The Portland daily press., 1893-02-02
At WASHINGTON.
The House Haggling Over the River
and HarbOr Bill.
NO HOPE THAT THE SENATE WILL
REPEAL THE SILVER ACT.

Bill Passes the Senate-Postmaster
Appointed and Patents Granted.
WASHINGTON, February 1.-The Re-
publican members of the Senate, under
direction of Mr.. Sherman, have just
completed poll of the Senate on pro-
posed repeal of the Sherman silver act
of 1890. The poll was made by Senators
Chandler and Dixon, and it is said the
result is not at all satisfactory to those
who have looked forward to possible
repeal of the act.
According to common report these
senators have discovered that there are
only about eight members on the Demo-
cratic side who can be depended upon to
vote for repeal, and that the result is
even more discouraging on the Republi-
can side.
There are soma senators, and in this
class Mr.. Platt is placed, who are in fa-
vor of, or who would vote for, the repeal
if the measure came to vote, but who
will vote to bring the matter under con-
sideration.
1t is also understood that there is a
majority of seven or eight on the Repub-
lican side of the chamber against bring
ing the measure to a vote.
Postal.
A. Savage has been appointed post
master at East Madison, vice A. M.
Thompson; and H. Young at West Corn
vile, vice Joel W. Hobart.
Maine Inventors,
Patents have been granted to Henry M.
Lee, Waterville, piston-head;. Warren II.
Carr, Bath, burglar proof safe; Warren
FL. Carr, Bath, electric burglar alarm.
In the House.
In pursuance of terms of concurrent
resolution passed by the House and Sem
ate making arrangement for counting
the electoral vote, the Speaker this morn
ing appointed as tellers on part of the
House Chip an of Michigan and Lodge
of Massachusetts,, both these gentlemen
being members of the committee on
election of President and Vice President.
The House went into committee of the
whole for further consideration of the
sundry civil bill. The pending question
was on jurisdictional poi4t of order
raised by Mr.. Butler of Iowa against the
river and harbor items of the bill. After
some discussion the chairman, Mr.. Lester
of Georgia, oyerruled the point of order.
Items then came up for consideration.
In the aggregate the appropriation is
sic, 900, 600. ea
Mr.. Holman offered as substitute for
the items an amendment appropriating
the bulk sum of $8,U00,000 to be ex-
pended in the discretion of the Secretary
<eV ,fc taI
in pending provisions.
Debate on the subject was limited to
two hours.
Mr.. Springer, in opposing the appro-
priations contained inthe bill, called atten-
ION to the report of the Secretary of the
Treasury, which estimated at the conclu-
sion of the fiscal year 1884 an unex-
pended balance of ST, 800, 600, which
wilt remain from previous appropriations
for improvement of rivers and harbors.
Now it is proposed to make an addition
al appropriation Of SIG, ,000, 900.
Mr.. Catchings questioned the correct
ness of Mr.. Springers deductions from
this statement.
Mr.. Dingley of Maine, opposed the bill
so far as it referred to river and harbor
appropriations No one, he said was
more strongly in favor of reasonable ap-
preparations than he, but if the bill
passed in its present form the appropria-
tions for the next fical year for river and
harbor improvement would reach $685.
100000. Even if the treasury had large
surplus appropriation such an enormous
amount would not be warranted. After
further debate Mr.. Holman's substitute
was rejected. Two other items for river
and harbor improvement were agreed
to.
Without disposing of the bill, the COM
mittee rose and the House adjourned.
In the Senate.
On motion of Mr.. Frye ii was ordered
that the House bills on the Senate calen-
dar be taken up for consideration in the
morning hour Saturday under rule g.
The fortification appropriation bill
was taken up and discussion occurred
on the subject of reduced appropriations
provided in the bill. The paragraph on
which the debate occurred was agreed
to.
/ Mr.. Teller offered an amendment ap-
propriating $130, 900 for testing the 12-
cry. Agreed to. The bill passed and
the army appropriation bill was taken
up
Mr.. Proctor moved an amenement in
creasing monthly pay of firstsergeants to
$50, sergeants to $18, ian increase of $8
and 81, .espectively), and giving both
classes increased pay for length Of ser
The amendment was agreed to. The bill
passed and the District of Columbia ap-
preparation bill was taken up.
An amendment aroused opposition,
and the bill went over until tomorrow.
Several bills, not of general interest.
wete passed, and after an executive ses-
sion the Senate adjourned.