Mexico weekly ledger., 1880-07-01

NIX. oPEAkER: 1t Is a grave queS-
uon whether 1t is not the duty of this
House TO defeat the Senate PROPOSE
ton rather than have q commission to
revise the present tariff laws appoint
Ell by tie President. By the Consti-
t0tion the power to originate revenae
measures belongs exclusively to this
iionse OF Representatives, and the
only Justification for the Senate an
dertaking to initiate legislation on
thiS subject is that the House ia,
twice refused to consider the question
OF the tariff at tee present session. II
we were disposed to be captious, OF
to assert and maintain the prerooa-
tives, the dignity, and rights Of this
body on ali subjects affecting -he
raising of revenue, it might be a Sc
rious question whether this House
should not enter its protest against
the oenatc's sending this Joint reso-
luton to us .-sss
That body, in my judgement, is
ACTING onf>!de Of the spirit and intent
q }hc Constitution in assuming iuris-
dictlon in this indirect way OF matters
which are exclusively intrustcd 10
The lmncdiate representatives Of the
people !'1t when they Hot Only ui,-
derta;>c ttlus To- trcsp-s, urou the
rights and prcrogatlEcs OF tbis Rouse.
but absolutely exclude t!:e .Iuua,;
from al! participation in tbs scicuticu
oi those who are to advise lis rs to vE.'
dulv anA 0ni action and empower :,.z.
executive department of tie Govern
lncnt to appoint tho mcinI,crs OF this
proposed commission to revise Ike
tariff, II becomes us at least To con
slider Wh2tllc! We ought not TO assert
our rights under the Constitution,
and claim the power not only TO orig
mat. all bills raising the revenue, hut
TO demand that this House have some
participation i'll the appointment ui
those who are 20 advise lis As 10 the
bills that must be originated by this
betty. The facts to he gathered by
tt,ls commission, the evidence taken,
and the reports to he. fnaee viii fosut
the basis Of tine action of this House
in the Exercise 'ot its power in the
''raisin9 Of revenue.
Ought We 10 have no part or lot in
laying the foundation on which 0ui
super7Lructnre Is Ia rest? Can We
delegate To another department Of th,
Government duty that hy implica-
ton ct least has been imposed upon
this House? What reason can. b,
given that this House cannot from its
own number select Il majority of this
commission. or even the whole Of it
In England, where great and radical
changes are rarely made in its legis,
cal, or economic interests without an
investigation and report 10y commits
sion, the members are invariably APP
pointed hy Parliament, and not by
SENSE executive Like the commit,
tees IN every parliamentary body,
they are lahor-sasin@ devices, ant
rcsoricd to for the purpose OF exam
iua!ion and investigation. and there i.
no good reason why the two House
should not make the selection OF til.
nrmhcrS OF this commission, ant
thus retain the control OF those wHe
are appointed to'' The special pnrpost
oil obtaining in:ormatioii TO guide til,
deliberations and action oil the twt
Houses III originating and passing
revenue bills Our experience in th'
organizations of commissions as ait'
to wise and judicions legislation jus
!=iitIes cUuGTt - ia rrSorlng To then
much more frequently than has hccI
/ It's custom. Tie value of the repor
! oi' the silver commission in the so!u
! iion of the silver question Is uniyor
/ sally Ctointcti,.d, and the commission
on the Improvement OF thc MISSISSIPPI
! River has rendered iIcaicula!JlG scr
vice TO The cnentrv III rceommenlin!
q rlan Of Improvement oi tir gEca
river that doubt moi will coinDen1
itself 10 The judgcmrnt Of all inte!il
gent men, and will ultimately h
adopted by the Goyernmenl.
Mr. Speaker, ] .iesiicao say fes
words on the necessity or Il modilica
tion of tliv present tariitiaws. Vine
| the attemhl Wasas made ius the las
IConairss to-. revisc and modify on
Iinlauitous and urlnst Tariff laws, th
| advocates OF protection made strenu
ous objection, because the busines
! ~ the country was in I stat" Of ii!
| parailcled depression and labor in q
parts oil the country unremuncraiir
and unemployed. Now, tI,at tli
country throughout its entire CXteu
has partially rr.rpnIatcd and pros
nerlty has visited almost all brancllc
Of productive labor, the same dctcl
mined opposition Is manifested b
the protected interests to being diS
turhed in their robbery OF all othe
classes and interests.
| Prior TO 1860 VIC had a tarill fC
revenuc with incidental protection
now we have tariff for protccuo
with incidental revenHc. Notwitl
standing our tariff laws impose dutie
upon nearly two hundred articles
foreign commerce, with duties c>
cecding 80 per cent. al pnt"rem, an
Ia large portion Of them ranging fro'
j75 to 125 per cent. I'D vo'orem, thcl
is paid in the Treasury but little
excess of one hundred and thirt
millions, Willie tile internal taxes co
lec1ed, chi.ily from whisky, beer an
"reaiizcs TO the Treasul
= Iabout one hundred and twenty mil
ions. 1t is estimated that VIC pay III
less than SloO,oOo,00 annually
! freight On lnelrhandise Imported In
! this country / IN foreign bottoms, al
[owned by citlzcns of every, 9th
| country than our own, and amoi
the hundreds of magnificent steamer
that month latter month leave Il
ilports Of Boston, New York, Philads
! lphia and Baltimore for foreign cou
tries not one III u hundred of them
owned by American citizens or h
an American register. We ha
lfewer ships engaged in foreign col
merees tLan we had fourE years att
3 = - -.