The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-02-16
Naval Appropriation Bill Has Smooth
Sailing In The House.
GENERAL DEBATE WILL CLOSE AT
2 O'CLOCK TODAY.
A Move to Reduce the Number of Super
fiuous Naval Officers-A Bill introduced
to Protect the Right of Employees to
Recover Damages-Chief Justice Alvey
Sustains The Opinion That the Income
Tax is Constitutional.

Tax is Constitutional
Washington. February 15.-1n the Senate.
Mr.. Chandler, Republican of New Hamp-
shire. offered resolution which went over
till tomorrow calling on the Secretary OF
the Navy for information as to allowing the
off GERS of the navy stationed at Newport,
RI, during the last four years. to draw sea
pay and Communication for rations at sea.
while at the same time they occupied
quarters for themselves and families ON
shore in public buildings. or elsewhere at
the expense of the government. and the ex-
tent to which that practice has prevailed
and whether ii has any authority in law.
The post Office appropriation bill was then
taken up. Mr.. Blackburn moved to reduce
by ten per cent the appropriation of S3,2us,-
coo for the railway post office car service.
Defeated, yeas 10, nays 26.
Mr.. Brice, Democrat of Ohio, offered an
amendment to divide the $l96.cO0 appropri-
alton for the fast line from Springfield.
Mass, to Atlanta and New.Orleans with a
similar fast line in the West running
throughsg Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee,
Georgia, Alab bama, Mississippi. Louisiana.
Texas ard Florida. This amendment was,
on motion of Mr.. Lodge, Republican of
Massachusetts,, killed on the table. yeas 80.
nays g. Tho bill was then passed and the
agricultural appropriation bill was taken
up.
The first item that led to dist ussion was
the amendment TO change the existing laws
as to the inspection of live cattle, hogs.
etc., and their carcasses and products. 6
Mr.. Chandler asked Mr.. Call. Democrat of
Florida, who had charge of the bill. whether
the proposed change in the law would ex-
clude "cann ed meats unless the owner
could produce certificate that the cattle
from which they were made had been in
spected before being slaughtered. He hoped
that the Senator from Florida would tell
the Senate what difference there was be-
tween the existing law and the proposed
mod ifcatioI.
Mr.. Call sent to the clerks desk and had
read letter from the attorney general to
the Secretary of Agriculture, explanatory
of the subject.
Mr.. Platt, Republican OF Connecticut,
made point of order against the amend
ment as general legislation on an appro-
piration bill.' He characterized this kind
of legislation as 'tvicious and utterly ir-
defensible.' The Senators. he said. were
called upon to vote on matter OF such
gravity and Importance, without even
having known that any such legislation was
proposed. without having seen the bill
which was printed only this morning, with
out being advised of any change to be made
in the law for the inspection of cattle and
meats for foreign expectation. In copclud-
ing. Mr., Platt said, '''withln the last year
or two, a foreign nation has undertaken to
retaliate on the United States for some
action of it's Congress, by barring out our
meats. do not propose to engage in the
repeal of any legislation or in amendment
of any act now existing at the dlctat1on OF
a foreign government.
"IF GERMANY WANTS TO RETALIATE.
sit is a game that two can play. The way
to convince her that her proposed retalia-
tion is properly understood in this country
is to make use of the power we now have
for retaliating on Germany. l have very
little respect for legislation which attempts
TO conciliate Germany by making our laws
satisfactory to Germany
Mr. Chandler ointed out what he called
the absurdity of the proposed legislation
which would he said prevent steamship
getting clearance unless it had certificates
that the cattle out of which tie canned
meats on board were made We're duly In
spected before being slaughtered He sug-
cested that the proposition be withdrawn
for repairs'' and closed with a sarcastic re-
mark.
After long and dIscursive debate the
amendment in relation to the inspection of
cattle and meats went over till tomorrow.
and the Senate went through the rest of
the bill, postponing action on several con-
troverted points. which will be diposed of
tomorrow The Senate. after executive
session adjourned.