Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-06-01
FORTY-FIRST CONGRESS.
WASHINGTON, Mayr3l,

w A7hiN"ioN, May on
SENATE. AT the evening session bill for
supplying the deficiencies in the appropria-
tons for compensation of the milage of men,
bers of the House of Representatives, COM
ing up, the amendments by the Committee on
Appropriations, appropriatng Sl,400 for de-
ticlencies in the appropriation for collecting
custom, and 600 to enable the Secretary
OF the Treasury to pay a special counsel,
were debated
Mr.. Trumbull remarked, that the bringing
in of the deficiency bill, indicated that the
show of economy in cutting down the appro-
priation bills had been mere pretence. He
argued that this deficiency of almost million
and IA half of dollars was enormous. The
figures showed that the collection of surplus
revenue for the first half of the present fiscal
year, cost per cent. more than its collection
in the first six months of the preceding year.
The excess of appropriation asked for to col
lect custom revenue for the present year was
nearly Sl,000,000 greater than the amount
asked for last year. He desired to know the
reason of this extraordinary increase.
Mr.. Morrill, of VT, said that the Secretary
of the Treasury certainly could not spend one
dollar beyond the amount authorized by law.
He deprecated the apparent impeachment Of
the Secretary by the Senator from Illinois.
Mr.. Morrill, of Me-, stated as the reason
assigned by the Secretary of the Treasury
for increased expense in collecting the.cus-
toms, that there had been an increase of thir-
teen or fourteen millions in the revenue
He had not asked the Secretary to go into
details. as he supposed him honest.
The amendments were agreed to and the
bill passed.
Adjourned.
HOUSE. The House resumed the Internal
Revenue bill, and the paragraph defining
wholesale liquor dealers, and increased the
minimum from quart to a gallon, Mr..
Schenck of Ohio having thrown upon the
low tariff men and free traders the RESPONSE
bility of the failure of the Tariff bill.
Mr.. Butler of Mass. said he had not voted
to lay the Tariff bill aside, until the gentle
man (Schenck) had told the House and
country that he had no hope of passing the
bill this session; and he had hoped that the
gentleman would then bring in a short bill,
making a reduction of the tariff. He had
also hoped to have short internal revenue
bill reported. He would now tell the gentle
man he could not. get through the House the
pending long bill, any more than the tariff
BILL and its consideration was only so much
time thrown away. He had hoped to see the
income tax abolished, and he intended to ask
the House to instruct the Committee on Ways
duction of the internal revenue taxes, and of
tax gatherers and officials, and for the aboli-
ton of the inquisition, into the business of
the people. He did not care so much as to
the amount they paid, as the manner in which
they paid it. They did not want to be in
quired of, as to what they had for breakfast
and dinner, and what they were going to have
for supper
Mr.. Schenck replied in effect that short
bill was impracticable. The pending bill had
the sanction of the Treasury department, and
the Senate were waiting for it.
After further discussion, the House ordered
the previous question on the first section, and
cutting off the debate, struck out the second
section, which permits the purchase by or
for the use of the United States, any articles
free of tax.
The House progressed with the bill as far
as section sixteen, but a few unimportant
amendments being made.
Adjourned.