The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-08-13
WASHINGTON.
Last Days of the Worthless Con-
greSS.
How the Utah Provision Was
Brought About.
WAsH1NeroN, D. c., Aug, 7th, 80.

AOA SOlA4O VI GiI6 present. luulCd-
tons, Congress may be adjourned
by the time this can appear in print
though it is not very clear that this
will be the case. The House is
thoroughly tired, and many of the
Senate also; but the Senate is now
discussing the tax bill, and there is
no telling with any degree of GER
tainty at the present time, what
they will do with it. When the bill
was laid aside to make way for the
appropriation bills, it was thought
by many that it would not again be
taken up this session, but that it
would be quietly shelved until De-
cember next.
The history Of this tax bill is very
interesting. The committee of
ways and means of the House re-
ported a bill, which passed the
House and was sent to the Senate.
Republican managers all at once
discovered that there was a feeling
in the country that demanded a de-
crease Of taxation, and that unless
something was done with this ques-
ton, success at the fall elections
might be doubtful. An OVERLOOKING
treasury, extravagant appropria-
tons in consequence of this, and the
people grOaning under taxation, were
not exactly the conditions upon
which a good party fight could be
made. So the caucus decided that
something must be done looking to
the reduction Tof taxation. The re-
puhlicans thought that by passing
some measure for the reduction of
taxation it would be good thing
to hold up before their constituents
in the fall campaign. AS l have
said, bill was reported and passed
by the House and sent to the Senate.
When it arrived in the Upper House
it began tO be analysed by the dem
oCrats. In the course of this analysis
the bill was found to afford
little or no relief to those who really
needed relief-the poor. The bank
ers and patent medicine men were
well looked after; but the poor man
seemed to have been to a very great
extent overlooked. In consequence
of this democratic sena ors intro
duced a large number Of amend
ments, and it is these amendments
that have caused all the agitation
over the tax bill. Of course the
republicans are trying to make all
the capital they can out Of the
measure before the fall elections,
and are resorting to every device to
have it appear that the Obstinacy of
the democrats is the cause of the
maintenance of the taxation. Such,
however, will not be swallowed by
an intelligent public.
This Congress has been in session
nearly as long as any Congress that
has-sat 81 Ice The beginning of the
govern ment, and has done as
little work of benefit to the country
probably as any Congress that was
ever convened at this capital. 1t is
scandalOus that to-day the It'll of
August the appropriation bills for
the current fiscal year, terminating
the 30tb of June, have not yet be-
come law and that expedients have
had to be resorted to from time to-
time to extend the appropriations
by joint resolution to enable gov
eminent TO pay its employees.
In consequence Of the delay in
passing those bills thousands
of Inc government employees
have been put to great iucOnven-
fence, while the stagnation in
business, through the non Circu-
lation of this money, is something
very serious indeed. For this dila-
tory action the men who stand at
the head of the appropriation COM
mittee Of the House have gained 10
credit by their management of their
portion Of the business of the session.
Those who have been inconVenien-
ced have not been backward in
Congressman in the most
vigorous manner pOSsible,and I have
heard 1t mildly asserted that if the
said congressman could only have
been similarly ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
is, deprived OF drawing their 800 a
week, which is all some OF them are
good fUr-such condition of affairs
as now exists would not be likely to
occur again.
There has been really NO impor-
tADt measure passed by this Con-
gresl, unless we call the Edmunds
law anu the refusal of the House toi
sat the legally elected delegate
from Utah, Important. I suppose
that this of itself is considered
glory enough for one session. They |
are welcome TO all the glory, so farl
as l am concerned. The Edmunds
law was conceived in sin and born
IN iniquity. Its uDconstitutionality
cam t be questioned. Il was
passed to salisfy false public santi- |
ment-a sentiment created by thel
circulation Of lies by those Who'll
know them to be- lies. Fairmindedl
people are beginning 10 understand
this. anu the sympathy of the cOun-
try Is with the people Of Utah. |
This sympathy will increase, the |
''Mormons" wiz yet be understood,
while those Of their enemies who
haVs Wilfully lied about them for
mercenary purposes will pass into
oblivion and disgrace.
Beyond the turning cut Of 2 num-
Der OF democrats from their seats,
IN order tJ encourage the southern
republicans, and The passage Of the
Tar Commission b4i - the
~ = -. II