The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-01-28
WASHINGTON.
Collapse of the Cotton Tax Re-
funding Scheme.
ABOLITION OF THE FRANKING PRIVILEGE.
A Desperate Attempt to Dispense with
the Services Of Pub. Doc.
THE CASE OF PHELPS, DODGE & co.
The Pacific Railroads to Pay the Interest on
Their Bonds and Five Per Cent.
NOMINATIONS CONFIRMED.
FarnsWOrth'S New Postal Law In
tr0duced in the House.
Cornell and the SURVEYOR
ship Of the Port.
NOMINATIONS CONFIRMED.
Farnsw0rth's New Postal Law In
trOduced in the House.
Cornell and the SURVEYOR
ship Of the Port.
Singular Provision Of the Navigation Laws
Bogus Revenue Agents in North Carolina
Report Of the Attorney General-Wilson
and the Massachusetts Senatorship.


WASHINGTON, Jan. q, 1878.
First Blow mt the Union Pacific Ring
Edmunds' Amendment Passed.
Victory at lastl The war against the Pacific Rail-
road ring, so increasingly waged in the HERALD,
has to-day produced it's fruits in the Senate, where
the Edmunds amendment directing the Secretary
of the Treasury to retain the entire amount of &C
counts for freight and transportation, and apply it
to the payment of interest on bonds, subject to ju
dicial decision, was passed. Aney, Ames. Williams,
Rollins and other agents OF the Union Pacific who
have in years past beseeched Senators not to ruin
them when this question came up had other fish
to fry to-day. But the lobbyists Of the Central
Pacific were out in force. Stewart tried to plead
Tor the roads, but the sad shade of Colfaxs face,
he had called the Senate to order, had its effect,
and the disgrace inflicted upon the body by Patter-
son added to the Indignation against the roads.
Edmunds was not to be bluned or beguiled and he
carried his amendment with only four dissenting
votes, viz :-Hamlin and Morrill, OF Maine; Sprague,
Of Rhode Island and Trumbull, Of Illinois.
Defeat OF the Cotton Tax Rounding
JOb-Thc Franking Privilege Abolished
ut Last-Attempt to Repeal the Law
Providing for the Printing Of Public
Documents.
When the matter Of the Cotton Refunding bill
"
was evident by its cold reception that its fate
would be an early and fatal one. This huge job
has been so well aired that very few congressman
would have dared to advocate it, now that every
one is so much on the alert for the abuse Of official
position. Parrot Perez, of Mississippi, made frantic
efforts to get up debate on the subject. He rose
from his seat and gesticulated with all the grace
Of windmill, chattering ouv formulas he had
learned to speak IN favor of this huge scheme to
rob the Treasury The sharp crack Of the Speakers
gavel had to be repeated many times
before Perez could be subdued He
grew red in the face his little eyes
Elared angrily through his glasses, but
hit were not for the movements Of his lips one
could not have told he was talking, SO great was
the uproar. Perez did his best by his employers,
but he might well have risen and shaken
rattlebox to have ratified his ideas on the sub
iect, so transparent was the job. No debate was
Allowed, and the bill was buried by q very large
vote.
The bill to abolish the ranking privilege came
back from the Senate with slight amendment to-
day. There appeared but little open opposition to
the bill, but there was some cunning fencing that
would have met with the support of many, to de-
BtrOy the BILL had not the manGuvre been exposed
by Farnsworth. Several innocent amendments
were proposed to the BILL the effect OF which, Farms
worth said, was only to send the bill back to
the Senate and defeat its passage this session. or
course after that amendments were to be con-
sidered None OF the leaders wanted to be known
rs those who would throw any obstacles in the
way Of this movement OF reform. With compare
lively no talk on the subject, save in the shape Of
afew amendments proposed, the bill was put to a
vote on Its passage. The yeas and nays were
called for the purpose Of allowing patriots to place
themselves on record upon this question for the
benefit of their constituents. The bill was passed
by vote Of 143 to 49,
The abolition OF the ranking privilege would
seem to have been enough reform for one day; but
the next reform sensation was proposed by Sar-
gent. His bill was to repeal the law pro-
viding for the printing of public documents for
distribution by members of Congress. Everybody
looked blank for moment at the presentation OF
this bill, but, the surprise being over many bright
ened up and seemed to catch at the idea with
pleasure. Now that the ranking privilege was
abolished they did not care for public documents
to send the country, to pay postage upon
the average amount sent by each member would
absorb his entire salary. Cox couldn't reconcile
himself to the ldea He to his feet and i'm.
plOringy requested that the bill be allowed to 60
to the Judiciary Committee. He was declared out
OF order and vote was taken at the SUBJ
iect. When the yeas and nays were demanded the
little JOKER now very much in earnest begged for
debate or q committee. He was again squelched.
Upon the viUa vote it was evident that the
House was nearly divided on this reform measure.
The result was ninety-seven affirmative to ninety
three negative showing tnat the bill obtained
snall majority, but lacking the two-thirds vote
under suspension Of the rules was lost.
Beck's New Bill for Rcfunding the Cot
ton Tax.
The Ways and Means Committee gave q final
consideration to-day to the cotton tax refunding
bills and rejected all unanimously. Mr. Beck pre-
sented new bill providing for the reiunding of
the tax paid on the cotton actually exported. Ne
pretends that his scheme would not take more
than five millions out of the Treasury. This seems
however. merely a bait for the House to pass the
bill; for it would not only require an expenditure
Of from twenty-five to thirty millions, but open the
door to the other claimants. The committee con-
sidered Mr.. Beck's bill informally to-day Three of
the members are in favor of it-they are Beck
Kerr and Maynard. Dawes is not opposed 10 the
principle embodied In the bill. but will most prob
ably vote against it on the ground Of inc xpedency.
Ellis II. Roberts, Kelley, Finkelnburg and Burchard
are opposed to the whole scheme. Thus the bill
will most probably be killed.
Wilson Waxed 10 HIS Senatorial Seat.
Wilson sticks like cobblefs wax to bis seat in the
Senate, and continues to differ in opinion with the
men over whose deliberations he is to preside after
the 18th OF March. This is all wrong, and Wilson
should pr0Ht by the examples OF other Senators
who have been elected Vice President and who all
resigned weeks prior to their promotion But
Dawes worked hard for Wilson'S nomination at
Philadelphia, 30 Wilton is putting Off the Senatorial
election in Massachusetts until the Credit
Mobil,er scandal has died out--which is kind
On his part. 10 be sure. 1t is rather dog-in-the