Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-12-10
Especial Telegram to the Globe.


WASHINGTON, Dec. 9.-The senate at its
session last year passed a bill to pay to
Rear Admiral Worden, of the United States
navy, and the officers and crew of the
United States steamer Monitor, their heirs
and assigns, 100000, the same to be con-
sidered as prize money for the destruction
of the rebel steam frigate Merrimac. In
the house to-day this bill was reached. 1t
was apparent from the beginning that the
bill was in a precarious condition, and the
debate as it proceeded soon developed hat
it could not be passed. The strongest
point made against the bill was the re-
peated statement that the Monitor did not,
in fact, destroy the Merrimac, but that
the latter vessel was blown up
some miles away from the scene of
the encounter with the Monitor by the
Confederate officers, to prevent it from
falling into the hands of the Federals.
There were several speeches in favor of
the bill, but only from the standpoint of
excessive patriotism. Finally a motion
which prevailed by a vote of over three to
one, thus, of course, defeating the bill.
THE TOBACCO TAX.
Petitions and kilograms continue to
from every tobacco section request
ing congress-, in whatever it may do as to
the tobacco tax, to act promptly. Other
wise the manufacturers will have to shut
down, and thousands of worthy men will
be in a condition of enforced idleness. AS
a rule such reminders have but little effect
unless they are kept up constantly,
and the pressure is made so strong that it
pect that the bill reported from the ways
and means committee to abolish the tax
will come up for serious consideration in
the house before the holiday recess. There
is a prospect that both houses will adjourn
OR about the 23rd instant, until the Sd
or 4th of January, and that until after the
r~eassembling the bill will not be acted up
Under such a state of things debate
will run at least a week, probably two
weeks, and the bill, in whatever shape it
gets out of the house, will not reach the
senate until the closing days of the first
month of the year. Meanwhile, until the
session ends, it may be kicked and cufed
between the two houses, and not be ready for
the presidents signature until the first of
March. After faithful inquiry in quarters
worthy of the search, there is no reason to
change the prediction heretofore made in
these dispatches, that the bill as reported
by the ways and means committee, will
fail. There is another great danger to the
manufacturing trade. 1t is this: There are
a large class of members who will vote for
a free leaf bill. These are so Inconsistent
as to say that they are willing to reduce
the tax on tobacco so per cent, but only
In case an amendment is Incorporated in
such a bill which will allow a grower of
tobacco to sell it wherever he pleases,
without espionage. Of such an amendment
no one but a tobacco manufacturer can
calculate its demoralizing effect.
THE WHISKY TAX.
It is expected within a short time that
representatives of the distilling interests
will be here. This class will renew the eff
fort of last winter to have the bonded peri
cd extended. It is almost certain now
tAllU WIG ~ LUZ ClO ID Wu1C pdSSCO
the house, extending the period indefinite
ly has no ghost of a show of passage. At
best the distillers will not be able to in
duce the senate to go further than an ex-
tension of three years additional, and may
be only two. Some relief will be neces-
sary, and this will afford it. Otherwise,
there will be a crash in distilling circles.
The bonded bill which passed the house is
now in this shape with the senate:
1t was reported with an amendment on
the 18th of May, by Mr.. Bayard, from the
finance committee. On the 18th of June,
following, it was indefinitely postponed.
This virtually killed the bill, but it got a
status before the senate again on a motion
entered by Senator Garland, to reconsider.
If this motion prevails, a motion to send
the bill back to the finance committee will
give that committee the same jurisdiction
over it that it had originally. Here it can
be amended, and again be brought before
the senate without prejudice. The best
course for those interested will be to ask
for a limited extension, 4nd if there is
any kind of unity it will no doubt be grant,
ed. Any legislation looking to a reduction of
the tax on spirits will come up for consid-
Grafton and action in a separate bill
RIVER AND HARBoR BILL.
The disposition of the house committee
on commerce is to act upon its own judg-
ment as to whether or not to report a
and harbor bill. The president, it
will be recalled, in his message threw a wet
blanket on every bill for the next fiscal
year, and the secretary of war, in his an
nual report, was bold enough to say that
money had been appropriated in last
years bill not in the interest of commerce.
To test this latter statement, and to
put upon Secretary Lincoln the burden OF
proof, the commerce committee to-day
him to report whether any of the appro-
priations in last years bill were appropri-
priated for works or objects that are not in
the interest of commerce or navigation,
and if so, to name such works or objects
and the respective amounts so appropri-
ated. Also to report whether any money
has been expended on works which do not
benefit commerce and navigation.
This will give the young secretary a
chance to formulate a bill of particulars.