Democratic Sentinel, Volume 10, Number 51, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 January 1887 — CONGRESSIONAL. [ARTICLE]

CONGRESSIONAL.

Work of the Senate and the Hoose of Representatives. ' Mb. Shebman introduced a bill in the Senate, on the 11th inst to reimburse the depositors of the Freedmen's Bank of Washington’. TheSenate passed a substitute for the House bill for the relief of settlers on the public domain: in Nebraska and Kansas, and the House measure releasing to the city of San Antonio certain, portions of the military reservation at that place. The President sent to the Senate the following nominations: To be Consuls of the United. States—O. B. Collins.of Mississippi, at Charlottetown, Prince Edward s island; Fred Ellison, of Indiana, at St. Helena. Also these postmasters: Illinois—Anna, William C. Rich; Monticello, William A. Miller; Monmouth, John W. Lusk. Wisconsin—Dodgeville, M. J. Briggs j. Sturgeon Bay, George W. Aloen. Kansas—Salina, Nicholas H. Farrell. A bill appropriating $100,003 for the purchase of a site and 8230,000 for the erection of a public building at Charleston, 8. C., was passed by the House. TheSecretary of War transmitted to the House areport from the Board of Engineers (appointed under the terms of the last river and harborbill; upon the proposed acquisition by the government of the Illinois and Michigan (Hennepin) canal. The report is generally favorable to the construction of the proposed canal on. the line which is designated in the bill reported by the House Committee on railways and canals. The House passed the bill creating a department of agriculture and labor. The bill aspassed provides that there shall be at the seat of Government an executive department to beknown as the Department of Agriculture and. Labor, under the control of a secretary of agriculture and labor and an assistant secretary. In this department there shall be a divisions which shall be under the charge of a commissioner of labor, who shall hold his office for four years and until his successor shall be appointed, unless sooner removed, and shall receive a salary of $ i,OOO a year. The Commissioner shall, collect information upon the subject of labor,, its relation to capital, the hours of labor, the rate of wages, the cost of production of thearticles produced, the earnings of laboring men. and women, the means of promoting their material, intellectual, and moral prosperity, and', the best means to protect life and prevent accident in mines, workshops, factories, and other places of industry. The Secretary is empowered to inquire into the causes of discontent which may exist between employers and employes within the United States, and he mayinvite and hear sworn statements from both parties concerning the matters in controvery. Bills authorizing a settlement of the claim of Hiram Berdan for the use of improve! firearms by the government, and extending for ayear the time for filing claims under the French Spoliation act, passed the Senate on the 12th inst. Mr. Mahone, from the committee on public buildings, reported bills for public buildings at Jefferson, Tex., and Hastings. Neb. Mr. Manderson intrduced a bill, to facilitate promotions. Mr. Dolph,, from the Committee on Coast Defenses, reported (as an amendment to be offered to the bill to encourage the manufacture of steel for ordnance) an item appropriating $5,003,000 for the construction of fortifications and other works of defense. Mr. Allison, from the Committee on Appropriations, reported back the army appropriation bill with amendments. TheHouse of Representatives passed the Tucker substitute for the Edmunds anti-polygamy bill-

Senator Camebon introduced a bill in theSenate on the 13th Inst, for the appointment of' Commissioners to represent the Federal Government at the centennial celebration of theforming and promulgation of the Constitution to be held in Philadelphia. The Senate passed' a bill to pay M. C. Mordeca $37,000 for carrying mail between Charleston and Havana before, the outbreak of the war. Senator Wilson (Iowa), from the Committee on Postoffices, reported favorably a bill providing that no third-class postoffice shall be changed: to fourth-class if it appears that the receipts, for the year amount to $1,900, or that the box. rents and commissions constituting the Postmaster’s compensation ' amount to SI,OOO ormore for the year. Senator Plumb introduced a. bill providing that whenever any attempt is made to secure any rights in lands belonging tothe Cherokees, Chickasaws, Creeks, Choctaws, and Seminoles, under the treaties with the United States, the Indians shall be entitled toall the rights before the law now granted to citizens of the United States. A communication was received from the Secretary of the Treasury calling attention to theimportance of correcting the unhealthy condition of the Treasury building. The Senatevoted to nonconcur in the House amendment, to the anti-polygamy bill, and a conference was asked. Senator Vest’s resolution calling on theSecretary of the Treasury for an itemized account of money paid out in prosecuting Federal criminal cases was adopted by the Senate, afterbeing modified so as to include civil cases. Mr. Evarts denounced the interstate commerce bill as unconstitutional. The House of Representatives passed bills amending the law regulating theremoval of causes from State to Federal Courts, ami authorizing the service of civil and criminal process issued by any territorial courtwithin Indian and military reservations. The House Coinage Committee reported back the resolution calling on the Secretary of the Treasury for information as to monthly purchases and coinage of silver during the last, fiscal year and the first six months of the present fiscal year; also information as to whether the law requiring the purchase and coinage of not less than $2,000,000 worth of silver bullion, has been complied with.

The interstate commerce bill passed the Senate on the 14th inst. by a vote of 43 to 15.. An effort to secure the recommittal cf themeasure was defeated —yeas, 25; nays, 36. Following is the vote on the passage of the measure : Yeas—Messrs. Allison, Beck, Berry, Blackburn, Bowen, Cockrell, Coke. Colquitt, Conger,. Cullom, Dolph, Edmunds, Eustis, Fair, Ferry, George, Gibson. Gorman, Gray, Hale, Harris, Hawley, Ingalls, Jones (Ark.), Jones (Nev.),. McMillan, Manderson. Mitchell (Oregon), Palmer. Plumb, Pugh, Sabin, Saulsbury, Sawyer, Sewell, Sherman, Spooner, Teller, Vance, Vest. Walthall, Whitthorne, Wilson (lowa) —43. Nays—Messrs. Aldrich, Blair, Brown, Cameron, Chase, Cheney. Evarts, Hampton, Hoar, Mitchell (Pa.). Morrill. Payne, Platt, Williams—--15. Yeas—Republicans, 23; Democrats, 20. Nays—Republicans, 12; Democrats, 3. In theHouse of Representatives Mr. Caldwell submitted the conference report on the electoral-count bill, and it was agreed to without debate.or division. Mr. Dibble presented the conferencereport on the bill increasing the appropriation for the public building at Fort Scott, Kan., and. o it was agreed to. (The increase is fixed at $49,000.) The joint resolution for an investigation of the books, accounts, and methods of the Pacific railroads which have received aid from theUnited States was called.up in the House, on the 15th inst., by Mr. Richardson, of Tennessee, but, after some discussion, action was postponed. A message was received in the Houseannouncing the concurrence of the Senate in theconference report of the interstate commerce bill.

The longest tunnel in the world is that of St. Gothard, on the line of therailroad between Lucerne and Milan. The summit of the tunnel is 900 feet below the surface at Andermatt, and 6,000 feet beneath the peak of Kastelhorn of the St. Gothard group. The tunnel is 26i feet wide and is 18 feet 10 inches from the floor to the crown of the arched roof. It is 9| miles long, If miles longer longer than the Mount Cenis tunnel. Lawbence has a larger Irish population than any city in the country, in proportion to the number of its inhabitants. Fall River comes second and. Boston third. The longest span of wire in the world is used for a telegraph in India over the River Kistnah. It is more than 6,000 feet in length, and is 1,200 feet high.