San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1879-03-01
WAsHIyGTOS NEWS.

wAsuISsros. February i~--As-GovernoF
Hartranft, Of Pennsylvania was to-day APP
pointed postmaster o PHILADELPHIA
.- - TAX on ro5Gcco.
The senate finance committee took mai ae-
ton on the house bill amendatory of the inter-
nal revenue laws and authorized the chairman
to report il TO the senate communicative
against four decided TO recommend the con-
currence in the house provision bill, reducing
the tax on manufactured tobacco to sixteen
cents per pound The committee fixed tax
on snuff at twenty-foar cents, and strikes OUT
all provisions relative to the tax on cigars
cheroots and cigarettes, thus proposing 10
leave them subject to taxation at the existing
rates The house provision repeating the tax
on matches is stricken out The committee
have also entirely omitted tobacco bonded
warehouses;. The bill is farther amended by
the addition of section to remit all taxes on
! insolvont savings banks and to exempt from
/ taxation $1,000 of each deposit made by one
! person or association in any savings institu
ton. .r r..
YELLOW FEVER. tr
The senate select committee appointed to
investigate the best means to prevent the IN
PRODUCTION and spread of epidemic diseases,
submitted their report to-day through Senator
Norris. After detailing the operations of the
board of experts who visited Memphis and
New Orleans, the committee is strongly in
clined to the opinion that neither yellow fever
or cholera is indigenous to any part of the
United States; that the majority, if not all,
epidemics of these diseases with which the
country has been afflicted, has resulted from
Importation The committee is of the opin-
ion that the best and only certain means of
preventing the introduction of these diseases
from other countries ia absolutely non-inter-
course with ports where the disease exists in
epidemic form The next best means is a well
regulated national quarantine. To this end
the commission report bill prescribing the
duties to be observed by vessels arriving in the
United States from infected ports, and estab-
fishing bureau of health in lieu of the marine
hospital service, which it proposes to abolish.
1t also contemplates cooperation with the
state and municipal authorities without inter
fering with their respective systems. The re-
port, in conclusion, recommends the enforce
ment of strict sanitary measures in every city
and town.
THE COTTON CROP. ...f.
A report from the agricultural department
just issued, among other items gives the prices
of the cotton crop. 1t says: 1--WE are guided.
by the prices received by the planter which
has ruled excessively low this winter. The
average for the whole country being about 81
cents per pound. The great value of this crop
is founded on the demand for export prior to
the war in 1859 and 1850. The amount import
ed into Great Britain from the United States
was four fifths their whole importation. Dur
ing the war it fell Oft to less than two per cent.
starting in 1866 at 81 per cent, we find that in
1873 we had regained the position we held pri-
or to 1861, and that four-fifths of the cotton
used and manufactured in Great Britain came
from the United States. The proportion of
our tota. crop exported to foreign ports was
3,H0. 600 bales out of crop of T. 75O, 600 bales,
during the year ending September LIST, 1873
The production of this great staple seems to
be too large, and the result is shown in the
glutted markets and low prices. The larger
crop of 1878 being worth less than that of the
preceding year, basing the calculation on the
prices and returns by the producer, we find
the value of the crop of 1878 to be s19i, T0OO 900
and for 1877 to be s24O, OOO, 600, while the num-
her of bales was 4, I5o, OOO in 1877 and 100000
in 1873"