, 1890-07-04

WASHINGTON, July 3. = Messages
from the president as TO postal and cable
communication between the United States
and the Latin-Americln states and as to
the celebration Of the fourth centennial of
the discovery of America, were presented
and referred.
Allison moved that the adjournment be
till Monday. Agreed to,
Plumb offered a resolution lagreed toy
calling on,the secretary of war for infor.
mation"as to whether articles are beng
manufactured at any of the national mill
tary homes that some IN competition
with private enterprise, and if so the rea-
son and Authority therefor.
Plumb also offered a resolution direct.
ing the secretary of the interior to inform
the enate whether he has knowledge of
a guarantee, actual or proposed, by the
Union Pacific Railroad company, of the
bonds or stocks of any other corporation,
more especially those of the Oregon Nav
igation npa and the Denver x South
Park railroad; whether the Union Pacific
has paid out oil its surplus earnings, or
otherwise, the Indebtedness or any part
thereof of these or other companies, and
If so whether such guarantee or payment
Tor BOTH Is in accordance with law and
consistent with the obligations of the
Union Pacific to the United States.
Edmunds suggested to add the words,
And that the secretary of the Interior
communicI te all Information in the pos
session of his department on the subject"
Plumb accepted the amendment.
Butler sarcastically suggested that the
secretary of the interior also report if he
has any knowledge why the senate does
not proceed to the consideration of the
report of the select committees on Pacific
railroads. He supposed the caucus had
acted on the matter. This led to a tilt
between Butler aud Ednunds which con-
sumed some time.
Edmunds said that so far as he was
concerned he would be glad to have the
resolution embrace a call to know whether
the interior department is in POSSESSION
of information that at least one of the
government aided railroads has not ever,
since the passage of the Thurman act,
deliberately ~disobeyed its iDjunctions in
respect OF increasing its obligations aud
making dividends. 1T it be true that in
spite of the law and with penalties i'm
posed there had not been force enough
in the administration either under Demo
cratic or Republican auspices. to compel
these companies to obey the law, he did
not know hat there would be any use
passing a settlement bill at all. The
resolution was finally agreed to.
The bill passed Yesterday as to land pat
ents remaining undelivered and the
facilities afforded a firm of Washington
attorneys to take the list of them was
brought up by Berry of Arkansas, who
had a letter read sent by these attorneys
to the clerk of Columbia county, Arksn
sas, offering to supply patents in that
county for S4teach lot which fee the clerk
was to retain 81. A letter from Assistant
missioner) to this firm extending such ia
cilities to it, and a letter from Assistant
Secretary Bussey certifying to the reputa.
Bile character of the firm were also read.
Berry said if any explanation could be
given OF that transaction, or any excuse
for that most scandalous conduct on the
part OF government officials. he would be
glad to hear 1t. There were $50, 900 of
THESE undelivered patents, and this firm
would, at the low rate mentioned in its
letter, wrench a million dollars from citi
zens unjustly and without authority. He
understood that one member of the firm,
Thomas II. Mckee, was an officer of
the house of representatives.
The matter was discussed at some
length by Teller, Paddock and Cockrell.
Paddock stated that under the present
administration the number of undelivered
600.
The senate bill to establish a United
states land court was then discussed until
2p. m, when the postal AMI ship subsidy
bills came up.
Vest continued his argument against
the bill. He was as anxious as Mr..
Blaine to bring back the supremacy of
the United States on the ocean
snd also TO open the ports of
South America to American pro-
ducts But the question was also, what
were to be the means to bring about that
endY The senator from Maine (Frye)
wanted subsidies; he Vest opposed them
In toto. Vest went on to speak of the
late Pan-American conference. and sent
10 the clerks desk and had read a clip
ping from the New York Herald OF
buenos Ayres' correspondence to show
what Senior Pierra, who accompanied the
Argentine delegates to Washington.
thought Of this conference, of Blaine and
the United States delegates.
AS soon ~ the clerk finished reading