Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1875-02-12
The Minority Report Against Pinch
backs Admission TO q Seat
In the Senate.
The Discussion OF the Government for
the District OF Columbia, and
Resulting Votes.
Mr.. Dawes's Last Speech In the House,
on the Tariff Bill
Etc, Etc.
HOUSE.

WASHINGTON, February ll.-Ine
consideration of the pOstOfiice appro-
priation bill was resumed in committee
Of the whole, the question being on an
amendment to allow tranGmission Of
public documents and seeds from the
agricultural department to pass free
through the mails. Several speeches
have been made on the subject nearly all
of them in favor Of the amendment.
Finally the house in committee Of the
whole, by a vote Of ninety-seven to
seventy-five agreed to the amendment
providing for free transmission of docu-
ments and seeds through the mails.
The Democrats and Republicans voted
for the amendment.
The house then went into q commit
tee of the whole, Mr.. Hale Me. in the
chair, on the tariff bill entitled "a bill
further to protect the sinking fund, and
to provide for the exigencies of the gov
eminent"
Mr.. Dawes, chairman of the commit
tee on ways and means, addressed the
house in support of the bill. He re-
minded the house that exactly year
ago he had endeavored to show tn at
there was no necessity for increased
taxation, but now he would endeavOr to
creased taxation, as he had since be-
lieved at that time that the government
could get along without resorting to that
most unwelcome of measures for the
purpose Of making the receipts and eX-
penses of the government meet, so be
was with some sincerity now compelled
to urge on the house that there was no
other practical method of doing so than
by resorting to taxation. His sincerity
was not diminished by the reflection
that in the course of events this was the
last time he would address the house
on any such subject. There had then
been two grounds on which he had
hoped to avoid the necessity Of increased
taxation. These were a conf
dent hope that there would
be a general revival of business
and that there would be a reduction of
expense. The estimate of total receipts
of the government for that year was at
that time $2S1, III, 922, and it was ex-
pected that out of that amount some
where about 5000, 900 could be applied
to the sinking fund. The actual receipts
for that year were $2S4 600 900, but there
was surplus of only 81, 344 .882 over and
above the current expenses OF the gov
eminent. Last December the secretary
of the treasury estimated the receipts
and expenses for the fiscal year to be
such that there would be surplus of
So, 900, 600 to be applied to the sinking
fund. But in reality the actual receipts
since that report was made were more
widely different from the estimates than
they had been during any year for the
last five years. The actual receipts had
fallen far short of the estimates for some
causes not quite understood by those
who made finance a study. Receipts
from customs had begun to fall of, and
had fallen off to the extent of
S68, 900, 600, or about 100000 a day,
If that falling off continued during
the year there would be a deficit OF
S35, ,OO0, 900. He made a ststement of
the comparative receipts and expenses
of the government since 1870, as follows:
1870, receipts, $411 100000 expendi-
lures, $3O9, 600, 900; 1871, receipts, $685.
600, 900; expenditures, 1904, ,000, 600; 1872,
receipts, 374,000,000; expenditures,
S277, 200, 900; 1873, receipts, 1888, COG, 600;
expenditures, $3.50, 100000; 1874, re-
ceipts, $289, 900, 600; expenditures, $751;
100000. The receipts for the first seven
months of the last fiscal year were
Sl68, 600, 600, and for the corresponding
seven months Of this year, $l65, 600, 900,
being a falling Off of s., 100000.
Mr.. Garfield [Ohiol inquired whether
the decrease had reached the bottom, or
whether the receipts were still falling
behind.
Mr.. Dawes replied that up to the
twentieth of December tine receipts
came very near the estimates. From
that day to the first of January they had
fallen off very seriously. For three or
four days after that they had recuper-
ated, and had even gone few hum
dred dollars beyond the estimates,
then they had hegun to fall back again;
so that there had been falling off since
December Goth of from $3, SOC, 900 to $4,-
600, 600, and yet the best statement the
secretary Of the treasury could make was
in regard to the receipts. The reduction
of the expenditures was the work OF con-
gress. The reduction of the receipts was
not the work OF congress, but the work
of those influences on trade and business
over which congress did not assume to
exercise control.
Mr.. Butler Mass. asked Mr.. Dawes
whether the falling off was in customs
revenue or internal revenue.
Mr.. Dawes replied that the falling off
of internal revenue was much less than
in customs. The last report shows that
receipts from internal revenue had gone
beyond the estimates of the treasury de-
partment, SO that whatever evidence of
internal prosperity that fact supplied,
the condition of the country was more
gratifying than it would otherwise have
been. He then proceeded to comment
on the failure of the treasury depart
- Iut ri,,p,
one per cent. of the receipts from Gus
toms to be applied to the sinking fund,
so that instead OF. S4l7, $50, ,056 being ap-
piled to it, there had only been Sl4l,-
100000 paid into it.
Mr.. Niblack inquired whether the re-
duction Of the public debt by the pur-
chase of bonds was not an equitable
compliance with the law.
Mr.. Dawes replied, that the law
as to fund, was so explicit, that every
year so much should be paid, but
that even the construction of the law as
suggested, would not relieve the gov
eminent from its obligations to the
sinking fund, because all the bonds pur.
chased, including those charged to the
sinking fund, amounted to only $685.
253. 500, against S417, ,556, ,056, which
should have been applied to the sinking
fund.
Mr.. Beck asked Mr.. Dawes whether
he had official information to that
effect.
Mr.. Dawes replied, he had, that is
from official sources.
Mr..Beck intimated that besides the
amount mentioned by Mr.. Dawes there
had been over S40O, 900, 600 OF the public
debt redeemed and cancelled in the shape
of seven-twenty bonds and three per
cent certificates.
Mr.. Dawes-I mean the reduction of
the bonded debt, the entire reduction Of
which is 1881, ,467, ,0S7.
Mr.. Niblack agreed with Mr.. Dawes
that the purchase of bonds was no
compliance with the law as to the sink
ing fund, and that that law had been
persistently disregardeG until this time,
and he asked what explanation Mr..
Dawes could give OF that non-cOmpli-
ance with the law. He himself had
been utterly astounded when he had
come to look into it and to see how the
faith of the government had been in-
directly violated in q matter which was
regarded by foreigners as essential to
public faith and honor.
Mr.. Dawes stated that Secretary
Boutwell, had every year during his
administration set apart ior the
sinking fund every dollar which the law