The New York herald., 1869-02-04


- THE AIR LINE RAILROAD.
Mr. COOK, ,rep.l Of H., from the same committee
military and postal railroad from washington ana
a4fk ana proceeded to address the House In
MT. COOK said he presumed that It would be ad-
mited Dy every one that the proposed railroad would
pe OF very great advantage to the government and
snce y was "nsn tne capital was invaded not long
sInoe, ~ was seen how utterly ineircient for the
transport 0l troops and munitions OF war the single
doad noW existing was II could not be successfully
washington to New York would be "a leritimate an
exercise OF power to provide for the Common de-
lence ~ tne casting ol cannon or the establishment
OF magazines The proposed road was necessary In
order 70 secure the transmission OF the
mails. u was IN the power OF the man
on all postal communication between Washington
and New York. The proposed road was also neces-
sary to relieve commerce from the burdens imposed
upon It BY State legislation. The State OF MARYLAND
required oHefth OF the amount received for trans
portaton through the State to be paid into it's trea
between Baltimore and Washington; so the State OF
New Jersey required the payment OF ten cents per
passenger and fifteen cents per ton OF merchandise
carriedby railroad through that State He alluded to
the fact, ALSO that within few months past persons
passing along the existing route had been violently
and outraged. He then went on to
argue the constitutonality of the measure.
lie did not see how any distinction could be made
the benefit OF commerce and the powers construct
railroad for the same purpose. The end sought in
eHller case was t0e exercise power was
the same. II HCongress might deepen Lake ST. Clair
might construct railroad around 1t II the interests
OF commerce could be thereby better served 1t was
too late now to question the power OF Congress to
create avenues o. commerce That did not exist be-
fore. In this connection. Mr.. Cook presented q
tabular statement OF the appropriations made by
Congress Ior WORKS OF internal Improvement for the
last forty years. There was no power given in
the constitution to erect lighthouses, 3c, ex-
cept the power to regulate commerce. The prac-
teal question was whether Congress can regulate
the vast ana increasing commerce among the states
carried on by means OF railways, or whether that
commerce can be regulated Oy monopoes with
powers only limited by the amount or capital at their
command. The details OF the bill had been framed
with TO prevent the creation OF fictitious capital
stocS TO prevent heavy charges and TO prevent un-
necessary delays, and 1t was confidently believed
that the road could and would be built II the bill be-
came law, and that aspeedier, cheaper and better
communication would be established between Wash
ington and New York.
The morning hour expired at a quarter past three,
and the bill went over Till tomorrow.
WESTERN MILITARY CLAIMS
Mr. SPALDING, rep.) OF ONO, irom the Conference
Committee the JOINT resolution providing for the
disposition OF certain papers relating TO military
claims accruing in the Department OF The West re-
ported that the committee had been unable to agree
then moved that the Senate amendment TO the Joint
resolution be agreed to. with an amendment, which
was agreed to.
Mr.. POLAND, rep. ofVt., introduced bill providing
for uniform system OF naturalzarion whica was ref
erred to the Committee on Revision OF Laws. The bill
proposes to admit aliens to citizenship after con-
tnuous residence the United states for four years
and six months Proceedings for naturalization are
to be restricted to the circuit courts and district
courts OF the United states and the courts OF high
est jurisdiction in each State and Territory which
hold stated sessions In each county for the tra Of
civil causes. 1t requires notice OF intention to be
filed and sworn to one year and six months before
naturalization; also notice thirty days before ap-
pcation stating age residence and occupation, &C.
STEAMSHIPS OWNED IN LOYAL STATES.
Mr.. PILE, trep.) Of No., introduced joirt resolu
ton relating to steamships and other boats owned IN
the loyal States which was referred tO the Judiciary
Committee
THE INDIAN APPROPRIATION BILL.
ne e. a. MI Wso o be
chair, on the Indian Appropriation bill and on
bill appropnating $4,000 for the iankton Sioux
tribe.
After dsposing Of them the committee rose and
reported them TO the House. Before acting upon
them the House at halipast four O'Clock TOOK re-,
be conined exclusively 70 the Internal Revenue BILL
Evening Session.
THE INTERNAL REVENUE BILL.
The House resumed its session at half-past seven,
In Committee OF the Whole, Mr. Scofed in the chair
aud proceeded with the consideration Of the Internal
Revenue BILL taxing 1t up at section 252, taxing gas
at the rate Of ten cents per 1000 cubic feet. No
amendment was made 10 the section.
The next section, imposing i've per cent income
tax was amended. on motion OF Mr.. ScHgNcK, by
exempting military and naval pensions.
Mr. HOLMAN, tdem.) Of Ind, moved to impose
tax OF ten per cent on the interest accruing from
United States bonds.
Mr.. scHENcK made the point OF order that the
The The CHAIRMAN sustained the point Of order, and
the amendment was ruled out.
Mr.. PETERS, rep) OF Me-, moved to amend the
section by reducing the taxes on incomes on the first
that it was one Of the hardest taxes on the calendar
Mr.. SCHEScK-T0 collects
Mr.. PErRRs-Hardest to pay. know that the In
come tax is not very severely collected which Is in
itself an evidence Of Its hardship.
Mr. ScHEScK opposed the amendment arguing
thar the machinery for collecting the income tax
vvo1 IN IN No w IN
break up the machinery. He was sometimes amused
TO see how righteous people were horrined at whis
selves cheated the government by lying returns OF
income. There had been as much fraud proportion.
ateIy on incomes as on tobacco and spirits
ttcularly in the returns Of large incomesf
Mr.. ScHENcK-ln all amounts Of income. He
thought it better to let the law run as 1t s until !.
ssR'sd sSs BY its own limitation at the end Of the year
Mr.. PErERs-It will be renewed.
Mr.. ScHEScK-It may be or II may not be. His
own impression was that instead OF the gloomy
view presented last night by Mr.. Niblack II Will be
oaad S saaa e sca year vii run over onr hnndrea
millions OF dollars, leaving handsome margin, after
the payment OF all ordinary expenses and the inte-
rulshment OF the public debt There Is PROBABLY no
tax which causes less distress or Is felt less az a
burden on the community at large than the income
The amendment offered by Mr.. Peters was re-
jected.
MI. GETL. tueuls1 VI fu, tuoNeu W hlLlkt uub tHe
whole section. He was willing TO act now the
hope expressed by the chairman OF the Committee
OF Ways and Means. They mad been promised
wholesale retrenchment and reform under the next
administration, and II those promises were carried
out the income tax might certainly be dispensed
with. II 1t should be found that the government
could not get along without the income tax IL might
be renewed.
MIR. ALLISON rcp.l OF Iowa, moved to amend the
section by striking out that part OF 1t which limits
the duration OF the income tax to the year 1870. He
hoped that the tax might be dispensed with, but he
d,d not wish TO have any implied promise on the
subject desiring to leave the whole subject Of taxa
tlon open. His own Judgment was that before en-
tlrely dispensing with the income tax they ought 10
reduce the percentage gradually-perhaps TO two
or three per cent next year, and Afterwards to one
pcr cent. lie did not believe In striking out at u
single bound tax OF thirty or forty millions.
Mr. WOOD. (dem.l OF N. y, expressed his regret
that the exemption Of $1,000 was not increased TO
$1,000. Ii bore hard on the Industrious classes OF
the people, whose income was barely sufficient to
enable them to live. They should be relieved from
sucn an unjust burden. He was against any income
tax whatever. IL was contrary to the spirit OF
American institutions IL enabled the onicers OF the
cove rnment TO interfere with certain domestic
private individual rights that had been by all nations