The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-03-09


ciaI Exhibit-Proposed Mexican Inter-
vention-DIore Bounty Bills.
Mr. Dawes, chairman of the Committee of
Ways and Means, presented yesterday to the
House and the country rather uufavorable
exhibit of the financial situation, the net result
of his figuring being that with the proposed
abolition of the duties on tea and coffee, salt
and coal, the income tax and other reductions
of revenue, and with the estimated expendi-
lures undiminished, the government next year
will have to be borrower to the amount of
ten million dollars in order to make up the
deficit in the budget. He did not indi-
cate any line of policy which he was
prepared to recommend, except that
Of keeping down the appropriations.
Mr.. Kelley, of Pennsylvania, the leading
protectionist in the House, challenged the cor
rectness of Mr.. Dawes figures and estimates,
and gave it as his opinion that the revenues
of the government would increase rather than
diminish that for the current fiscal year they
would reach the sum of four hundred millions
of dollars, and that there would be surplus
seventy to ninety millions Mr.. Eldrdge, of
Wisconsin, applied to Mr.. Dawes the I'M
gracious epithet of ''the Artful Dodger," be-
cause he had not answered directly the ques-
ton whether a reduction of duty on iron
would not so largely increase the revenue
from that source as to Offset the duties from
tea and coffee, and confessed to some sore,
ness from the criticisms of the press
on the votes of the democratic members
who had supported the bill abolishing
those duties, the movement being
regarded as one in the interest of the high
tariff men. Dawes did, however, respond
finally to Eldridge's question by expressing
the belief that the reduction or abolition Of
the duty on iron would not perceptibly
increase the direct importation of that article.
An important movement was attempted in
the House yesterday, looking to an interview
ton in Mexican affairs, with the contingency,
not remote. of establishing protectorate
over that unfortunate country, and eventually
annexing it to the American Union. The
resolution which Mr.. Brooks, of this city,
asked leave to offer on that subject proposed
the appointment of joint committee of the
House and Senate to devise the
best means of putting an end to
the never-ending state of civil war
in the neighboring republic. 1t was defeated
by single objection-that of Mr.. Coughlan,
of California who was not prepared for the
establishment of protectorate; but 1t so COM
mended itself to the sentiment of the House
that it can easily be carried by two-thirds
majority on Monday, when it can be offered
under suspension of the rules.
Another Bounty bill was passed by the
House yesterday, applying to soldiers who
enlisted and were mustered into service prior
to the 9th of August, 1861, and who did not
receive the government bounty of one hundred
dollars. 1t was stated that this bill would
only bleed the Treasury to the extent of
one and half million dollars; but it
seems there is another proposition pending
for the further equalization of bounties that
will take one hundred and fifty millions out of
the Treasury. All these bills are mere
schemes of plumber, got up by thieving lobby
agents and urged and supported by Congress-
men who care more for securing votes for
themselves than they do for guarding the in
terests of the people at large. We hope the
Senate will squelch all these raids made in
the professed interest Of the soldiers, but for
the real ACKNOWLEDGEMENT of the lobby ring.
The Senate devoted itself yesterday prin-
cipally to the General Civil Appropriation bill,
after having accepted the statues Of two of
Connecticuts great men OF the past-Jonathan
Trumbul and Roger Sherman-to be placed In
the American Pantheon, the old hall of the
House Of Representatives.
Both houses have ad journed till Monday.