The Portland daily press., 1890-01-22

sus committee to ascertain what percent8p
of people own their farms, the number OF
farms under mortgage and the amount there.
Of was taken from the calendar In order to
grounds Of his opposition to the report and
why the bill should be passed.
Mr.. Platt said the idea that eastern manu-
facturers accumulated large profits and were
loaning money to farmers was an entire mis-
take.
Mr.. Berry said that trust companies and
corporations In New York and New England
had representatives In all the Southern and
Western States trying to loan money to farm
ers on farm mortgages.
Mr.. Hale, chairman of the census commit
tee, stated there was no hostility on the part
of the committee to the proposed inquiry, but
IN every suggestion to enlarge the scope Of
the census, the committee were confronted
with the danger of putting in such new work
as would delay the census. and instead of
the census being made clear, distinct and
simply taken, 1t would run over years and
years. The committee were desirous Of pre-
venting that.
Mr.. Reagan argued In favor of the bill. de
declared his belief that Of two out OF every
three farm mortgages there would be fore
CLOSURES ana the present owners would lose
the farms.
Mr.. Vest spoke of the abnormal depression
OF the agricultural interests of the country
He, himself. had very distinct aud emphatic
ideas as to the cause of that depression. The
first thing TO be ascertained, In order to pro-
vide remedy, was the extent Of the evil.
The farming community had the conviction
that legislation was largely responsible for
the existing depression. He would make 1t
mandatory on the superintendent OF the GEN.
Sus to obtain this information because the
conduct Of the superintendent, in this and
other matters, had not tended to obtain his
confidence
Mr.. Spooner argued that mortgages were
not always the signal Of distress but often
Indicated energy: vigor and ambition and an,
league (Mr. Sawyer told him he never knew
Of but one farm mortgage foreclosed in his
region. He hoped the bill would be indefi-
nitely postponed.
Mr.. Hale said he had not supposed when
he moved to take up the bill that the debate
would take so wide range. The passage of
the bill, he said. would add 100 per cent to
the burdens OF the enumerators, add millions
to the cost of the work, delay 1t years and
years, and turn 1t "awry and lose: the time
Mr.. Gordon did not see how an enumera-
tor would have his burden doubled by asking
the questions required in the bill. After
further discussion, the bill went over with
out action until tomorrow.
The Senate passed the Senate bill to pro-
mote the efficiency of the enlisted force of
The bill provides that the number of per-
sons, at one time enlisted in the navy, In
Guiding 1900 apprentices and boys, shall not
exceed 5000; also the Senate bill to amend
sections 1929, 1880. 1881. classifying the ves-
sells of the navy and providing that vessels
be named according to the following rules:
Battle ships after the states of the Union,
cruisers after cities. unarmored coast de-
tense vessels after rivers, armored coast de-
Tense vessels after important events or
names connected with the history of the
United States, vessels Of special classes. to
be named appropriately to the service for
which they are designed.
After a brief executive session, the Senate
at g. 30 adjourned.