Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-03-11

suffer VI nstSS-, WIS ltJCSOCus ~ VIZ WI
yhelming majority of 1874 to 45. The
question then required on the passage OF
he bill as originally reported, and the bill
vas rejected, Ill to 120. The Vermont
Members all voted against the bill.
Mr.. Garfield replied to the late speech
Of Mr.. Dawes. He said the question was
what deficit was there and what ough'
Congress to do inthe premises. He believed
he revival of business and the restoration
lof public confidence would enable the gov
eminent 70 go through this year and next
year without additional taxation, but il
not. and, in spite of all the efforts to bring
down the expenditures to the basis indicat
ed. Congress- found it necessary to tax, he
had nodoubt this Congress would stand
ND malfully and restore the taxes where
they hid been cut down. He did not be-
| lievc hat would be necessary, but thought
that when they met next session. there
wouIl be no deficit, but Il reasonable sur
lplus
FRIDAY Senate. Mr.. Ramsey of Min
nesota, called up the resolution introduced
by him on Wednesday in regard to cheap
trans portation, and addressed the Senate
in its favor. He said the annual product
of Minnesota was over 22,000,0 900 bushels
of wheat upon which the average freight
to New York was about fiftyseven cents
per bushel in the winter, and forty cents
in the summer. If grain could be moved at
half these rates it would add nearly SO, OO0.-
900 to the annual income of ESTATE. The
sane might he said in regard to all the
states of the Mississippi valley. There
wec three practical ways of doing this
| Fist by improving the navigation of the
Mssiss, pi river. from the falls of St. An
tbnv to the gulf of Mexico, which could
b. easily and cheaply done, first, by dam
ming up the waters in the lakes of upper
Minnesota and storing it for dry seasons,
and so obtaining a uniform depth of five
feet for the upper Mississippi; second, by
continuing the other improvements, now
under way, and third, by deepening the
channel between New Orleans and the
gulf. These would give cheap freight by
barges to New Orleans and by steamers
to Europe. Second, by deepening the
channels between the lakes. and for which
but II small appropriation from the United
States would be required, as Canada would
/ do the rest, and then, under Il reciprocity
treaty, our ships could be loaded ut Duluth
1 for Liverpool, and so have two competing
water ways Third, all the western states
are not so f;ivorably situated rs Minnesota,
with two water routes to Europe. The
western states want, and must have, an
| all rail route for freight. The constitu-
tional right of Congress to charter and aid
such Il work is undOubted. Each state sur
rendered to Congress the right to regulate
/ Interstate commerce. and thus Congress
obtained the right, absolutely necessary TO
the prosperity of every western state, to
regulate Interstate commerce IN us COM
pletc Il manner rs state can regulate
commerce within its own limits. Our
present system of railroads was adapted
for Il day of small things, when wheat was
/ imported into Minnesota. a mere lnspec-
ton of the map shows the western roads
radiating from two or three great ccnterS,
and the hundreds of western roads now
open have only some four trunk lines. that
were in operation twenty Years ago, when
they had only million bushels of grain,
whereas now we must provide for hun
dredS of millions of bushels. We need
reforms in the present roads. and double
track freight railroad chartered and con-
trolled by Congress, with maximum rate
of six mills ton per mile. This was
practicable. and, with such road compet-
I'M with the Waterways by the Mississippi
river and by the lakes, would give the
West what alone should SUPPLY access to
the markets of the world for the products
of her fields, which are now rotting in her
granaries or are burned for fuel
Mr.. Sumner made a strong speech
! against giving =. 900, 900 to the centennial
exposition. and the amendment was de-
feated Il to So The bill was referred to u
committee, and rs referred simply invites
the governors of the States to take part in
a national exhibition.
Tho liquor commission bill passed y
to u.
Be it enacted. etc, that there shall be
appointed by the president, by and witt
the advice ANA consent Of the Senate, I
commission of five persons. neither o
whom shall be the holder of any office o
profit OF trust in the general or state GOV
crnment The said commission shall be
selected solely with reference to persona
fitness, and capacity for IN honest, impair
tial and thorough investigation, and shall
hold office until their duties shall be nc
complished, but not to exceed one year
1t shall bc their duty to investigate the
alcoholic liquor traffic and manufacture
having special reference to the revenue
and taxation, distinguishing. rs far a> pos
sibe, in the conclusions they arrive at, be
tween the effects produced by the use o
distilled or spirltuOus, us distinguished
from the use of fermented or malt. liquors
in their economic, criminal, moral and sci
entifc aspects. in connection with pauper
ism, crime. vice, the public health, ant
general welfare of the people: also, to in
Quirc and take testimony as to the practical
results of license and restrictive legisla
ton for the prevention of intemperancc IL
the several states. and the effect produced
by such legislation upon the consumption
of distilled or spirituous liquors. and o
fermented or malt liquors; also to ascer
tain whether the evil of drunkenness IN,
been increased or decreased thereby
whether the use of opium, as Il stimulan
and substitute for alcoholic drink has be
. come general in consequence of such leg
, islation, and whether public morals have
, been impaired thereby. 1t shall also b,
the duty of said commission to gather in
formation and take testimony as TO whethe
the evil of drunkenness exists to the sam,
extent, or more so, in other civilized coun
tries, and whether those foreign nations
that are considered most temperate in th'
, use of stimulants are so through prohibi
tory laws; also to what degree prOhibitor,
legislation has affected the consumption
and manufacture of malt and spirituou
liquors in this country.
Section , provides that the commission
ers, all of whom shall not be advocates o
prohibitory legislation or total abstinenc
in relation to alcoholic or fermente(
!, liquors, shall serve without salary, ant
I shall have authority TO employ a secretar.
Q at Il reasonable compensation, not to ex
coed $1,000 per annum, which, with th
necessary expenses incidental to such in
5 vestigation, not exceeding $4,000 for bot
the secretary and commissioners, shall b
paid out Of any money in the treasury nc
! otherwise appropriated, upon vouchers, t
i be approved by the secretary of the treas
ury; and for this purpose the sum of $40,
900 is hereby appropriated. 1t shall b
: the further duty of said commissioners
; report the result of their investigation
: and the expenses attending the same. t