The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-04-01
CIVIL APPROPRIATIONS.
Still Subject For Debate i'm House
Of Representatives.
EXPENSE OF DETECTING MOON
SINNERS DISCUSSED.

House Finally Passes Fifty Pages of the
Bill-The Dupont Case Considered in
the Senate-Action Taken Looking
Towards Deepening of Portland Harbor
Washington, March 31.-In the House
today, the joint resolutions were agreed
to directing the Secretary of War to have
prepared plans for securing a depth of
thirty feet in the channel to Portland,
Maine, harbor.
Mr.. Bingham, Republican Of Pennsy1-
vania, reported back the legislative, ex-
eoutive and judi cial appropriation with
the recommendation that the Senate
amendment be disagreed to, and that a
conference be asked. This was agreed to
and the conference committee was ap-
pointed.
The House then, in committee Of the
whole, proceeded to the further consider
alton of the Sundry civil appropriation
bill.
Mr.. Adams, Republi can of Pennsyl-
vania, took occasion to refer to the re-
ports which had been published respect
ing the conference of representatives of
the Manufacturers club of Philadelphia,
and of the silver party in Congress.
which he characterized as misleading and
incorrect. Resolutions were adopted by a
nearly unanimous vote, of the club and
contained no support Of the theory that
the club was in favor of the free coinage of
silver.
Mr.. Hartman, Republican of Montana,
explained that the published reports of
that conference had misrepresented the
facts. But, he said, the conference had
been held at the instance of members CT
the Manufacturers club who sent a COM
Fmittee to Washington for the purpose of
meeting the silver men.
A somewhat acrimonious colloquy oc-
CURED between G. W. Stone, Republican
of Pennsylvania and Mr.. Cannon, Re-
publican of Illinois in charge of the sun
dry civil appropriation bill, over tho
proposition by the former to increase the
appropriation for the salary of the super
intendent of coast geodetio survey from
$4,000 to $4,000, as provided in the statute
establishing the office.
Mr. Cannon opposed the motion and
alluded to Gen. Dufield, the present
superintendent, as having been dis
covared' in Kentucky by the present ad-
n 4 stration tc succeed Prof Menden-
hall, whom he said was, in his opinion,
the most competent man that ever held
the position.
Mr.. Stone resented the use of the word
discovered stating that Gen. Dufiled
had sewed his country in two wars, and
for period extending over forty years
had been prominent in his profession.
Mr.. Cannon said that the superintend-
ent was Democrat, appointed by a
Democratic administration, and he was
now drawing the same salary as provided
in the bill as a result of legislation hy
a Democratic Congress. He believed it
was good politics and good economy to
leave him where he was put by his
friends and appealed to the members on
''this'', the Republican side, to vote
down the amendment.
Mr.. Stone said that in his opinion,
"thIs side" as the gentleman from Illi-
nois designated it, could not afford to
ignore plain legal obligation or to dis
criminate against old soldiers whatever
his politics.
The amendment was rejected. The ap-
preparation for field expenses in the sur
vey Of the Atlantic coast line and tribu-
taries were increased from $40, 600 to $25,
600.
The usual amendment to strike out OF
OH0 OllA uuc plOf1c4O14 lOE 0CbCCulAH pOI-
sons guilty of violation of the internal
revenue laws, and authorizing the COM
missioners of internal revenue to pay for
information and detection of such viola
tions WAS made by Mr.. Linney, Repuli-
can of North Carolina.
Mr.. Tate, Democrat of Georgia, moved
to strike out the words, s'including pay
ments for information and dete ction of
such violations. p"
Mr.. Evans. Republican of Kentucky,
former commissioner of internal reye-
nue., antagonized the amendments.
Mr.. Evans stated that better returns to
the government resulted from this appro-
priation than from other in any appropri-
alton bill.
Mr.. Linney, Republican of North Caro-
lima, advocated the amendment. He said
that no similar amount of money was
ever the cause of SO much corruption.
The amendment off cred by Mr.. Tate was
rejected "a to II.
Mr.. Linney withdrew his motion to
strike out the provision and the commit
tee rose. After passing over fifty pages of
the bill the House adjourned