Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-03-03

the ground that the information was al
ready before committee of the House.
Mr.. Speer denied that that was so, and
said the House and the country wanted the
information.
The House refused TO second the motion,
% to 81, and the resolution was not re-
eeiyed.
Mr.. Niblack offered a resolution de-
elaring it TO be the sense of the House that
any scheme for the improvement of the
finances of the country will be unsatisfactory
and incomplete which shall not embrace
revision of the tariff and internal revenue,
and for the emancipation of commerce from
all unnecessary restrictions; and instructing
the Committee on Ways and Means to en-
ter upon and proceed with such revision
Of the tariff.
Referred to the Committee on Ways and
Means.
Mr.. Senor offered a resolution authoriz-
ingthe Committee ON Contingent Expenses
Of the Department Of Justice to send for
persons and papers and to take testimony
IN reference to expenditures in the western
district of Arkansas. Adopted.
An Attempt TO Answer Dawes.
The House then went into a Committee
Of the Whole, Mr.. Hurlbut in the chair,
the special order being bills to repeal the
tax on matches and bank checks and was
addressed by E. II. Roberts against them.
He replied to the speech of Mr.. Dawes in
the opening debate ON these bills. He
argued that to estimate the revenue which
the Secretary of the Treasury had made for
1ST3-T4 ought TO be added from five to
eight millions from customs and from ten
TO twelve millions from internal revenue,
an increase arising from an improved con-
dition Of trade, so that instead OF the re-
ceipts being S271, 100000, as estimated by
the Secretary they would not be far from
S2SS, 100000. This prediction was based
on returns made since the date Of the Sec
retary's report. On the other hand ne felt
justified in stating that the expenditures
for this fiscal year could not overTun that
statement of receipts. The actual expen-
ditures for the seven months ending the
3lst of January exclusive of interest and
the banking fund, had been as fallows for
| the last three years: The seven months
ending January, 1872, Sl79,0OO,OO0; 1873,
S175, 100000; 1874, $1T7,000,OO0; this
| last figure, however, embraced
| expenditures made necessary in
connection with the threatened troubles in
| Cuba. Leaving those out, the expendi-
lures for the seven months up to January,
| 1874, were less than those Of the preceding
year by s., ,440634, and the figures for Feb
ruary showed further difference in favor
of this year. He was therefore justified in
concluding that the expenditures for 1873
| IA would not exceed those Of 1S72-'73, as
had been alleged by Mr.. Dawes. The gen.
tlemen had Grated a false impression in
Congress and the country, in stating that
under the circumstances the expenditures
for this year would be 1885,, ,000,O00 Even
adding the expenditures of -, 1000, 600 made
in connection with the alarm about TIE
Spanish troubles, the excess of this years
| expenditures over last years was less than
S2,0O0,0O0. He asserted that the receipts
from revenue for the current fiscal yeaI
| would more than meet all the demands fOl
ordinary expenditures, and that therefore
they might congratulate themselves that
the Treasury would not 90 TO protest. The
| expenditures for February of this veal
were less than for February Of last year
while there had been in the month just
past a reduction Of the public debt TO th5
amount Of S2,Jg0,000, so that they wert
| approaching the next fiscal yea
| with an improving Treasury ant
with every indication that the Treasury
would be measured by the amount of rev
enue that was out. lie asserted that tbs
actual condition Of the country was tha
the revenues were improving, and thai
Congress was doing its duty in enforcing
retrenchment. He didn't believe il wise L
be meddling all the time with the tax laws
The people should have some little time L
become familiar with what was requires
from them. The internal revenue system
was working better now than ever before
and even vet it was a source of annOyin.
legislation. The least that the cOuntT7
could ask of Congress was that there SHOULD
be do unnecessary changes in the tax laws
1t was not now the time TO turn back oil
the policy Of retrenchment and the steadI
payment of the public debt. Nor was i
the time 20 increase taxation. He aSserte,
that the present revenues Of the tOuntr.
were abundant to protect the credit OF tn,
country. They should therefore neithe
increase the taxes nor abolish those whicl
were collected without unnecessary bur
dens.
No Response Allowed
Mr.. Wood obtained the floor and com
menccd.
Mr.. Kelley moved to set apart next Sat
urday for the continuation Of debate OF
these tax bills. Agreed to.
The Direct War Tax.
Mr.. Maynard introduced bill 10 collec
the unpaid direct tax. Referred.
House adjourned.