The Portland daily press., 1878-04-29
XLVth C0ngress-ReguIar Session.
HOUSE.

HOUSE,
WASHINGTON. April 81.
The House non-concurred in the Senate amend
ments to the bill regulating the advertising of mail
lettings
The House went into committee of the whole on
the Indian appropriation bill. The bill recommends
an appropriation of $4,772,O0O and is the unanimous
report OF the Appropriation Committee 1t provides
that whenever found practicable to employ Indians
in farming. or other civilized avocalions in which
they contribute to their maintenance, the Com
missioner Of Indian Affairs may use such portions of
their subsistence funds can be spared pay for
the service of such Indians may be induced to
labor for their own advancement 1t further pro-
v1des that SO much of the app opriaton as may be
required to pay for goods and supplies shall be imme-
diately available.
General debate having been dispensed with, the
bill was read by sections. After adopting two or
three unimportant amendments the Committee rose
and the bill was passed.
The House then went into committee of the whole
amount apr opriated by the bill is $14,7S5,OOO.
Mr.: Atkins, chairman of the Committee on Appro-
looted up S4 735 900, being $685. 600 less than like
bill in 1S767 and being $714OQ0 less then like bill
for the current year. II was also less than like
PHI passed at the last session of the 43d Congress by
S4l66,OOO, and less than the bill passed at the last
session Of the 42d Congress by over S6Oo0,OOO The
first consideration that challenged the attention of
the Committee on Appropriations and now challenged
the attention of the House this bill was whether
the government expenditures should be kept within
the revenues, or whether the government should
launch upon scale of extravaganza to satisfy the
wants OF admirers of "high mounted' government
aud thus force the Treasury into bankruptcy. The
fankness of the Secretary of the Treasury in calling
attention to probable deficiency of 81 800 GOO in
1879 forced upon the House the decision of either
practcng rigid economy increasing the burden of
taxation upon people now made desperate by ruin
GUS policy OF contraction by the legislation of the
last decade winch had made the rich richer and tbe
poor poorer. The committee had tried to eliminate
from the service all supernumerary and unnecessary
public offices. Reform, however, was not likely to
be accomplished under the present management of
public affairs. The mistake lay at the very doors of
the administration.
After mentioning the various reductions of salaries
made in the bill, he said he might be asked why the
committee had not reduced the salaries of Senators
ana Representatives. His answer because they
had been reduced by the repeal of the act of the Sd
OF March, 1873 and the people we entirely salts
fed with the present compensation.
Referring to the crisis in monetary affairs, he said
much money but from too little at reasonable rates
OF interest, from unfair and unhealthy distribu-
ton OF circulation, aud from other causes which
were drying up the of industry and depict
ing private as well as public He referred
to the falling Oft of customs duties from $22 100000
in 1872 to S12S000, 900 in 1872 and said the House
had either to resolve bravey to restrict the govern
ment expenditures within its revenues to declare
for increased taxation the bugbear Of resumption
baoished from the calculations of the Secretary
Of the Treasury by the repeal of the act. and if tue
large of gold now in the Treasury let loose
that it could be utilized for the current expend-
lures of the government, there would be necessity
for resort further taxation. On the contrary the
international revenue collected from two Of the
greatest industries of the country-whiskey and
tobacco-might be diminished.
IT any interest were relieved from taxation, relief
should be extended to the agricultural and laboring
classes instead of banks and bankers, whose mouop-
oily was standing menace to the prosperity of the
people.
The history of the banks was a chapter of abom-
inatiOn. The tribute which they laid upon labor the
contemplate manner in which they had despoied
the government and the people should arouse lust
indignation against them and sweep them out of
existence as soon it practicable to substitute
legal tender notes for national bank notes. The aim
OF Congress for decade had been controlled by bank
influences. 1t was that influence which prevented
the reduction of internal revenue taxes II was that
influence which prevented restoration of the income
tax. 1t was that influence which prevented the
modification of the protective system, under the
blghtlng influence of which American commerce
langulshed and the energies of the country were
being enervated. How much longer he asked
would the banks and bankers rule the American
Congress?
He said that if resumption meant redemption and
cancellation and consequent contraction of the cur
rency, 1t meant simply ruin. If legal tenders were
made receivable Tor customs dues and were required
to be relssued as fast as redeemed then the evil of
the resumption law would be Very much mitioated
but that law stood it was a standing menace
the business interests and com cal activities of
the country. Forced resumption meant forced bank
ruptcy both to the people and the government IF
Congress would restore to the government lis indis-
putabe constitutional right to issue currency to the
peope instead of deegatng that important trust to
the privileged monopoly of bondhoders and if tariffs
were brought to revenue standard, there couId be
nosdoubt Of a speedy return of confidence and of
the establishment OF that prosperity tor which a
great part of the people have bitterly sighed for the
last five years. The American people could afford