252 CONGRESS. (AMEEICAN PEODUOTS AMENDMENTS POSTAGE AEMY CLAIMS.) 



of the bill by the Senate, the House non-con- 

 curred, and the contest in regard to it was not 

 closed until the last day of the session, when 

 the Senate, after a second conference, aban- 

 doned its amendment. 



Discrimination against American Products. March 

 3, 1885, the House Committee on Foreign Af- 

 fairs made the following report in regard to the 

 alleged discriminating duties against American 

 products in Germany : 



That having had the resolution under considera- 

 tion, your committee is of the opinion that the action 

 of the German authorities has been unfavorable to 

 the introduction into the German Empire of several 

 of the products of the United States, to wit, pork, 

 wheat, rye, and particularly petroleum. 



Your committee therefore recommend the adoption 

 of the following resolution: 



Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Rep- 

 resentatives that the President of the United States 

 be requested to take immediate steps to secure to the 

 United States equal benefits in the German Empire 

 with other nations as to all articles of commerce of the 

 United States under the most-favored-nation clause of 

 the treaty of 1828 made with Prussia, and now in force 

 between the United States and the German Empire. 



Objection was made to putting the resolu- 

 tion on its passage, and it failed to receive any 

 consideration in the House. 



Constitutional Amendments. There were consti- 

 tutional amendments proposed requiring the 

 consent of the House to treaties affecting the 

 revenues ; providing that neither the United 

 States nor any State shall abridge the right of 

 .suffrage on account of sex; and modifying the 

 constitutional provisions in regard to the veto 

 power. 



Postal Reduction. One of the several clauses 

 in the Post- Office appropriation bill which oc- 

 casioned discussion as introducing new legisla- 

 tion was the proposition to increase the limit 

 of weight for letters paying single postage. 

 As finally adopted, the clause was as follows: 



That upon all matter of the first class, as defined by 

 chapter 180 of the laws of Congress, approved March 

 3, 1879, entitled " An act making appropriations for 

 the service of the Post-Office Department for the fis- 

 cal year ending June 30, 1880, ana for other purposes," 

 and by that act declared subject to postage at the rate 

 of three cents for each half-ounce or fraction thereof, 

 and reduced by the act of March 3, 1883, to two cents 

 for each half-ounce or fraction thereof, postage shall 

 be charged, on and after the first day of July, 1885, 

 at the rate of two cents for each ounce or fraction 

 thereof; and drop letters shall be mailed at the rate 

 of two cents per ounce or fraction thereof, including 

 delivery at letter-carrier offices, and one cent for each 

 ounce or fraction thereof where free delivery by car- 

 rier is not established. That all publications of the 

 second class, except as provided in section 25 of said 

 act, when sent by the publisher thereof, and from the 

 office of publication, including sample copies, or when 

 sent from a news agency to actual subscribers thereto, 

 or to other news agents, shall, on and after July 1, 

 1885, be entitled to transmission through the mails at 

 one cent a pound or a fraction thereof, such postage 

 to be prepaid as now provided by law. Any article 

 or item in any newspaper or other publication may be 

 marked for observation, except by written or printed 

 words, without increase of postage. 



Army (Claims. Feb. 24, 1885, Mr. Cockrell, of 

 Missouri, brought up the House bill, passed by 



that body at the first session of the Forty * 

 eighth Congress, to provide for the settlement 

 of claims of officers and enlisted men for loss 

 of private property destroyed in the military 

 service of the United States. It was amended 

 and passed by the Senate as follows : 



That the proper accounting officers of the Treasury 

 be and they are hereby authorized and directed to 

 examine into, ascertain, and determine the value of 

 the private property belonging to officers and enlisted 

 men in the military service of the United States which 

 has been, or may hereafter be, lost or destroyed in 

 the military service under the following circumstances: 



1. When such fault or destruction was without fault 

 or negligence on the part of the claimant. 



2. Where the private property so lost or destroyed 

 was shipped on board an unseaworthy vessel by order 

 of any officer authorized to give such order or direct 

 such shipment. 



3. "Where it appears that the loss or destruction of 

 the private property of the claimant was in conse- 

 quence of his having given his attention to the saving 

 of the property belonging to the United States which 

 was in danger at the same time and under similar cir- 

 cumstances. And the amount of such loss so ascer- 

 tained and determined shall be paid out of any money 

 in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, and shall 

 be in full for all such loss or damage : Provided, That 

 any claim which shall be presented and acted on 

 under authority of this act shall be held as finally de- 

 termined, and shall never thereafter be reopened or 

 considered : And provided further, That this act shall 

 not apply to losses sustained in time of war or hostili- 

 ties with Indians : And provided further, That the lia- 

 bility of the Government under this act shall be lim- 

 ited "to such article of personal property as the Sec- 

 retary of War, in his discretion, snail decide to be 

 reasonable, useful, necessary, and proper for such 

 officer or soldier while in quarters, engaged in the 

 public service, in the line of duty. 



And provided further, That all such claims now ex- 

 isting shall be presented within two years from the 

 passage of this act, and not after; and all such claims 

 hereafter arising shall be presented within two years, 

 and not after, irom the occurrence of the loss or de- 

 struction. 



The House concurred in the Senate amend- 

 ment February 28, and the bill was approved 

 by the President March 3d. 



Retired Ust for Soldiers. Jan. T, 1885, the Sen- 

 ate took up and passed the House bill to au- 

 thorize a retired list for privates and non-com- 

 missioned officers of the United States Army 

 who have served for a period of thirty years 

 and npward. It provides that, when an en- 

 listed man has served as such thirty years in 

 the United States Army or Marine Corps, either 

 as a private or a non-commissioned officer, or 

 both, he shall, by making application to the 

 President, be placed upon the retired list, cre- 

 ated by the act, with the rank held by him at 

 the date of retirement, receiving thereafter 

 V5 per cent, of the pay and allowances of the 

 rank upon which he was retired. The measure 

 was approved by the President, February 17. 

 The reasons justifying the measure are set fortt 

 in the report of the Military Commission of the 

 Senate as follows: 



Something is needed to give greater stability and a 

 better standing to the enlisted man in our military 

 service. If he could feel that he would have a proper 

 provision for his old age. he would bo more likely to 

 support the monotonous life of the service contentedly. 



