Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-03-04
NATIONS CAPITAL.

The Hurried Legislation Of The
| Closing Hours.
lSrsamnE Reached On the French
| Spuilltial Claims.
Further cooisrsnos on Copyright
President 0lgns Iax Biil.
WASHINGTON, March S.--The Senate
met at 3 so this morning and Immediately
vert into executive session.
The dooPs were re-opeped at lc.!5 when
the general deficiency appropriation bill
was taken up and all the amendments that
had been agreed to in committee of tho
| whole last night were agreed to in bulk by
the Senate except - to four that we're re
served. including the French spoilation
claims and the Pacific Railroad claims.
Plumb offered an amendment appropri-
ating 900 for the relief Of citizens of
| Oklahoma who have been rendered desti.
tute by drought. Agreed to.
| The first Of the reserved amendments ~
to the payment t. Pacific railroads Was
agreed to without division. The next re-
served amendment was that for the pay
ment Of the French spoliation c!aims.
Etmunds made the point Of order that
every one of them was a purely private
claim and had no business on the appropri-
Ation bill.
Hsle argued against the point Of order
and it was overruled by the vice president.
Reagan argued that these elaine were
| really for the benefit Of lobby agents and
not for that of descendants Of the original
| claimants.
Hoar asserted that there never were
claims that made stronger appeal to the
honor and public faith Of the government
The discussion was carried on at much
length.
Finally vote was taken and the French
| spolistion claims amendment, was agreed
to yeas Al. nays IA.
Frye offered All amendment ratifyine
permits heretofore granted by she commits
| sioners of the District Of Columbia for an
extension Of buildings beyond the building
line, but requiring such permits in future
| to have the assent Of all the commissioners
| Chandler made point order sgsinst the
amendment and also opposed 1t.
| The Vice President sustained the point
Of order and Frye appealed from the decis
| ion. A vote taken ard the decision was
not sustsined; yeas IL; nays 40. The
amendment was then agreed TO.
| nan,ai fnNvnJ IN insass . na uv~- nh Al act =
ing the Secretary of the Treasury to settle
and pay the claims of the Stntes Of New York
Pennsylvania. Delaware. Virginia. and
South Carolina and the city Of Baltimore
on account Of advances made in the War of
1872. and appropriating $4,000. 600 for that
purpose.
| The motion WAS agreed to--yeas 2s,
nays %. The bill was then passed and
sent back to the House with the Senate
amendment,
| The conference report on the copyright
bill was presented and agreed to.
Sherman argued in support Of HE amend
meDt to the copyright. bill! He said he
would not give 10 the publishers Of the
United States absolute monopoly Of thu
| publication Of any book. He would give
them the privilege Of = protective duty tina
would secure employ ment to printers and
capital rs in the case of the other prooucts
of the country. If the bill should become
a law without the amendment he believed
it would be the most unpopular law on tho
ststute books. IL was spirit OF monopoly
and a device for absolute prohi bition tba
lay at the foundation Of opposition to tht
amendment.
Hiscock--One of the con@errees said
il the Senate did not recede from these
the amendment WAS a mst,er Of no conse.
quence whether or not the bill failed. II,
asked Sherman what he proposed (by
smendment) to give authors.
| Sherman replied that he proposed tt
give them the exclusive right for the sale
of their books ia the United Ststes.
Hiscock remarked that IL would be NJ
exclusive right when purchasers could i'm
port books under the present law paying =
duty of 20 per cent. He asserted that n,
foreign author would avail himeeh Of the
copyright act with the Sherman ameod
ment in it) because his book could b.
printed somewhere else and imported inti
the United States. As to the ingalls, amend
ment admitting newspapers, periodicals.
Hiscock said that under it the works OF
American authors could be published
abroad in serial form and be imported with
out even paying duty. That amendment
struck directly at American authors ant
took from them their copyright.
Blair suggested the insertion OF . pro
vision prohibiting the importation Of any
American copyrighted book from aDy
country where the book was not copyrighted
lie thought euch provision would cove
every difficulty and commended /, to the a;
tention Of the Senate conferses.
Plat stated that the Senate conferee'
had proposed substantially that modifca
ton to the House conference and it VIZ
refused.
Blair said that he was informed by on,
of the House conferees that DO such propo
sition WAS offered or considered.
Daniel argued that without the Shermar
amen 3ment the bill would be rehc Of bsr
bsrism--its sole purpose being to put up
bar against the knowledge Of she world
and place American students and reader
at the absolute mercy of AL inssxla.e aut
extortionate monopoly.
The division on Plstt's motion was cslle
for, aud the question taken on motion u
recede from the Sherman amendmen ri
: The motto nwas defeated, yeas 2s; nays 33
The same course was taken with IngaiI
amendment, without divisions, and furtke
conference was ordered. Frye voted yeas
Hale nay.
The Senate bill TO Incorporate III
National Conservatory Of Music OF Americ
was passed.
The Senate proceeded to the considsrs
ton OF the House pension bill on the cslen
dsY.r
After passing about sixty such bills. tbs
i, business was laid aside tsmpoi srily.
resolution vas agreed to, directing tn
committee on finance to ascertain in ever
possible way aed report from timc to tim
the effect Of the tariff laws upon import
and exports, and the growth. development
production and prices Of agricultural ar
I manufactured articles At home and abroad
and upon wages domestic and foreign, wit
authority to sit at such times and places a
the committee may deem sdvisable.
Manderson. president pro TEN. who wa
: appointed = member OF the committee o
rules in place of Ingalls,, resigned; Cssey
member Of committee Of agriculture j
place Of Blair, resigned McPherson, mem
! her of-seleet committee on Pacific road
in place of Hearst, deceased. Some dis
cussion as to the policy Of leaving vscancie
: to occur in committses on account o
Q the retirement Of Senators is open until tn
meeting of pexs congress, when they cs
be fiiied after due delioeration.
0 Ingalls, and Hale took the ground tha
e vacancies should not be filed now, exceT
! in cases where committees are to sis durip
I recess