, 1891-02-28
THE HOUSE AND SENATE
After a Day of Intense Excite
ment the House
Passes a Substitute for the SEN
ate Shipping Bill.
Work of the Upper Branch of
Congress.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 27.-The shipping
bill was again taken up in committee of
the whole Of the house today.
Clunie OF California offered an amend
ment providing that payment shall not be
made for more than $4,000 miles sailed
on either an outward or inward voyage
The bill limits it to 1000 miles Lost.
Struble Of Iow4 offered an amendment
providing that the measurement Of dis
tances shall be made in accordance with
the shortest practical lie route. Lost.
Rogers of Arkansas offered an ameud
ment providing that one half vi the crew
of the vessels enjoying the benefits OF this
act shall be citizens of the United
States or persons siGaifying their in
tention to become such. without regard to
race, color or previous servitude. Agreed
to.
An amendment by Struble providing
that the owner and officers of any ship
receiving a bounty shall have no interest
in any cargo carried was lost.
An amendment by Grosvenor pro-
viding that no sailing vessel of less than
w Nth1 - aAA oAAaA " ~
to the benefits OF the act, was agreed to.
An amendment by Covert was adopted
providing that the record Of American
shipping, by which the elias ~ification and
standing OF vessels to be benefited is de-
t%ermined, shall be approved by the con
missioner OF navigation and the mai rity
OF the boards of underwriters "a New
York, Boston. Philadelphia. New Or
leans, and San Franei.co.
AT 5 o clock The COMMITTEE rose and re-
ported the bill t. the house without
amendment, no vote having been taken
in committee upon the substitute.
Farquhar formally offered the house
substitute for the senate bill.
Springer made tie point of order that
this being Friday the house was ia recess
until s o'clock. but the point was over
ruled by the speaker on the ground that a
special order superseded the general rule.
Then the house became a scene of coutu-
sion. growing out of the parliamentary
tangle.
The hour oil 5 having arrived before the
committee OF the whole had taken final
action on the substitute, the senate bill
was reported without amendment. the
substitute having been offered.
Fithian of Illinois obtained permission
to offer a free ship substitute, which was
lost-ycas III. nays i72 The house sub
stitute was then agreed Ola to Al.
The vote then recurring on ordering the
senate bill as amended by the substitute
TO a third reading. the roll was called
amid Intense excitement. As the call
came TO a cl use end it was known that the
motion bal been defeated, there were
many manifestations of pleasure on the
Democratic side. AT the last moment,
however. Dineley changed his vote to the
negativc and The speaker announced the
vote to be: Yeas l45, nays l4S. The
announcement was greeted with wild APP
plause by the Democrats and then Ding
ley moved t. reconsider, IL motion which
McMIlIn promptly moved t,
lay on the table. This mo
ton was deieated-l46 to 49,
and the Republicans were iubilant. Then
came the vote on the motion to reconsider.
This was agreed tO-l4S to I4J-and the
question again required on ordering the
bill to a third reading. The third reading
was Ordered-yeas LAG. nays l45.
Cannon of Illinois moved that the bill
be recommittcd to the committee on mer-
chant marine and fisheries with ~instruc-
ions b that committee to report back
forthwith Il bill similar t. The senate bill
on the same subject to provide FIR an
ocean mail service between the United
States aud foreign ports.
Bland Of Missouri raised a point of or
der against the motion.
The speaker ruled Cannon's motion
in order aud it was ~carried-l43 to l42.
Far1ubar of New York Immediately
arose and reported back the bill in accord
ance with Instructions. The bill having
been read a fusilade OF points OF ordcr
came from the Democratic side.
CrlsD raised the point thai the bill must
be considered IN committee of The whole.
Another point raised was that the bill had
lost its privileged character and must take
its place at the foot of the calendar.
The speaker overruled the point of or
der and the senate bill, as amended, was
~passed-yeas 40. nays 100.
Ferquhar moved that a conference be
ordered and, pending action, the house at
midnight, adjourned
The shipping bill. as passed by the
house, is radically different from the SEN
ate measure. 1t merely authorizes the
postmaster general to enter into such &
contract for not less than five nor more
than ten years with American citizens for
carrying mails on American steamships
between United States ports and foreign
ports, Canada excepted, as will subserve
and promote the postal and commercial
interests OF the United States, the mail
service 10 be equally distributed among
the Atlantic, Mexican, Gulf and Pacific
coast ports. The vessels contracted with
must bs of American building and
OHlcaIpd nv American citlznnl