New-York tribune., 1875-02-24
WASHINGTON.
PASSAGE OF THE TAX AND TARIFF BILL

| PASSAGE OF THE TAX AND TARIFF BILL.
orPoNEyrs LOAD THE BILL WITH AMENDMENTS
DEVICES OF Mr.. DAWES TO THROW OFF TIE
LOAD-HE SUBSTITUTES FRESH BILL WITHOUT
| NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. PROFITS OF WHISKY
AND TOBACCO DEALERS
IBr TELEGRAPH TO TIE TRmUyE
| WASHINGTON. Feb. 23.-The contest in the House
to-day over the Tax bill was a very exciting one.
AS long as the range of subjects which, under the
rules, might be embraced in amendments were lin
tied by the several sections of the bill as reported
by the Committee, Mr.. Dawes was able to keep the
matter well in hand and to preserve the bill from
any very material changes at least from changes
which greatly weakened it. But when the bill had
been read through and any amendments for the
purpose OF imposing taxes or fixing tariffs on
imported goods became in order, the enemies
of the bill got it away from the Chairman of
Ways and Means and loaded it down with so many
riders which the demagogues cared not to vote
against, and which everybody knew were fatal to
the bill itself, that finally, in sheer despair, Mr.
Dawes himself moved to strike out the enacting
| clause in order to recover control OF the bill.
! Among the amendments which the enemies Of the
| bill succeeded in saddling upon it, the following
were among the most important: One reviving the
| income tax; one preventing the appointment of
men to be revenue officers who are nom
residents of the State where their duties are
to be performed one imposing a tariff
on imported mineral waters, and one
taxing sales of stocks and bonds. Having cut the
head off of the bill, Mr.. Dawes next attempted to
| have it recommitted to the Committee of Ways
and Means, with instructions to report it back with
the tax on whisky fixed at 90 cents gallon, and
with the other sections of the original bill as they
had been agreed to in Committee of the Whole.
rntOn haya haap 1nno lint tvuoa nlain al
that when it was again reported to the Committee
of the Whole it would still be open to amendment
| and might again be loaded down as it had been to-
| day. Mr.. Dawes then allowed further amend
ments to be offered and when the opponents
| of the bill exhausted themselves he took
advantage of the occasion and moved the billas he
desired TO have it substitute for the overloaded
concern then before the Committee. This device
proved to be success, for the Committee soon rose
and reported the bill TO the House, and it was
passed before the adjournment. The Representa-
tves Of districts where whisky and tobacco are
produced Of course voted pretty solidly against
the bill, although in the form it passed the
whisky and tobacco manufacturers will be
very little injured by it, as it is proposed to levy no
additional tax on whisky or tobacco already manu-
factured, tobacco yet to be manufactured for
the delivery of which contract in writing has
and those who have contracted to buy tobacco WILL
if this bill passes the Senate as it leaves the House.
make clear profit equal to the increased tax.
WORK ACCOMPLISHED BY THE SENATE.
DISAPPOINTMENT OF THE PACIFIC MAIL LOBBY AT
TIE REPORT OF THE SENATE JUDICIARY COMMIT
TEE-EFFECT OF THE REPORT ON SENATE VOTES
PASSAGE OF APPROPRIATION BILLS.
lBY TELEGRAPH THE TRIBUNEl
WASHINGTON Feb. 2S.-Whcn the report of the
Judiciary Committee was submitted to the Senate
this morning, declaring that the contract for the
additional subsidy with the Pacific Mail Company
was not legally binding upon the Government. the
faces of the lobby lost the air Of triumph mani
tested last night and carly this morning. feeble
effort was made to appeal to the patriotism of
tho Senators by references to the American flag
floating upon the Pacific Ocean and to apostrophize
John Roach as the great public benefactor; but
such buncombe was utterly ineffective. More en-
thusiasm was aroused by Mr.. McCreery, who, In
three minutes Speech handled the subject without
gloves calling q spade spade, and resting his OBJ
iections to the subsidy the fraudulent manner in
which it was secured. The opinion of the Judiciary
Committee earned great weight with it, especially
with those who were Of the opinion that the con-
tract, If legally made, was binding, whatever the
means used to obtain it, and its effect was speedily
The eleven who voted in favor Of the continuance
of the subsidy were Messrs Cameron Conover,
Cragn, Flanagan, Frelinghuysen, Mitchell, Morton.
Patterson, Pease, Sargent, and Spraguc. All the
Democrats voted solidy against 10.
Immediately upon the passage of the Post Office
Appropriation bill. the Army bill was taken up, and
after careful consideration passed at p m. In
the course of the debate upon the latter BILL Mr.
West offered most remarkable amendment-that
the Quartermaster-G General should be granted an
appropriation of some millions Of dollars in the
lump leaving its distribution entirely in his hands,
All the appropriation bills passed by the House
have now been disposed of by the Senate, and the
Civil Rights bill or the case Of Mr.. Pinchback may
prove to be in order at any time. The bill for the
admission of Colorado as State was. however.
taken up 10. night, and will be considered to-
morrow.
ADVERSE REPORT ON PACIFIC MAIL SUB
SIDY.
OPINION FROM THE SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE
NO ACT OF THE PosTMAsTER-G GENERAL COULD
RESTORE THE RIGHTS WHICH THE COMPANY Had
FORFEITED.
WASHINGTON, Feb. The report Of the Senate
Judiciary Committee to the legal obligation OF
the Government to carry into effect the contract
with the Pacific Mail Steamship company for the
semi mi-monthly China Mail Service, is signed b.
Senators Edmunds, Carpenter, Wright. Thurman,
and Stevenson. After recting the law of 1872, and
the advertisement. proposals and contracts made in
accordance Herewith, they say:
BIn order to provide for the performance OF THE con-
tract on the part of the United States the act OF March
a. Is?a appropriated the sum Of money netesaary to
make the agreed payments from the date 4, which the
ateamship company to provide the stipulated ships
and the carving the mails ureer the contract
namely l. 1sa to the close OF tho nsca year ending
Juno 60 1874, being t375OO0. The steamship company
did not furnish ships and did not begin the service
required by act Of June 1872 and the contract and