New-York tribune., 1874-06-02
not to escape with simple censure but that grave
punishment should be meted out to it.
CURRENT TOPICS AT THE CAPITAL.
iIMPORTANT PACIFIC RAILROAD LEGISLATION.


WASHINGTON. Monday, June 1, 1874
very important bill was that which passed the
House to-day from the Committee on the Pacihc
Railroad, providing for the collection of money due
the United States from the Pacific Railroad Com
panies The bill, should it become law, 1t is sad
will bear so heavily on the Union Pacific Railroad as
to cripple it almost wholly. The old argument Is
made by the friends of these roads that it is the
policy of the Government to foster and protect these
great enterprises, even to the injury and loss
of the Government itself The vote of the
House to-day, which was almost unanimous indi-
Gated that the Government had done quite enough
for the Pacific roads. and that it is about time they
should begin to carry out their agreements with the
Government. The following is the bill as passed:
BE ii enacted &C., That the Secretary of the Treas
ury be and hereby is directed to require payment of
the Pacific Railroad Companies of all sums of money
due the United States for the 5per centum OF the
net earnings provided by Section of the act entitled
AN act to aid in the construction of a rail-
road and telegraph line from the Missouri
River to the Pacific Ocean. and to secure to the
Government the of the same for postal military,
and other purposes, approved July l, 1867; anu In
case either of said railroad companies shall neglect
or refuse to pay the same within reasonable tlme
after demand therefor, made upon the treasurer e1
such railroad company, the Secretary OF the Treas
shall certify that fact to the Attorney General,
who shall thereupon institute the necessary SUITS
and proceedings to collect the same in the proper
Circuit Courts of the United States. and prosecute
the same with all convenient dispatch to final de-
termination.
THE BANK NOTE PRINTING INVESTIGATION.
The Committee on Banking and Currency to-day
resumed the consideration of the printing ques-
tion. The counsel for the New-York bank note
printing companies did not charge fraud against the
Government Printing Bureau. but that the work had
been done at cxtravagaDt rates The cost of print
ing for the wear 1873 was stated in the of Mr.
McCartee at Sl365,O00, while the books of the
Treasurer showed S34S,000 beside, not specih-
cay accounted for by vouchers as to whom
the money had been paid. Assistant secre-
tary Sawyer said the Treasury Depart
ment had furnished an account when
counsel on the other side had pronounced untrue,
but the account true, and represented the entire
amount expended by the Bureau. 1t would take
months to copy all the vouchers and papers desired,
but subcommittee could be appointed, and by per-
sonal examination satisfy the Committee of the facts
as stated in the report The representatives OF the
Bureau explained that the S34S0O0 alluded to by
counsel for the bank-note printing compa-
mes should be deducted from instead OF
added to the Sl,9s50O0, to give the actual sum
for printing notes and other securities, the SSiSoO
being appropriated and expended for lnternal reve-
nue. stamps irrespective of other work. during the
examination it was shown by the Prlnting bureau,
in explanation of an apparent inconsistency III the
size of the paper used for printing the hlty-cene
fractional currency, that the size of the paper was
regulated by the size of the plate which controls te
price of the printing and this rule governed all the
amounts paid for the execution OF the work.
PROPOSED ESTABLISHMENT OF A BUREAU OF
INTERNAL COMMERCE..
The bill reported by Mr.. Window, from the Trans
portation Committee, substitute for the bill
recently introduced by him to establish Bureau of
Internal Commerce. provides that there shall be
established in the Treasury Department Bureau OF
Commerce in which shall be merged the existing
Bureau of Statistics. The new bureau is to be in
charge of Commissioner of Commerce, appointed
by the President and confirmed by the Senate and
Its duties will include the collection of statistics
and facts relating to foreign and domestic
commerce, the cost, operations, management,
and charges of railroads. and accounts
and retnrns as to tonnage registration, enrolment,
and licensing of vessels. The bill also requires all
persons and corporations engaged IN Interstate
transportation of freight and passengers, to make
sworn reports to the Chief OF tho Bureau annually
i'm regard to the cost, amount of business rates OF
freight and passage, and generally 10 1urnlsh iun
details of the condition ana ooerations Oh the,a t
bill would be to abolish the Bureau OF STATISTICS re.
lieve the Register of the Treasury of many OF his
present duties and transfer the work to the new
bureau with certain other duties, such as gathering
railroad statistics. &c., speclhed IN the Dil.
THE TARIFF BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE.
II became evident to Mr.. Dawes that if his small
Tariff bill was considered by detail in Committee of
the Whole it would be long time before it would
Get out of his hands He said to-day that the bill
was in no sense intended to make any revision of the
tariff or revenue laws, but simply to correct mis-
takes which had been shown to exist. There had
also been some abuses which could not have been
foreseen The Chairman said his Committee had
instructed him to report the bill with all the amend
ments made in Committee of the Whole and ask Tor
suspenson of the rules and tho passage of the bill
without further debate. very important amend
mept to the bill was offered by Mr.. Starkweather and
adopted without division, being OF peculiar IN
terest in every large city in the country and among
all dealers in stocks. bonds, DC. The amendment
provides for the taxation of all gold, silver Dulnon.
or stock sales one twentieth of one per cent III Is
estimated that this tax will bring the Treasury
YEARLY from Sl0,OO0,0O0 to $50 100000. 1t was not
thought that the bill would get the two-thirds vote
reGuired for its passage but the vote. was sur
prisngly large-Yeas, III Nays, 49, Another effort,
on the motion of Gen. Hurlbut OF Illinois. was
made today for the reGnactment OF the income tax
Int failed so hopelessly that it had not even enough
supporters to call the roll.
APPROPRIATIONS FOR PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
The House Committee on Appropriations to-day
agreed to insert sundry civil appropriation bills
the following amounts for public buildings at the
nlaees named: Boston Post-Ofice, $3.50 O27 Boston
Custom house, So, Chicago, $75O,oOo; Cincin
natl. 100000; Evansville Ind $4,000; Hartford,
s15oOOO; Memphis, $4,000; New-Orleans, Sl9l .OOO
New-York. S1,S44,9O7; Omaha, $1,000: Portland
So 600; Philadelphia. $75OOOO; St. Louis, $4,000 !;
California sls3,742; wHaven, $40 Knoxville,
$4,000; State, War, and Navy Department build
inps, Washington. $4,000; Milwaukee, S38. .453.
There are also several appropriations for the South
About S7OOOOOO in all are proposed for public build
ings and for general repairs, 100000. Some Of
red and ninety-twO Thousand six hunde and eighty
dollars are inserted for the survey of the boundaries
of the Indian reservations and 81 332 $50 for tho