The Portland daily press., 1873-12-16


Committee Of Ways and Means since it had
instructed him to report that resolution, that
tue COMMITTEE on Appropriations has been
considering the same Uattsr. The two Com
uitteeS nave come to an agreement on the res
oluton which the Chairman of the Committee
ou appropriations wOnld offer and he Welded
10 him for that purpose.
Mr.. Garfield then. from the Committee on
Appropriations. offered the following resoln-
ton:
Whereas, 1t appears since the estimates of
appropriations required for the service of the
government for the fiscal year ending June
3Oth, 1875, which have been laid before the
house were made by the several departments
OF the government, the country has entered on
period of great financial embarrassments
accompanied by a shrnkage IN value and
heavy falling off in the revenue;
. whereas, La the judgment of the House, the
foregoing facts make it the duty of Congress to
reduce the expenditures to the lowest point
consistent with the necessities of the govern
ment, and
Whereas The Secretary of the Treasury has
recommended in an official letter to the Gem
mlttee on Ways and Means an increase in GER
tam duties and internal taxation, therefore =
Resolved, That the President be requested to
cause that revision of said estimates be made
oy the several Executive departments, and
cause a report to be mede to the House
II possible, as early as the 9Th of Janu-
airy next, setting forth in detail what the public
expenditures for the current fiscal year. and
what estimates for the next fiscal year can be
reduced and the amount of said reduction with
out serious detriment to public service.
- MI. Butler of Massachusetts, asked Mr..
Garfield how much he believed the estimates
would lie reduced if they. had been properly
made up to carry out existing laws?
Mr. Garfield said that it was impossible for
nltn TO answer that question at this stage of
the session. He only knew that in the report
u the Secretary of the Treasury aud in the
rresidents message, reference was made to
the TACT that large number of public build
lngs had been authorized by the last Congress
on which work had not yet begun. 1t had been
suggested that work might be suspended or
aather might not be begun and consequently
tnree or four million dollars might be covered
back into the treasury.
1t was so perhaps in regard to Notifications,
1ivers, harbors, etc. He was able to see a
number of places where reduction could be
made without damage to the public service in
tne expenses for the current year, and still
more, he should think. in estimates for next
year. The House would notice that the total
estimates Tor the next fiscal year were $319,
100000. being about $751; 900 more than the
estimates of last year.
Mr. Dawes thought it hardly possible to cut
down the estimates to limit of forty or forty
two million dollars, which was required.
Mr. Dawes said that economy is incum brent
upon every branch of the public service and be-
lieved all departments desired to cooperate with
committees IN reducing themselves to rigid
economy before any taxation was revised
Taxation should not be resorted to until every
redundant expenditure was cut off
Mr.. Cox said there was great apprehension
throughout the country on the question of ad-
d:tional taxation, and thought there should be
some definite statement as to articles to be
taxed and at what rate
Mr.. Dawes said the letter from the Secretary
OF the Treasury recommended an increase tax
on whiskey and all whiskey stills in the coun-
try would be Immediately lighted up in conse-
quence
Mr.. Butler contended that if tax was to be
put on whiskey. tobacco, tea and coffee. it
should be done instantly If it was expected to
yield any revenue, as those articles would be
forced in such hands as to escape taxation. He
dld no not believe there could be reduction of
$0,OOOO0 OF estimates, and if we wait for that
1t will be too late for any tffectual taxation.
He wondered why the suggestion had not been
made to the committee to reduce the interest
on the public debt by substituting non payment
notes for high paying interest bonds, which are
abroad in Europe. This would give relief IN
variety ways, and he thought people demand
such measure Instead of paying here aud
there to save a few millions. and then attempt
a fru,tless taxation. Any idea of substituting
specie payment for currency. is delusion and
a snare. There never was specie payment in
any country and there never would be- He
would prefer to hear from Ways and Means
another measure of relief by loan by low rate
rate OF Interest convert bic into 2reenbackS
Mr.. Dawes believed the people would call on
them to pare down the expenditure before any
new loan would he sanctioned to meet
current expenses and such measure would
be fatal blow to our credit abroad
If he (Dawes,) could have his owl way, he
would put the knife into the estimates till he
cut them down to the actual expenditures, and
he thought his colleague had better join him
even IL the picayune policy of cutting down ex-
pendtures before proclaiming that we are COM
PEELED to borrow money to pay the interest on
our bonds abroad
Mr.. Butler said he would go as far as Mr.
Dawes in cutting down expenditures, bnt the
holding open the question of taxation while so
cutting down was simply putting into the hands
OF importers and manufacturers all the taxes
which may be pnt on without the government
or people deriving any advantage. AS to our
credit in Europe, we have had too much of it,
So much we send S125, 200. 900 gold annually to
pay interest on it. The quicker they stop tax
ing our bonds the better
MIR. Garfeld's resolution was adopted
A resolution was adopted to adjourn from
the 18th inst. to the 9th of January
Mr.. Kelley of Pennsylvania, offered reso-
luton that it is the sense of the House that
taxes should not be increased but that mean,
for the support of the be obtained by loans
bearing low interest in currency, rodeemabe in
United States notes.
Mr.. Dawes objected
MI. Kelley moved to suspend the rules.
Mr.. Wheeler of New York, moved to adjourn,
Carried, yeas 119, nays ia.