Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-12-07

Mr.. Harris introduced a bill for the
payment of property destroyed during
the rebellion by the authority of the
Government.
A resolution was adopted calling upon
the Secretary of War for information as
to the probable cost of a ship canal from
the Mississippi river, near its mouth, to
deep water in the Gulf of Mexico.
Mr.. Dawes, from the Committee on
Ways and Means, repOrteda bill abolish
ing the offices OfAssessor and Assistant
Assessor Of Internal Revenue, and trans
ferring their duties to the Collector and
Deputy Collector. After the bill was
read Dawes offered an amendment, fix
ing for it to go into operation on the first
of July.
Mr.. Dawes proceeded to explain the
bill. He said that the law of the sixth
of June, 1872, directed the Commission
er of Internal Revenue to reduce, on or
before the first of January next, the
whole number of collection districts to
eighty, and to discharge all the Collect
Ors and Assessors except one in each of
those eighty districts. The bill now pro-
posed was a substitute for that provision,
because it was evident that a reduction
of the collection districts to One-third of
the existing number, which would en-
large the area Of the districts threefold,
would, with a diminished number Of
officers, present too great a temptation
to frauds upon the revenue.
He yielded to Mr.. Sawyer, who offered
a resolution reciting an accident ON the
Pennsylvania Central railroad yesterday
evening, among the victims of which
were w. W. Dantz, an emplOye of the
House, his wife and child, and directing
that arrangements be made to transport
their bodies back to their late home, at
Princeton, Wisconsin, and have them
inferred at the expense of the House.
Adopted.
Mr.. Dawes resumed his remarks, and
stated that by the passage of this bill
the saving which would be affected over
the plan provided by law June last
would be one million and seven hun
dTed thousand dollars, and over the ex-
isting system three hundred thousand
dollars.
Mr.. Myers Pennsylvania called at
tentiOn to the fact that this bill would
turn out of office of assessor, men who
had the most administrative experience
in connection with internal revenue,
aud retain all the collectors. He thought
the government should be authorized to
select from both classes of officials, and
therefore he gave notice of an amend
ment which he would offer legislating
out of Office all assessors and collectors,
and providing for subsequent appoint
ment of new collectors. This he said
would give the department chance to
select its best officials.
Mr. Wood New York; called atten-
ton to the fact that the proposed appro-
priatiOn for the Internal Revenue Bu-
Teau of fifty-six million dollars was nine
hundred thousand dollars greater than
that for the present year, and asked
where was the reform? The real meas
ure of reform is the abolition of the
whole system of import duties, which
were fifty to one hundred millions in
excess of government expenses.
Mr.. Beck explained that the increase
in the estimate for the bureau was be-
cause of the pay of storekeepers and
gaUgers, formerly paid by distillers.
Mr.. Garfield said that if the bill
passed he would move to cut down the
appropriation for the Internal Revenue
Department.
Mr.. Duke (Virginia) gave notice of an
amendment to abolish the whole Teve-
nue. system.
Mr.. Garfield suggested to Mr.. Duke to
abolish all taxes, and defray the ex-
pcnses of the Government out of the
Treasury.
Mr.. Kerr supported the bill, and IA
vored the continuance of the revenue
system, because it was the cheapest sys-
TEN of taxation, and because it was all
revenue.
Mr.. Dawes moved the previous ques-
ton, under the operation of which the
amendments were agreed TO fixing the
time for the bill to go into operation on
the first of July, 1873, and requiring col
lectors to give additional bonds fer their
new duties, and the bill passed.
On motion of Mr.. Haldeman the
Select Committee on Centennial Cele-
bration We're instructed to inquire into
the feasibility and propriety Of taking
the census of the first of January, 1875,
in one day, on the defdcto principle and
with prior schedules.
Adjourned to Monday.