Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1873-12-19
romTy-TuuRD CONGREss.-THIhD
SESSION.
WAsnrxcroS, Dec. 10.
SENATE.

Bills were introduced as follows by
West, to provide for the construction oi
the Fort st. Phillip canal and its mainten-
ance as a national public highway IL IS
the bill recommended by the New orleans
chamber of commerce to thesU. ): Senate
committee on transportation, providins 1na'
A ship canal shall be constructed ana nam
tanned by the United States to connect tne
Mississippi river near Fort St PhiilP win
Breton island pass in the Gull oil Mckee.
referred to the committee on transportation
routes.
By Mr. CLAYTON, to repeal the tax oil Ten
per cent on the circulation OF bank notes,to
take effect January LIST, 1874; reierred 10
the committee on finance.
MIR. Logan I'LL. presented petition oil
citizens of the United States protesting
against the system of polygamy IN utah,
and praying that such laws be passeu rs
will bring about free civil government IN
that territory and bring it into harmony
with the Federal Union. Referred To the
committee on military affairs.
Mr.. Anthony (R. ~ introduced resoin-
ton directing the committee on printing 20
inquire what changes are necessary III
printing and distributing public documents
Referred to the committee on printing,
Mr.. Conklng presented petition
stoned by the colOred citizens OF New YORK,
asking the passage of the civil rights bill.
lie aid he knew many OF the signers
and knew them to be respectable citizens.
Referred to the Judiciary committee: lie
also presented a petition OF Moses
Tovlor and other ship owners touching the
GENEVA award. The petitioners claimed
that during the rebellion they were en-
Caged in commerce on the high seas and
vessels belonging to them were destroyed by
other rebel cruisers than the Alabama and
those named by the Geneva tribunal, and
therefore they were entitled to part OF
that award. Referred To the judiciary com
mIttee. ,
The total number Of bills introduced to-
day, was over 800.
Mir. Myers (Pa.) presented a memorial OF
over three thousand druggists and chemists
from 375 cities and towns and from all Inc
states and territories, asking Tor the repeal
of the stamp tax on medicinal preparations
or A modification of the law 50 as to conhne
the tax TO patent or proprietary medicines;
Referred to the committee on ways anu
means.
f.. r. Hoar Mass offered resolution
;rstructing the judiciary committee to in
yestigate the conduct of Judge Busted OF
Alabama and report if legislation in the
premises is required; Adopted.
Mr.. Tremain IN. ", from the commit
tee on judiciary, reported a bill to repeal
the bankruptcy law and moved to suspend
the rules 50 as to bring the bill before the
| House. The bill was read. The first
section repeats the bankrupt law and all
| its amendments; the second provides that
where there are bankruptcy proceedings
pending the majority in value oil Its eredi-
| tors whose claims have been proven or are
proveab!e arc to determine IN what manner
/ and on what terms and conditions the
/ estate Of the bankrupt shall be admins
| tered. and such resolution shall be i'm
mediately confirmed by the court; further
sections arrange the details After various
propositions and suggestions the motion
/ was modified so aS to make the bill the
| special order for tomorrow, 10 devote two
| hours to its discussion and then To have
vote taken without dilatOry motion.
Mr.. Dawes Mass called the attention
the House to the recommendation OF the
secretary Of the treasury for an Increase OF
taxation to the amount of 81 900, 200, and
said the committee of ways and means had
| instructed him to offer the following reSolu-
! ton: Whereas, The secretary of the
/ treasury has recommended in an official
| letter to the committee of ways and means
| an increase in certain customs duties and IN
ternal taxation; therefore, be it resolved,
that the heads of the severaldepartments be
4 instructed to revise their estimates OF expen-
! ditures for the next fiscal year with the
view in the changed condition of the
country to reduction thereon, and 10 report
nthe same to this House. to the end that all
possible efforts at reduction be exhausted be
| fore new burdens be imposed on the people.
lie said it had come to the knowledge Of
the committee of ways and means since 1t
had instructed him to report that resolution
that the committee on appropriations had
been considering the same matter. The two
committees had come 10 an agreement on the
resolution which the chairman of the COM
mittee on appropriations would offer and he
Welded to him for that purpose
Mr. Garfield (Ohio). from the committee
ON appropriations, offered the following
resolution Whereas, it appears that since
| the estimates of the appropriations required
for the service Of the government for the
fiscal YEAR ending June 30th, 1875, which
have been laid before the House, were made
by several departments Of the government,
the country has entered on period of great
/ financial embarrassment, accompanied by
a shrinkage in and heavy lalling-oh in
the revenue: and whereas, in the Judgment
( of the House the foregoing facts make it the
duty Of Congress to reduce expenditures
TO the lowest point consistent with the
necessities Of the government , and whereas,
the secretary of the treasury has recon-
mended in an official letter 10 the commit
tee Of ways and means an increase in
certain duties and internal taxation there
fore. resolved. that the President be re
quested to cause revision Of said estimates
to be made by the several executive depart
| md Ia made n
the House, if possible, As early a the 9Th
Of January next. setting forth IN detail
what public expenditures for the current
fiscal year and what estimates for the next
fiscal year can be reduced and the amount
olsuch reduction without serious detriment
TO the public service.
Mr.. Butler (Mass) asked Mr. Garfield
how much he believed the estimates could
be reduced
Mr.. Garfield said it was impossible to say ,
hat cited the appropriations amounting to
four millions for public buildings not yet
begun, which might be covered back into
the treasury; also that the estimates for
the coming year were fifteen millions in ex-
cess Of the appropriations for the current
year.
Mr.. Dawes thought it would he impos-
sible to cut down the estimates to within
the limits required. but an effort in this
direction was incumbent upon every branch
of the public service II in the end Con-
eress was Obliged to fall back on taxation
after it had shown to the country its diSpO-
Sition to cut of every redundant expendi-
ture and To reduce every salary possible I'M
der its Jurisdiction. it could then address it
self to the work OF increasing taxation, #
need be, in order to maintain the credit Of
the country abroad and its demands for cur
rent expenses at home.
Mr.. Cox said that there was the greatest
apprehension in the country as to this
matter of renewing taxation. lie thought
it was due the people. to merchants and
traders, that there should he some definite
statement by the chairman Of the commit
tee on ways and means As to the articles to
be taxed, and, If possible, As to the rate OF
taxation and whether it was the intention
ofthc government to enlarge the volume OF
the currency 81 as to avoid the shrinkage of
values referred to.
Mr.. Dawes said it had seemed to both
those committees incumbent upon them
first although urged to take up and pass
before the holidays a bill to raise forty-twO
million dollars by increased taxation) to ask
Congress to make this appeal to the heads
of departments in order to see when Con-
gre'.s returned after the holidays whether
IL WAS Ihcn po>Slhle u refrain from TINS eX
treme measure.
Mr.. Butler thought il any OF the articles
proposed were to be taxed more heavily it
should be done at once, otherwise such a
stock OF whiskey would be accumulated in
the meantime, and all the tobacco he forced
into consumption or into such hands that il
could not be taxed, and hence no increase
of revenue would result
Mr.. Cox suggested that during the holt
days the waysand means committee consider
the reduction of the tariff on various ar
ticles which We all know would enhance
the revenues
voice-liOw do You know that?
Cox-I know it for have eiphered it over
and over.
The discussion was continued ut lsngth