The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1876-02-10
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
A Dull Week in Congress--The West Point
Bill---Mor risons Tariff Bill---Springer's
Constitutional Amendment against Spe-
ciaI LegisIation--The Washington Lobby. |

Bil1---Mor rison's Tariff BilI---Springer's
Constitutional Amendment against Spe-
ciaI Legislation--The Washington Lobby.
[From Our Own Correspondent
WASHINGTON, Feb. 5, 1876.
This has been a dull week In Con-
gross. There has been no Harry with
his beaver on to rise from the ground,
like feathered Mercury, to turn and
wind fiery Pegasus and witch the world
with noble horsemanship. Nothing of
the kind, Shakespeare or no Shakes
peare. No fiery Hotspur of the North,
no infammatory anybody of the South
has pitched into things generally, and
'the t'other side" particularly, for
week. Things have gone on as smoothly
as a river in the dog-days, and men
begin to wonder what got them into
such state of excitement only week or
two ago. In another week or so, when
another flame of debate shall burst forth
and set the House on fire, SO to say,
these same people will wonder how it
all came about that this week they were
so dull and uninterested. It is always
so at this metropolis. 1t is either down
in the depths of dreary dullness or up
to the very top Of excitement. In this
fact may be found the reason that SO
many purely sensational rumors and
stories originate here. Half the time
there is plenty to telegraph about and to
write about, while as to the other
half there is little but routine
matters in Congress or in the
departments. So unconscionable "news-
paper men" (and there are several here)
call upon their imaginations for their
facts, and their imaginations being vivid,
their "news" is uncommonly lively.
The only manufacture which is at all
noted at Washington is the manufacture
of news, as aforesaid. And "there's
millions in it, there's millions in it.
The only bill of general nature passed
| by the House was the Military Academy
Appropriation bill. AS it passed that
body, it is a considerable reduction on
the estimates made by the War Depart
ment and on the expenses of the last
fiscal year. There being wide differ
ence Of opinion as to the propriety of
some of the reductions, it is believed
| the Senate will amend the bill in several
particulars
MIR. MoRRIsoN's TARIFF BILL.
Mr.. Morrison, of Illinois, early in the
week introduced bill greatly changing
the tariff, which is destined to call forth
long and earnest discussion both in Con-
gress and in the country. Mr.. Morri-
SON, as Chairman of the Ways and Means
Committee, is the leader of the House in
measure of this kind, and the policy
which he proposes to adopt is, therefore,
a matter of interest to the whole public.
The bill was referred to his committee,
and will, no doubt, be adopted, substan
TALLY as prepared by him, by the COM
mittee.
The bill is not Sc a sweeping measure.
It does not propose to wipe out the tariff.
| The more important reductions pro-
posed are Pig iron, from 81 to SIS per
ton railroad iron from $14 so $40 per
ton steel from q TO Il cents per pound
the duties on coarse manufactured cot
ton goods are reduced one-half on finer
cotton goods one-ffth on cotton yarns
and thread, 80 per cent; the reduction
on woods and wooden goods is large,
averaging more than 80 per cent. The
free list is considerably extended, among
the more important items being coal and
all articles used in wool manufacture.
Tea and coffee, now on the free list, are
required to pay duty of 10 and 4 cents
per pound respectively.
I may say that the free List embraces
great many articles which produce but
20
or production of which but few persons
are engaged. Throughout the bill Mr..
Morrison has tried to substitute specific
for ad valoren duties. The bill. if
passed, would be a notable simplifcation
of the present tariff, which is the result
of a large number Of acts Of Congress,
passed at different times and under va
rious exigencies, and under which per-
picking questions are constantly arising
to the botheration of merchants and OF
Treasury officials. Its essential idea is
to modify the protective policy and to
make beginning in reducing the tariff
to a revenue basis. Mr.. Morrison and
friends of the bill claim that while
it's effect would be to reduce the bur-
dens of the people it would increase the
revenues of government. 1t may safely
be predicted that the bill will call forth
long discussion between the protective
and free trade school of thinkers. Opin-
ion here is much divided upon It's prob
able fate in Congress. It is generally
believed that the House will pass it, but
its fate in the Senate is considered de-
cidedly predetermined.
PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE CONsTI-
TUITION.
The House occupied one day of the
week in debate on resolution propos-
ing an amendment to the Constitution |
limiting the Presidential Office to a sin
gle term of Jour years. This was reso-
luton proposed BIZ the Judiciary Com
nnittee, minority of which, however,
advocated an amendment for q term of |