, 1881-02-13
RAIDINi TIE TREAsURY.

The Treasury was the objective paint almed
at yesterday by both Houses OF CONGRESS:
The maneuycring was under the darectlon u
the chiefs Of tho lobby, some OF whom were
on the floor Of either House, and others Ill
the ante-roo,us and corridors. Legislation was
surrendered Cor tho time being to private
interests, which sought the assistance Oh
Government funds under various preteNts.
lii the House subsidy-hunting took the shape
of tha ship-canal project, engineered by Capt
Eads. for part Of the day, and then gave
way tu the far-reaclllng River and Harbor
bill, which holds out bats to an sectlons
of the country, In the Senate 1t was pro-
posed to make Mr.J ohm Roach, shipbullder py
trade. the beneficiary OF Government bounty
to the amount Of sl,ooo,ooo during tho next
wear, through the vehicle OF "rider - 10 oe
attached to the Post-Oflce Appropriation
bill. Nothing dcGnit was accomplished IN
either House by the aggressive ra1dcrs upon
the Treasury, and the signs as to the measure
of their ultimate, success we're varying anu
uncertain.
The people scored one victory against tic
| lobby in the stunning blow that was dealt to
| t1,e Eads scheme. II may be, in tllls>case.
| that the subsidists failed rather by mls'nanage-
mrnt than by reason of overwhelming hos
tiIity to the vicious theory they repre-
sent. They could hardly have hoped
| tn grub s50,009O00 for the construction
of y ship railroad in Mexico. Their
temporary purpose was to put the Gov
ern1ucut In an attitude Of approval, SD that
the engineers Of the scheme might opet'lo
| upon the Mexican Congress from this vail
tage ground Even this miscarricd. i1lere was
dispute as to whether the favorable report
brought in by the Special Committee OIL TIC
| Interoccanic Canal had been agreed to oy7a
majority. The fact seems to be that only
majority of 4 quorum OF the Committee hao
voted for it. Mr.. King. the Chairman OF tic
Committee, under all absurd precedent Which
! prohibits u. recital before the House of
what has transpired In Committee, prevented
Mr.Page, of Louisiana, from revealing the true
state of the ease. Theroupon AIr. Page moved
to recommit the report, with Instructions to
strike out that portion Of the report which
nroyides for the subsidy. Pending the call
! for the previous question, Alr. Cox moved, al
| the opportune moment, to lay the whole mat.
: fer upon the table. This was carried will
hurrah, the votes to do 1t being supplied
S mainly by the Republican side, and the suit
l | sltlists were 50 much startled ut the turn OF
affairs TINT tie negative vote was feeble anc
D uncertain. This takes the Eat1s subsidy fol-
J. i ship canal out OF Congress for the pres
Il ent session, and it is probable tina
:. nothing more will ever be heard OF
: it. Tile proposition was SO colossal II
It impartincnce that it is n matter for surprise
it could go as far as it did, or that it shoult
c find men like Conger on the Republican sid
= and Singleton of Illinois on the DeMocratl
l. side openly and actively in favor Of it.
The subsilsts in the House made NOR
1eadway with the River and larbor bill bc
It cause that measure i,ns the advantage 0
# distributing its benefits throughout 1iifeten
II parts Of the country, and has, at least, th
e appearance of appropriarfng moneys 10
l. necded public improvements within the tel
It ritorial jurisdiction Of the United States
~ There WAS preliminary struggle to retar
le or enbarrass this bill by various amend
[e ments. but they were all voted down in Con'
Ee mittec Of the Whole. The friends OF tn
measure proved strong enough to carry thel
&c points, and progress wns made to the cor
" " sideration Of items which, as far as it wen
ID indicated that the bill will be agree
~ Y. to substantially as it has been reported
j. It may be that an ugly fight will be made o
-; the item of Sl,0oo,0 ,0o3 which it is proposed
N give the Mississippi River Commission
10 order to begin work on the eMbanknel
20 system, which may result III the squa1
J; derlug of s1ooooo,ooo nsure, but 1t
X X probable that the Southern member
10 viii insist upon this appropriation Z
,e tie sine qua ,lon, aud threaten to defeat tt
u whole measure unless this enormous sop
u thrown to theu1. It would be III exceilel
70 fling tor the country If the whole bill shoul
J. fpll. Upon this very controversy some mt
= itorious enterprises would suffer, while
% oulred improvements Of real rivers aud re-