Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-03-07
OMITTED FROM THE BILL
ONE OF THE HASTY-LEGISLIA-
TION MISTAKES.

/ Deficiency for the Tobacco Men-Wha
is a Confederate CFuiser?-The Tao
tics of the whisky LObbyists-Oehil-
trees Salary Withheld-Reed Fails to
Get His Fee.
! WASHINGTON, March 6.-It was dis
covered at the Treasury Department to-
/ day that there is a very serious omission
| in the internal revenue reduction nortiOn
of the tariff bill. The bill provides for a
drawback of 80 per cent. on taxes paid on
| tobacco in bond, but makes no appropria-
/ tion for the payment of the drawback.
The question whether the money thus in
yOlved, about 81, ,O00. 900, can be paid out
of any permanent appropriation for the
Internal Revenue Department will be re-
ferred to the First Comptroller for decis-
ion. 1t is considered certain, however,
that no such thing can be done. The
next Congress will have to provide for the
deficiency. Thus about $4,000,O0O will for
months be kept from tobacco maIufac-
turers. This is another of the many mis-
takes caused by hasty legislation.
Mr.. Mcpherson, Clerk of the House of
Representatives., says there are many ty-
biographical and clerical errors in the
tariff bill as it appeared in the Congress
siORdt Record. The tax on tobacco is
printed Soc. instead of &c., and in the iron
schedule there is a clause which was not
printed in the Record at all. He is of
the opinion that when the bill shall be
| accurately printed in full il will be found
more satisfactory than it now seems to be
to the representatives of the iron In
terests.
THE ALABAMA CLAIMS.
The Clerk of the Court of Commits
siOners of Alabama Claims has made a
partial estimate of the amount involved
in the claims now pending before that
court. Two thousand two hundred cases
out of D, 700 filed aggregate nearly $14, ,000,-
600 without interest. If Judgment were
awarded for the amount claimed
in these cases the interest would
probably run the aggregate up
to more than $4,000, 900, so the court will
have no difficulty in dispOsing of the un-
distributed remainder of the Geneva
award-about $9,500,0 900. The court now
has under consideration two questions of
considerable interest to the claimants
first, whether in certain cases awards shall
be made upon gold or currency basis,
having reference to the war premium in
gold; and second, what, within the mean
ing of the act creating the court, is
Confederate cruiser, and does pPiYateer
federate Government come within the in-
tent of the acty
AN ATTEMPT AT BRIBERY.
The true inwardness of the whisky bill
may never be known. Enough is creep
ing to the surface, however, to show that
its apostles did not let a few dollars stand
in the way of its passage. An eX-COn-
gresham, who was sent on as the last
resort of the whisky lobbyists, made a
direct offer of $15, 900 to Lee, of South Car
olina, to withdraw his contest for the
seat OF Richardson, so that the whisky
bill might be rushed through during the
closing hours of the session. Lee, who is
poor man, refused, fact greatly to his
credit.
THE VIRGINIA DEBT DECISION.
Prominent Democrats from Virginia ex-
press great satisfaction at the decision of
the Supreme Court yesterday on the State
debt question. Although the decision
sustains the view taken by the Readjus-
ters on the debt question, the Democrats
thank that it greatly simplifies the politi-
cal situation down there. They regard it
as taking the debt question entirely out of
politics and leaving the question of politi-
cal supremacy in that State simply to a
choice between Democracy and Republi-
canism,
TOM OCHILTREE'S SALARY,
The First Controller of the Treasury has
advised the United States Treasurer to
withhold for the present the payment of
the salary of Col. Tom Ochiltree as men,
Der of Congress from Texas. When
Qchiltree was United States Marshal IN
Texas several years ago he was short in
his accounts several thousand dollars, and
until the matter is settled he will be re-
fused his new salary.
ARRIVAL OF MADAGASCAR ENJOYS.
The ENJOYS of Madagascar have arrived
here and Will be the guests of the govern
ment. They will probably be presented |
to the President tomorrow. Their mission
is to cement the relations of friendship |
and amity between the United States and |
Madagascar,
REEDS FEE STRICKEN OUT.
Among the items of appropriation |
stricken out of the, sundTy civil bill in the |
conference committee was one giving |
Charles Reed $4,000 for conducting the de- |
fense of Guiteau. Reed, therefore, fails |
to get his fee.