The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1871-04-12

relief they were met with Ku.Klux howl, but
TINS issue OF revenue tariff made by the New
1872. "01'1 W
MI Beck Of KY, urged the Importance Of
TWO l.ems IN the bill that of $4,000 for feeding
~. .Io oniy way to prevent an Indian war, and
mat OF 100000 for life saving stations on the
New Jersey and LOhg Island coasts, which he
said the House could not avoid.
Mr.. Brooks of New York argued at length
against the bill and financial policy 1.-THE gov
raising by taxation surplus revenue of $780,
100000, the natural result being to encourage
lobbying and to tempt the country to demand
enormous appropriations. He held that the
ordinary expenses of the government should
not be over $50, OO0, 900 annually, and that in
Guiding pensions, Indian expenses and interest
on the public debt, the appropriations in 1871
should not be over $3.50, 900, 600. While giving
the Secretary of the Treasury due credit for
the reduction of the public debt, he reminded
the House that for every dollar Of revenue that
reached the treasury the tax payers paid at
least three dollars, SO that when the debt was
reduced 500 900 the people had paid $780,
900 for it, The tariff and revenue laws should
De revised and taxation reduced. He could
point to 219 articles on which import duties
were levied, from which government only re-
ceived $23OOOO. All of these articles should be
put on the free list. Congress should also be-
fore adjournment this session abolish the duty
on COAL reduce largely if not abolish the duty
on salt. and abolish the duty on hides and
leather, lumber and potatoes. Mr.. Brooks
further urged that Congress should take imme-
date measures for the relief of American COM 4
merce, the abolition of the income tax and the
revision of the tariff, as unless these measures
were accomplished the present session the re-
duction in taxation would not go into effect
before JAM 1st, 1873
Mr.. NibIack of Indiana opposed the Senate
amendment and discussed political questions
in connection with the new territorial govern
ment for the District of Columbia.
Mr.. Niblack said everything done or attempt
ed by Congress during the present session had
been according to the smallest and meanest
part standard ever set up in the country. In
this connection he referred to the effect of the
Presidents special message on southern out
RACES in inducing Republicans to vote for the
Ku-Klux bill, who at first resolved not to do So
In reference to the appropriation for promot-
ing civil service reform he criticised severely
the action Of the President in forcing the res
ignatiOn of Secretary Cox because he had
striven to defend his clerks from political as \
sessments and said it was supremacy ridicul-
GUS to appropriate money for this administra-
ton to be used for promoting civil service re.
form.
The general debate on the bill then closed
and the House proceeded to vote on the amend
ments. Various items for officers of territorial
cove rnment for the District of Columbia were
agreed to with prOviso that no person will be
entitled to draw salary as a member of the
board of Public Works who is paid salary
for the discharge of duties in any office under
the government of the United States. Amend
ments appropriating SIS. 900 for expense of the
Suttro tunnel commission and $4,000 for test
ing sea coast rifted gun were offered but rul-
ed out Of order, and without proceeding furth-
er on the bill the House adjourned