The Portland daily press., 1898-03-16
DEBATE TOOK WIDE RANGE
House Discussed Post Office Appro
priation Bill.
AND INCIDENTALLY GOLD STAND
ARD AND COTTON INDUSTRY.

AkD ANU CUlGON IN DOSl hIs
Annexation of Hawaii and Sheriff Martins
Acquittai Also Come In For "A Talk
Senate Passed Numerous Bills on the
General Calendar.
Washington, Z March Is. The House
agreed today to consider the bill for the
relief OF the victims and survivors of the
Maine disaster as soon as the post office
appropriation bill which was taken up in
the House today is out of the way.
During the debate on post Office bill
members eagerly took advantage of the
latitude allowed in committee Of the
whole on the state of union to discuss
various political questions and the debate
accordingly covered a wider range.
Messrs. Griggs, Democrat of Georgia and
Walker, Republican of Massachusetts,,
discussed the consideration ..of.cotton In.
dustry; Mr.. Alexander, Republican of
argued that Congress should commit the
country to the gold standard; Mr..
Mahany. Republican of New York, COM
mented on the acquittal of Sheriff Martin
and Mr.. Tawney, Republican Of Mime
sofa, member of the ways an means
committee replied to the speech of Mr..
johnson, Republican of Indiana, made
some time ago against the avisability Of
annexation of the Hawaiian islands.
Washington, March l5.-At the opening
of the session of the House today the
Speaker recognized Mr.. BouteIle, Repub.
lican of Maine, chairman of the naval
committee, to call up the bill for the re-
lief of the victims and survivors of the
Maine disaster. The bill provided for the
payment to the legal heirs of those who
lost their lives sum equal to twelve
months sea pay Of the deceased and the
reimbursement to the survivors Of the
value OF personal effects lost not to ex-
ceed in amount sum equal to twelve
months sea pay. The continuance of
allotments to the families of the deceased
for thres months was also provided for.
The consideration of the bill required
unanimous consent. Mr.. Loud, Republi-
can of California. said the bill was i'm
portant. There was a general law which
covered such cases and special act
should receive deliberate consideration.
Mr.. Boutelle said that the passage Of
the bill was demanded by public senti-
ment all over the country. He saidth ere
was a pressing necessity for the relief of
the sufferers Of this terrible disaster
Ie,iv, hald y,1
subscriptions were being raised all over
the country for the relief of tbs widows
and orphans of the victims. Mr.. Loud
objected.
hThat is the gentleman's privileges
under the rules said MIR. BoutelIe
II object to the latter remark, - said
Mr.. Loud, ''and ask that it be stricken
from the records
1t was finally arranged by unanimous
consent that ths bill should be considered
as soon as the post office appropriation
bill was out of the way.
Mr.. Danford, Republican of Ohio,
chairman of the committee on immigra-
tion, called attention to the fact that he
had given notice some time ago that he
would today call up the immigration bill.
He asked what the parliamentary status
Of the bill was and the Speaker informed
him that it was on the Speakers table
and could be called up at any time when
privileged matter was not before the
House.
On motion of Mr.. Loud, the House then
went into committee OF the whole and
took up the post office appropriation bill.
Mr.. Bromweil. Republican Of Ohio,
made an extended speech against the
appropriation for special fast mail facili-
ties from Boston to New Orleans.
The general debate was not confined to
the subjects In the bill. MIR. Griggs,
Democrat of Louisiana, contributed some
remarks upon the mooted question of
the relative advantages possessed by the
cotton mills of the north and south, to
prove that the advantages possessed by
the latter were not due to the longer
hours of labor Of their operatives. He
predicted that the South in the future
would manufacture as well as grow the
cotton crop of the world. He warned
New England she should abandon the
industry.
Mr.. Griggs criticized some utterances
of Speaker Reed and Mr.. Dingley and
created much enthusiasm on the Demo-
cratic side.
At the conclusion of his speech an ar
rangement was made to close general de-
bate at three o'clock tomorrow.
Mr.. Walker, Republican of Massachu-
setts, said it was happy day for the Re
publicans when southern mem ber arose
on the floor and spoke of the great manu-
featuring Industries of the South in COM
petition with those of the North. 1t was
p day we had been waiting for since the
Pilgrims landed. No section would re-
ioice more that the South had entered the
lists than New England. aete
ssWe shall suffer from southern compe-
tition temporarily. We may have to re-
duce wages temporarily, we may have to
lose some departments of our industries,
but we glory in thie esouthernScompetition
because it shows the cementing of the
common country we love SO WE'LL" Gap.
plause.)
Mr.. Gardiner, Republican of New Jer-
sew. defended the subsidy to the southern
railway for fast mail facilities
Mr.. Alexander, Republican of New
York, submitted some remarks on the
financial question, arguing that the House
should soon record by an explicit declar-
alton that the government was bound by
law and good faith to maintain the gold
standard.
Mr. Mahany, Republican of New York,
denounced nn editorial in New York
paper on the Sheriff Martin verdict. The
public opinion Of the United States he
said, while accepting the verdict regis
tered the unofficial verdict that the shoot
ing down of defenseless laborers oonsti-
tutedsan impeachment ofAmerican liberty