Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-02-17
THE REVENUE LAWS.

THE REVENUE LAWS.
Special Telegram to the Globe.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 16.-In the closing day.
of Congress the whole financial policy of thu
government comes up for discussion and de-
cision. The debate which occurred in the
ways and means committee, yesterday, indi
Gates that there is to be severe struggle on
the question of dealing with the contemplated
deficiency in the treasury, and the question
will prove to be the most important one re-
naming to be settled at this session. That
it will be settled at all is far from certain.
The secretary of the treasury says that after
yielding the sinking fund, there will be de-
tcency of $27,0O0,OOO. The question has
been supposed to be whether Congress would
increase the taxes, Or authorize an increase
of the debt. At the meeting yesterday, Mr..
Wood proposed that Congress should do
neither of those things, but should simply
instruct the secretary to meet the deficiency
by drawing on his coin balance of 1852, OOO,-
600. Mr.. Kelly, of Pennsylvania, supported
Mr.. Woods position. Other Republican
members of the committee were
somewhat surprised that My. Kelly's
views had been adopted by Mr.. Ward Mr..
nouncing it as proposition to defeat re-
sumption. There was a long discussion,
which was not finished. 1t will be continued
on Monday, when the committee will proba-
bly, take some action. 1t is not yet known
how the Democrats on the case will vote. It
will require the votes of two Democratic
members with few hard money representa-
tives to prevent the Wood-Keliy scheme from
being adopted MIR. Kelly says that it will be
utterly impossible to get the House to au-
thorlze an increase of bonds or taxes, and if
Congress does not instruct the Secretary to
draw in his coin balance, he will be left with
out any instructions or any help to deal with
tie deficiency as ne deems best.
MIR. Fernando Wood conferred with some
Democratic members of the House
after the meeting of the committee in regard
to the course to be pursued by Congress-
Mr. Hewitt informed Mr.. Wood that he
should favor the issue of treasury notes or
exchequer bills to meet the deficiency. His
reason was that he believed the revenues
were certain to increase very largely within
the next two years, and that there was there
fore no reason for an increase of taxes or an
increase of the funded debt. He thinks that
the treasury notes to be issued should run
for one year and bear interest not above 4
reduce the coin balance as a dangerous and
untenable one, but is equally opposed to
the idea of increasing the bonded debt as
proposed by Mr.. Garfield. It is quite likely
that Mr.. Hewitt's views will be adopted, if
not probable that nothing whatever will be
done and no great harm is likely to ensue
If nothing is done.
THE PATRONAGE BILL.
An attempt was been made in the House
yesterday, 10 enforce the civil service rules.
Az soon as the motion was made by Mr..
Eden Of Illinois, there was lively discus
sion. Many members are glad to have the
distribution of patronage which the old rule
gives, and will not consent, under any cir
cumstances, to have it abolished. It gives
to them more or less power in their respec-
tive districts, and is especially the case with
Republican members, who are generally
disposed to antagonize any such measure,
although thoy admit that the numerous i'm
portunities to Which they are continually
subjected from applicants for Office, are a
great annoyance to them. Still they are
10th to have taken from them the right to
recommend whomsoever they please for pub
lie office. AS to the Democrats, some of
them expect soon to have hand in the dis
Va
generally opposed to making any such re-
striction upon the powers Of congressman,
so thai Mr. Eden's proposed amendment re-
ceived bnt little encouragement from either
side of the House.
THE PATENT OFFICE.
The reports that Bentley, commissioner of
pensions, is to be removed are without foun-
dalton. Yesterday Senator Cameron and
Representative Caswell, of Wisconsin, to as
certain what the exact truth in the matter
was, called upon the President and Secretary
Schurz. Both of those officials said there
was nothing in the story.
AN ARMY DEFICIENCY.
There has been found deficiency of $780,
900 in the appropriation for the pay of the
army, for which the secretary of war now
asks Congress to appropriate. The defcien-
cy arises from the fact that the appropriation
was based on an army of 2O,40O men, while
the act authorized an army of 25, 45O men, to
which maximum the present strength of the
army closely appropriated. The additional
amount asked for travel, pay and commuta-
ton of subsistence, retained pay and clothing
to discharged men are amounts required to
restore the appropriation to the estimate for
an army or 25,4oO men.
BLoDGETT AND BANGS.
1t is expected that Blodgett's sub commit
tee, in its report to the full judiciary COM
mittee, will severely censure the administra-
ton of Judge Bangs, United States district
attorney at Chicago, as the law officer, as
we'll as reflect upon his testimony on the
witness stand. The animadversjons will be
of such character that the administration
will take advantage of them as a basis of re-
moval. There is little doubt that removal
will follow soon after the announcement of
the decision of the committee in the Blod-
gett case. That can hardly be before the
last of this or the first of next week at the
earliest.
STOCK TRANSPORTATION. -is..
The Senate committee on commerce has
agreed to compromise the bill on tho subject
of ANIMALS in transit. This is compromise
between the bill proposed to repeated Con-
crosses by humanitarians and the bill recon-
mended by MIR. Resisting last year, out of
which Werners conspiracy arose.
PREVENTION OF EP1DEN1cs.
Western Associated Press,
WASHINGTON Feb. 15.-The House COMMITTEES
charged with the investigation of the best
means of preventing the introduction and
spread of epidemic diseases have prepared a
bill similar to that reported by the special COM
mittee of the 7th. 1t omits the Senate pro.
vision fer a bureau of health to consist of seven
members to be appointed by the President by
and with the consent of the Senate, not more
than one member to be appointed from one
State, the compensation of each during the time
actually engaged in the performance of thu