The Portland daily press., 1873-02-21
Washington Matters.
THE SENTIMENT OF THE HOUSE ON THE Pc.
LAND REPORT.

THE SENTIMENT OF THE HOUSE ON THE Pc.
LAND REPORT.
The tide Of feeling in the House is MAINLY
settlng against the resolutions for the expui.
sion OF Messrs. Ames and Brooks. with
winch the Poland committee conclude theil
report, and it is doubtful if roll-call during
TINS evenings session would show majority
in favor OF either. Members who will vote
for the resolutions are not difficult to find.
but to meet one who will predict the adop.
ton OF the resolutions is almost if not quite
impossible Of the Massachusetts members,
1t is not safe to count more than two for the
expulsion of their eolleague,-Mr. Banks,
| who is committed by his own report, and Mr..
| Hoar, who is counted on that side from his
connection and service with the other Credit
Mobilier committee. Mr.. Butler will take a
| prominent part in the debate, and his de-
| fence of Mr.. Ames will be as earnest and
| aggressive as he is able to make it. The
| feeling of sympathy among the Democrats
for Mr.. Brooks is plainly growing stronger
and will array that side of the House
in almost a solid body for his defence.
Mr.. voorhees, has been furiously indignant
ever since the report was read at what he
calls its Partially and weakness toward Mr..
Ames, and is pledged to make the best de-
fence of Mr.. Brooks, and Messrs. Beck and
Kerr will most likely give him their support.
In the present state Of affairs it appears prob
able that nearly all the best and bodest fight
ers in the House will be combined in the as
sault against the report, and conditions and
counsel absolutely essential to its success will
be actively arrayed against it. If all the
members who ever bought Credit Mobilier
stock had been recommended for expulsion,
the probability OF the adoption of the resolu-
ton to that effect would be much greater
than for that reported by the committee. As
1T now stands, members say there are too
many "babes in the wood" and they will not
consent to punish Mr.. Ames for giving brides
If those who took them at his hands are to 90
unnoticed. Mr.. Ames is attending to bust
ness as imperturbably as ever to-day, while
Mr.. Brooks lay for an hour or two on one of
the sofas in the hall, picture of death and
surrounded by sympathizing members of
both parties. While ascending the stairs to
the hall, this morning, Mr. Brooks tainted
completely away and was carried to his COM
mittee room by two of his colleagues. ada
lAill7I THE TAXES ON BANKS. uG!li4
The adverse report of the Senate commit
tee on finance on the petitions for the remov-
al OF all taxes on State and national banks,
after showing that the existing taxes on banks
are neither unjust or burdensome, and that
they cannot safely be discontinued without
ualSCl VI luCICdS6 VI Gu0 udUlOlal uGDt.
sums Up its argument as follows: The value
OF money in the banks is not exempt from the
universal law of supply and demand. Ex-
emption from taxation would not increase
the amount or diminish the demand. The
rate of interest on capital available for use as
money cannot be reduced except by increas-
ing the amount to be loaned or by diminish
ing the amount required by borrowers. Those
who have money to lend, including banks,
will get the current rates for it, whether it
costs the lender much or little. The price for
ance of the government but by the demand.
It is believed by the committee, therefore,
that the abandonment of the national taxes
on national banks would not be so much ia
vor to their borrowers as to their stockholders,
and the latter do not appear to be very great
ly oppressed or restrained from receiving rea-
sonable dividends. ,.r,-.a.7s. -,9