Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-03-09
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TO THE
Daily Kennebec Journal.
COngress--Second Session.
WASHINGTON, Z.
SENATE.

Mr. Wilson introduced bill to provide for
the payment of women nurses during the
war. He also submitted an order which on
his motion was laid on the table, requesting
the President to suspend the board of public
works of the District Of Columbia until the
House committee now investigating the
charges against it shall have reported.
Mr.. Pratt introduced bill providing for
to State officers the taxes paid on
their salaries.
Mr.. Trumbul referred to the resolution
offered by Mr.. Conkling some time ago, re-
questing the President to transmit to the
Senate q statement of recommendations to
Office made by Senator'S from New York,
Missouri and Nebraska, and ex-
pressed surprise that it had not been called
up by the mover.
Mr.. Frelinghuysen said that he understood
the reason Mr.. Conkling had not called it up
was that he had promised Mr.. Morton not to
call it up in his absence.
Mr.. Wilson from committee on military
affairs, reported a bill to establish the pay of
enlisted men of the army.
Mr.. Anthony offered resolution accepting
the statutes of Donation Trumbull and Roger
Sherman and returning the thanks of Con-
gress to the people of Connecticut for pre-
senting them, and briefly addressed the SEN
ate on the subject. The resolution was unan-
imously adopted. The Senate resumed the
consideration of the legislative appropriation
bill, the pending question was on Mr.. Sher-
mans motion to limit the appropriation for
carrying out the civil service reform to $685.
900.
House.
After passing several bills including one
tor pension to the widow Of a revolutionary
II n -
mittee of the whole on the post Office appro-
priation bill Mr.. Wheeler in the chair The
bill appropriates $2S. 224, 100 including the
following items, viz: Inland mail transpor-
tation, 81 ,024, 1853; foreign mai transporta-
ton, 100000; compensation to post mas
tiers, S. ,525, 600; pay of post Office clerks,
81, 900; pay OF letter carriers, 1925, 900;
mail messengers, route agents, &C., about
81 800 900; manufacture of postage stamps,
100000; stamped envelopes and newspa-
per wrappers, asa, 900, provided that gov
eminent envelopes shall not contain any
printed matter except the request to return
the letter if uncalled for Japan and China,
$500 00 between the United States and
Brazil, $4,000; between San Francisco
Sandw ich Islands, $4,000. The appropria-
ton to meet the deficit in receipts is $7i9,-
900.
NAI. diilieA VI 1OWd nv iluu VI the
bill made a statement explanatory of the re-
ceipts and expenditures of the post office de-
partment. In only ID States were the re-
ceipts of the department in excess of the ex-
penditures.
Mr.. Dawes, chairman of the committee on
ways and means, made statement to show
how the balance sheet of the treasury was
being constantly changed by each days legis-
laton Of Congressman. There were certain
appropriations which were absolutely neces-
sary. The public faith to the creditors of the
country require provision for the payment
of the interest on the debt. Then there were
public expenditures which, however much
they may vary year to year, must be met by
appropriation bills. He wished to call the
attention of the House and of the country to
what may be denominated absolutely neces.
sary expenses OF the government for the COM
ing year. Taking the estimate of public ex-
penditures as starting point, then the
amount required without reference to- pay.
ment on public debt was S273, 600, 900. The
House had added to that large sums by bills
already passed; the deficiency bill passed
yesterday appropriated SG2, 900 900; the pub
lie buildings for Chicago and st. Louis and
other cities, would require an outlay of about
Sc, SOC, 900; the corporation tax to be refund
ed would amount to g., $780, 900; the in
creased amount for pensions was estimated at
$40, G63 ,6S5; the expenses under the Wash.
ington treaty would be $50 900. He did
not take into account the 900 claim pend
ing before the Southern claims commission
aggregating $26, 600, 900, nor the refunding
of the cotton tax, nor the 81, 800, 900 required
to meet the claims of Ohio Indiana and Illi-
nois, for what is known as the two per cent
claim. Then there were other claims, sub
siiips W which tho HOusa had of
passed He took simply the appropriations
which the House had already passed, and
those sw elled the whole amount necessary
for the coming year to S299 600,45S. There
were but four principal sources of revenue
customs, internal revenue, public lands and
miscellaneous sources. The revenue from
public lands was at an end in consequence of
the bill passed by the House devoting to edu-
cational purposes these lands. The Secre-
tary of the Treasury had estimated the re-
ceipts from customs at $2l2 200, 900, twelve
millions more than last year. But from
that would have to be deducted $40 1000, 900
for duties to be taken off tea and coffee, and
81, 700, 900 for duties on salt and coal, max
ing reduction of $2l l00,95S, which would
leave the receipts from customs $40, 99S, 062.
The estimate of the receipts from the internal
revenue had been Sl44, 900, 900, but from
that was to be deducted the income tax and
the 81 $500, 900 corporation tax, which would
reduce the revenue from that source to
$ll4, 900.
Mr.. Eldridge of Wis, asked Mr.. Dawes
whether reduction of the duty on iron would
not produce an increase in the revenue equiv
lent at least to the reduction from the repeal
of duty on tea and coffee for which he Gel
dridge) had voted and which vote had been
criticised by the democratic press as move
ment in aid of protection.
Mr.. Dawes without replying directly to the
question at rlbuted the opposition of the COM
mttee of ways and means to the repeating
the duty on tea and coffee to the fact that it
was cutting into the business of the commit
tee. The tariff could only be properly ad-
justed as a whole and presented to Congress
as the Budget is presented to the English
Parliament, and let it be voted on as whole.
After long discussion the House at 80
adjourned till Monday.