Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-01-18
YESTERDAY IN CONGRESS.
WILL THE TARIFF BILL BE
RAILROADED?


tive Mckinley, of the Wavs and Means
Committee, says an effort will be made to
put the tariff bill through without debate
In one day under the operation of the pre-
viOus question.
Representative Moore, of Tennessee, has
prepared a constitutional amendment to
compel every State to pay its just debts.
Senator Barrow says the bill to pay
Georgia's revolutionary claim of $50, 900
will be COTTON up in the Senate at an early
day. He is confident that it will pass.
SENATE PROCEEDINGS.
In the Senate, Mr.. Coke introduced a
joint resolution authorizing and directing
the Secretary of the Treasury, if in his
judgment the eXigencies of the service re-
quire it, to use the $4,000 appropriated in
August last for the construction of steam
launches for use in the harbOrs of Calves
ton and Mobile, to purchase such launches
already built. Referred to the Committee
on Commerce.
Mr.. Davis, of West Virginia. presented
the report of the committee of conference
on the agricultural appropriation bill,
which was agreed to.
The post office appropriation bill was
taken up.
Mr.. Plumb, in charge of the bill, ex-
planned it.
Mr.. Davis, of West Virginia. called his
attention to the item of $1S5. 600 for neces-
sary and special facilities on trunk lines
OF railways and asked an explanation of it.
Mr.. Plumb explained that it was sim
ply intended to keep up existing services,
and IN this connection he sent up and had
read letter from the Superintendent of
Railway Mail Service, explaining in de-
tail the fast mail service, and stating that
the appropriation was expended now as
follows:
Between New York and Springfield,
Mass, S11,747; between New York and
Albany $4,000; between Philadelphia and
Charleston $l42, 900; making, in round
numbers, $1Sj,00O.
The letter also recommends that. if a
similar appropriation be made at this ses-
sion, it should be for the continuation of
the existing service for the fiscal year.
The Western and Southwestern MEM
bers opposed this item of the appropria-
ton, cOntending that, if any appropriation
for tast mail service be made it should be
equitably distributed throughout the
whole country. They objected to the APP
preparation as at present expended as dis
eliminating unfairly against the rest of
the country for the benefit of New York
city and mainly for the benefit of the met
Mr.. Butler said it was mistake to say
that the fast services benefited only
New York, for there was a fast mail to
Charleston and Jacksonville, which was
OF great benefit to that portion of the cOun-
try. Mr.. Butler agreed that the West was
entitled to equal benefits with the other
portions of the country, and said he would
vote for any amendment that might be nee
essary to give it to her. AS to the state
ment that these fast trains only
carried New York . papers he
did not believe it well founded.
But even if they did no more than dis
tribute those newspapers rapidly, that
would be accomplishing a good deal, be-
cause the people of all parts of the coun-
try were always anxious to get the New
York papers. Without reaching vote
the bill went over, and the tariff bill was
taken up.
Debate on the tariff bill occupied the re-
mainder of the session. The low tariff
men had decidedly the best of it, both in
the debate and the voting to-day, and the
proceedings were full of interest.
While the crOckery and glass ware
schedule was under consideration, Mr..
Vance, replying to a statement that 90per
cent. of the cost of manufacturing these
articles went to the support of American
labor, said the figures showed that mate
rial and labor together did not amount to
20 per cent. To show the interest taken
by these manufacturers in American la
Dor, he read a circular of the Malaga
Glass Manufacturing Company of
New Jersey, announcing that
after four months idleness caused by
strikes, they have resumed operations,
and are working with French operatives,
who have proved equal, if not superior, to
the native American workman.
Laughter. He also called attention to
statement of wOrkmen employed by an
Indiana manufacturer, eulOgiZed by Mr..
sherman, to the effect that that gentleman
had Imported foreign wOrkmen to supplant
Americans. He reviewed in an amusing
manner the history of this ''infant'' in
dustry from its berth in 1899, and said he
hoped the day would soon come when
American wOrkingmen would see that he
was being used as a dupe by men whose
professions of protecting him were merely
preteXt for levying taxes.
The bill went over.
Adjourned.
HOUSE PROCEEDINGS.
In the House Mr.. Bedford, of Colorado,
presented a memorial of Hinton r. Helper
for the establishment of railroad cOmmu-
nication with Central and South America.
Referred. Helpers scheme is what is
known as the Backbone Railway
scheme. 1t looks TO establishing a rail-
road lengthwise of the American hemis-
phere, following the line of the Rocky
Mexico and Central America, and the
Andes in South America.
Mr.. DOXey, of Indiana, the successor of
G. :. Orth, deceased, was sworn in.
The Elections Committee unanimously
reported favOrably to seating j. L. Cain
as a delegate from Utah. The report was
adopted and Mr.. Cain was sworn in.
oI oil I
the joint resolution providing for new
mixed commission, in accordance with the
treaty of April 25th, 1866, with the United
States of Venezuela. The debate on this
resolution was almost wholly One-sided,
the only opposition to it being from one or
two members who doubted the cOnstitu-
tiOnality of the proposed measure. The
resolution was finally adopted.
Adjourned.
MISSISSIPPI IMPROVEMENT.
The House Committee on Commerce
this morning interrOgated several MEM
bers of the Mississippi River Commission
i'm regard to the progress of the work, the
expenditures thus far made, the amount
which can be prOtitably expended during
the next fiscal year, and other matters
connected with the improvement of the
Mississippi river and its tributaries. The
questions asked were designed to aid the
III lilG VI &hlo-
sissippi river improvement item in the
river and harbor bill. The appropriation
to be recommended for this purpose, how
ever, will not be finally determined upon
until the special committee appointed to
investigate the matter shall have sub
mitted its conclusions.
At the meeting of the special Mississippi
River Committee this morning Capt. JnO.
COwden was cross examined by Represen-
tative Thomas, of Illinois, on his outlet
theory. The cross examination was
chiefly in regard to the outlet stock COM
pany and the conditional purchase of the
property by COwden and his associates at
the place where it was proposed to con-
struct the outlet. The examination showed
that the company had been formed, stock
issued and $4,000 paid thereon to Captain
COwden, which sum had been expended
by that gentleman in the purchase of ma
terial and property necessary for the COM
mencement of the work.
JONES VERSUS SHELLEY.
The House Committee on Elections this
morning adopted the report of the SUBJ
committee on the JOnes-Shelley contest,
recommending that a select committee be
sent to Alabama to investigate the alleged
frauds i'm the election of Representative
Shelley from the Fourth district.
JUTE CULTURE.