measure, admitted the pollution which
the Louisiana lottery had wrought upon his
state, but attributed the birth Of the pollu-
tion to the days of reconstruction, The
people OF Louisiana looked with gladness to
the time when lotteries would be prohibited
in the state, but the revenues to the state
had been too great to be resisted without q
| struggle. When the Louisiana legislature
met the very elements themselves oonspired
| to give the Louisiana Lottery company a
| charter. Floods had come down from the
north and west. He had been asked how
| the lottery company secured two-thirds Of
the legislature in favor of submitting the
question to the legislature to be held two
years hence. Every solitary republican
member had voted in favor of that PROPOSE
tion. There had been other members who
had thought it their duty to submit the
matter to the people. That some members
| of the legislature had been bought and sold.
he had not a shadow of doubt, but he be-
lieved he could count those members on the
| fingers of one hand. Evans, advocating the
bill, dropped into statistics and stated the
chance of ticket holder in the Louisiana
lottery to draw the capital prize was one in
67,OO5. Hansbrough, Of North Dakota, fa-
vored the bill. The bill was then passed
| without division.