Morning journal and courier., 1890-05-24
THE rrrrx-rrasr CONGRESS-.

THE FlFTY.BIR8T CONGRESS. The Naval Appropriation Bill in the Senate-The Silver Bill Laid Aside
 tee of the Whole on the River and
 Harbor BilI-Private Pensions.
 WASHINGTON, May 2S.-After some routine business Mr. Call offered resolution calling on the president for information as to the landing of an armed force from the revenue cutter McLane at Cedar Keys, Fla, the for- cibly entry of houses and the pursuit of eiti- zens in the surrounding country, and asked for it's Adoption.
 MT. Edmunds-Lst it go over. do not know that 1t states the truth. The resolution went over.
 The consideration of the naval appropria- tion bill was resumed and the amendment of the committee on appropriations to strike out the item of $50, ,0o0 for repairs of the dry dock at the Boston navy yard was disagreed to. So the item remains in the bill.
 The next amendment was to strike out the appropriation of $50, ,000 for reconstructing buildings (destroyed by 6re) at Portsmouth, N. H. navy yard. After discussion this amendment was also disagreed to.
 Several other amendments reported by the committee on appropriations to strike out likewise disagreed to. They were, however, the text of discussion over the general policy as to the continuance or closing of most of the navy yards of the country. This discussion was participated in by Messrs. German, Call, Hiscock and Blair.
 Pending the discussion the silver bill was taken up as the unfinished business and laid aside informally.
 After the passage of several bills for ereot- ing public buildings at different places in the west Mir. Stanford addressed tho senate in advocacy of the bill introduced by him some days ago providing for loans by the government on agricultural lands. He said the plan proposed is very simple and the de- partment created under iS will be less com- plioated than the postoffee department. The principle of the government loaning money upon property, is completely established in its present advance of 90 per cent. upon gold bonds. The tremendous res ults of energizlng this 90 per cent. and putting it into activity are apparent to all. Equally valuable will be the energizing of the latent forces of real estate. The bill confines it's provisions for loans to agricultural lands, but in time they will probably be extended to some other kinds of property and even to municipalities with proper restrictions. But for the pres- ent desire to be conservative and take no chances. In outlining the principal features of the bill the senator said: The government loans it's credit to the individual in order that the whole people may have a suficiency of money with which to prosecute their busi- ness. The money issued under the pro- visions of the bill shall be legal tender for all debts, public and private, except interest on the national debt and redemption of na- tional notes. There is no analogy between this scheme and any other financial propo- sition that was ever suggested. This money issued by the government becomes auto. matic. It will contract when there is less use for 1t, and expand when there is greater demand; thus disastrous final contraction will cease to be possible.
 In conclusion he said the bill, while not perfect, provides fairly we'll the machinery to carry out it's designs. If adopted with such amendments as shall seem wise to con- gress it will largely increase the prosperity of the humblest classes in labor and assist the wealthier to success in their enterprises. The bill provides for what may perhaps no, improperly be termed 8 revolution in finance and do not expect that it will be adopted until 1t has been fully considered by the people and has met with their approval The bill was referred to the com nittee OF finance.
 The naval appropriation bill was again taken up, the question being on the amend ment to strike out tho item of $50, ,O00 for tho improvement of the plant at Portsmouth, N H., navy yard.
 The discussion was renewed, going ovel the questions of the public utility of navy yards, of the political scandal to which theil management has given rise, ot coast defensel and of the policy of building up strone l navy. It was carried on by Messrs. Blair Hiscock, Hawley and Dolph. The latter made au elaborate speech to prove that tht expenditure of money in such ships as tn. new cruisers was useless waste; that tn, possession of strong navy was only an in l centive to war, and that the current policy was system of floating batteries and coast l Notifications. He believed that, while l perfect defense of the coasts required 8 nav, as we'll as land Notifications, the land forti l factions ought to be first provided, as the, were the most necessary. The bill wen l over without action on the Portsmouth l amendment.
 1 After 6 short executive session the senat at 5:10 adjourned till tomorrow.
 After eome unimportant business the hous
 went into committee of the whole on tn
 river and harbor bill.
 A number of amendments were propose and rejected. An amendment to give tn
 city of Galena, Ill.,. the right to take up th | Work CI n6rDOc Improvements tueEe, Oroppe
 by the government, and complete it providin
 that the city shall then receive $100, 0,000, wa
 adopted.
 Nr. Post of Illinois offered an amendmer
 appropriating $250, 1000, fer securing a COT
 tinuous navigable waterway between Lal
 Michigan and the Mississippi river adequa,
 for the passage of the largest Mississippi riv' steambosrs and naval vessels and for th
 continuation of the survey of the Illino
 river. A long debate ensued. Nr. Catchings of Missouri moved to amen the amendment by fixing the appropriate
 at $125, 900. This was accepted by Mir. Pos but the entire proposition es amended VI
 rejected by the house.
 When the paragraphs appropriating $500 900 for the construction of the Illinois ar 8 Mississippi (Henuepin) canal was reaohe 4 Mr. Turner of Georgia made the point of c der that the committee on rivers and harbo had no jurisdiction over canals. ? Pending decision the committee rose. |. The speaker appointed Mir. MoMillin ! Tennessee as a conferee on the customs a 2 ministrative bill, in place of MT. Carlisl z excused.
 ]. The house then at 5 o'clock took rece oo until 8 o'clock.
 2 The house at its evening session pass z forty-two private pension bills and at 10: . adjourned.
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