New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-06-18
CURRENT TOPICS AT THE CAPITAL.
SUCCESSFUL LOBBYING FOR THE NORTHERN
PACIFIC RAILROAD COMPANY.

PAClFlC RAlLKOAD COMfANl.
WASHINGTON, Wednesday. June II, 1874
The railroad lobby, headed by Bill King, ex-Post
master of the House of Representatives, appeared
on the floor of the Senate to-day in violation of its
rules and pushed through bill for the benefit of
the Northern Pacific Company. BY an amendment
to an appropriation bill passed in 1870 the Secre-
tary of the Interior was directed to issue the
patents for none of the lands earned by
this company by the construction Of its
line until it should have paid to the United States
the cost of surveying and conveying the lands. This
would seem to be q very moderate requirement. Ii
the lands in question are salable, and now In de-
mand the Company will of course be able to pay
the costs of the surveys out OF the proceeds OF the
lands. If they worthless. out of the market,
the road is not likely at present to accept the pat
ents since the title will subject them to state
and local taxation, which the Company escapes the
payment of until the patents are issued. If this bill
passes the House, and it becomes law, no one can
tell where legislation of this kind will end. All
other land grant companies have been required to
pay the cost of the surveys of the lands they have
become entitled TO- and they will all be here on the
first day of the next session of Congress, asking
not only that they be relieved from the further pay
ment of such expense. but that they also have
refunded to them all sums heretofore pad on such
account, The amount of land already earned by
the Northern Pacific Company is stated at about
100000 acres and the cost OF surveying has been
several hundred thousand dollars.
THE SENATE PASSES THE BILL FOR THE RELIEF
OF SAVINGS BANKS.
The Savings Bank bill, in which great interest
is felt in New England New York, and Pennsylvania,
was passed by the Senate to-day, and only requires
the Presidents signature to become law. This
bill relieves all savings banks from the tax on
surplus dividends. Various Commissioners of
Internal Revenue have ruled differently In
regard to the law in this regard. Commits
soner Douglass held that the banks were
bound to pay this tax and brought suit against the
Dollar Savings Bank of Philadelphia. This suit was
carried to the Supreme Court of the Tinted States
and not only decided in favor of the United States
but the Court further held that as no statute of
limitation runs against the United States, the Gov
eminent could recover the amount of the tax for
any former year, whether it had been assessed or
not. This decision workedl great hard
ship to many Savings Banks especially
those which had paid out their surplus dividends to
their deposlOrs. since ill the anountO be
recovered from single bank was as gTea, as o4 s
the payment OF the tax and stops the suits TO re-
cover the amount due from 1864 to 1871. The officers
of the Atlantic Savings Bank OF WORK nave
been prominent in urging the passage OF this Dill.
AMENDMENTS TO THE TARIFF BILL.
Committee in the following particulars:
The act is to take effect the LIST OF july 1874 The
words n value inserted in the silk section TO de-
termne the dutiabe rate OF silk mixed goods. The
duty on still wines made 40 cents per gallon in casks
and 81 co per in The two per cent allow
ance for breakage and leakage is stricken out hops
stricken out leaving the duty at the rates. chro
mate and b-chromate OF possa cents per pound in
stead Of A. as fixed by the House; macaron and YER
mice cents per pouun instead OF and 6; tin plates
lilo cents instead of II cents per pound The pro-
vision permitting the return Of empty grain bags free
of duty stricken out Peas exclusively for seed pur
poses and quicksilver stricken from the free list.
The Committee Finance propose to strike out the
section allowing growers OF tobacco to sell 500 worth
year directly to without paying the also
the section taxing onewentieth OF per cent all sales
of CON- stocks, bonds, bullion, &c.
REPORTED AGREEMENT UPON NEW CURRENCY
BILL
The second Conference Committee on the Currency
bill have substantially agreed to report, although
formal vote will not be taken until tomorrow.
The bill to be reported will fix the maximum green
back circulation at 1882 OO0 abolish the reserve
ON National bank circulation require the banks to
keep per cent of their on deposit in the
Treasury for purposes Of redemption and will pro-
vide for the withdrawal of S550OO 900 Of National
banL currency from the States which now have an
excess and its redistribution to the States that have
less than their quota. 1t is expected that this bill
will pass both Houses and receive the signature OF
the President
WASHINGTON NOTES.