The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-04-04
NEW S
BY TELEGRAPH TO THE
PORTLAND DAILY PRESS.
XLIst G0NdRE5s---Sccord eesy:on.
XLI.t eoNaRBss---scoond Session.

WASHINGTON, April 2-The Oregon railroad
land hill which was before the Honse when - :.
took recess yesterday, was by consent REMIT
" Luc Speaker = Laule.
Mr.. Wood, of New York. objected to pro.
ceeding with business in the absence OF quor-
um, and moved a call OF the House. Mega
tived-yeas %, nays 49, more than a quorum
voting.
of the morning hour, to the call of committees
tor reports OF private character. A large
number of private bills Were reported and
passed, and some adverse reports were pre-
sented and laid on the table. Among the bills
passed was the following: -Autborizing the
issue of an American register to the British
built schooner Venilia, wrecked and abandoned
IN the waters of the United States, and now
owned by citizens of Maine. A motion Was
made to reconsider the vote by which the bill
was passed, and considerable discussion en-
sued, its opponents contendDg that it was in
oontravention of the settled policy of the Gov
eminent to grant an American register to for
eign.buit vessels. Finally the motion to re-
,"nsider was laid on the table-yeas 81, nays
g.
The bill authorizing the city of Buffalo TO
construct a tunnel under the Niagara river
was passed.
The bill allowing retired officers of the army
to be assigned to duty in the Soldiers Home
was passed.
The House then went into Committee of the
Whole on the tariff bill, with the time for dis
cussien limited to half an hour.
Mr.. Wood, of New York, modified his
amendment offered yesterday so as to provide
'or 20 per cent. al valorem duty on tea instead
of per cent He offered it on the principle
OF discrimination, SO as not to levy SO heavy
tax on the qualities of tea used by the poorer
classes as on those used by the wealthier class.
es. He said the working people of New York
'ad rerentiv taken to the use Of tea instead of
intoxicating beverages.
~. k<a... " NV
ton of the duty on tea, because that was tax
every dollar of which went into the treasury
except the cost OF collection; whereas large
portion of the other taxes imposed on the peo-
the pockets of mouopoists. Iu this connec-
ton he mentioned the articles of salt, iron,
lumber and coal, on which $50 600 600 were
taken out of the rockets of the people and
only between 100000 and $S,O00,0OO reached
the treasury.
Mr.. Woods amendment was rejected.
Mr.. Iogersoll of illinois, moved an amend
ment, providing that tea valued at less than 80
cents per pound shall be free of duty; that tea
valued at between 80 and 60 cents shall pay 20
cents per pound, and that the higher classes
of tea shall pay 80 cents per pound.
MI. Allison, OF Iowa, remarked that the
average value of tea imported into this conn
try was SO 1 2 cents.
Mr.. Hay, of Illinois, thought the country
was going it blind, and that the House was
the tariff, and he called on the chairman OF the
Committee on Ways and Means to state what
changes were proposed to be made in the inter-
nal revenue tax.
Mr. Schenck of Ohio replied that a revenue
bill would be reported reducing the total
amount at least $50 600 000 He declined to go
into particulars as to that reduction. 1t they
were acting in the dark it was because they
were trying to legislate on such knowledge as
they had, which he thought safer plan than
LOT IN nm I'm LODI hat how haA nt
His impression was that il Mr.. Ingersolrs
amendment was adopted the government would
receive from the tax on tea hundreds where 1t
DOW received millions of dollars. For then all
the tea would be sworn down under 30 cents;
they would have under valuations, false in
voices and false oaths. He thought also that
the masses OF people drink about as good tea
as Weather classes; it was with tea as with
whiskey. He had known milllonaires to drink
the poorer stuff that kills at twenty yards,
where men of moderate means were WILING 10
take old Bourbon. daughter
Mr. Marshall of Illinois, sustained the action
of the committee in regard to tea the tax on
which would only amount to % &C nts annua'lvy
per capita. He thought it as easily borne and
as fairly distributed as any tax could be.
Mr.. Clarke of Kansas, made some general
remarks on the subject Of tariff
Messrs. Ingersol's aud Loughridge's amend
ments were rejected.
| Mr.. Stevenson OF Ohio, moved to fix the duty
| on Yea d. ~ cents per pound; rejected by vote
of % to 100.
| No other amendments were offered and tea
70 wins as reported in the bill, at 20 cents pei
pound.
n,. sheldon of Louisiana, moved to strike
out the line taxing coffee four cents pei
pound and proposing to put coffee on the free
'lst He argued in support of his amendment
discussion on the amendment easued be.
tween Messrs. Loughridge, Stevenson and
Scher OK.
Mr.. Schnnck said that coffee now produced
over S11, 600 600 of revenue and the reduction
OF the rate from to cents would reduce the
revenue of that article to about SO 600 600
The taxes should be reduced SO as to keep pace
with the reduction of the public debt, and hi
expected that in another year or two the tax
on coffee might be reduced to cents, and ther
to cents and then abolished altogether.
Mr.. Sheldon withdrew his amendment.
Mr.. Stevenson moved to amend the tax or
coff.e cents pound instead of cents. Be
jeeted.
ence to coffee, and it remains as provided il
the bill. at cents per pound. Some few othe
other clauses of the bill were read but NJ
AMENDMENTS made. When the question o
sugar was reached the committee rose and tn
] House adjourned,