Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-01-20
YESTERDAY IN CONGRESS-.
A REPUBLICAN CAUCUS ON THE
TARIFF.

The Ways and Means Committees Bill
to be Pressed-Notiee of Amendment
GiVen-A Quiet Day in the Senate
Payment of Bonds DESTROYED Outside
the Treasury.
NAsHINGToN, Jan. 19.-In the Senate.
Mr.. Coke called up the joint resolution
authorizing the Secretary of the Treas
ury to buy steam launches for use in the
harbOrs of Galveston and Mobile. instead
OF building them. Passed.
The Senate again took up the postal ap-
preparation bill, and discussed the pro-
vision reducing the letter postage rate to
two cents. This occupied the time until
the conclusion of the morning hour, when.
without coming to a vote, the bill went
over and the tariff bill again came up.
The discussion was still on the glass
and crOckery schedule. The particular
proposition which has occupied the greater
part OF the time for two days was Mr.. Mil
ler's of New York amendment reducing
the duty on filled bottles to IL cents per
pound, instead Of 30 per cent. ad YalOrem.
Flnally vote was reached and the
amendment was lost. The duty remains
at 80 per cent.
Consideration of the crOckery schedule
was finished, and without taking up any
further items the Senate adjourned.
HOUSE PROCEEDINGS.
In the, House Mr.. Henderson, of Illinois,
Chairman of the Committee on Military
Affairs, reported a resolution directing
that the committee investigate the charges
Oi encouragement at the Hampton Sol
diers' Home.
Mr.. Moore, Of Tennessee, introduced a
joint resolution proposing a constitution
al amendment, granting Congress power
to provide, by appropriate legislation, for
the legal enforcement of the obligations
Of contracts entered into by any State of
the Union. Referred to the Committee on
the Judiciary.
The House then, at 1:45 a. M. went
into committee of the whole on the private
calendar.
At O'Clock the committee rose, and the
House passed two private bills.
\ war claim bill then gave rise to some
debate, and the yeas and nays were or
dered on its passage. pending which the
House, at 3 O'Clock, adjourned, and a Re-
publican caucus was announced to take
place Immediately.
THE REPUBLICANS AND THE TARIFF.
\ caucus of the Republican members of
the House of Representatives was held i'm
the hall of the House immediately after
adjournment to-day. Mr.. RObeson pre-
sided. and Mr.. Miller, of Pennsylvania.
acted as secretary.
Speaker Keifer offered a resolution,
which, in effect, declared that the Repub-
HcanS OF the House would proceed to con-
slider the tariff bill on Tuesday next i'm
mediately after the naval appropriation
bill shall be disposed of, and that it shall
have precedence over all other legislation,
excepting appropriation bills, until
brought to vote.
The resolution was adopted after brief
,-raD. aan. = II
sylyania, Mckinley, of Ohio, and Haskell.
of Kansas, in explanation Of its proyis-
ions and probable effect.
Mr.. kassOn also spoke, but not so much
on the merits of the bill as to urge a full
and constant attendance of Republican
members during the debate.
1t was agreed that there shall be four
hours of general debate on the bill, two
hours to a side, and that amendments
shall be debated under the five minute
rule. While there was perfect harmony
IN the caucus and a generally expressed
desire to pass the bill and so effect re-
vision of the tariff, several members eX-
pressed their intention to amend it, and
there was an evident disposition to have il
understood that there would be demands
for modification from Republicans when
the bill gets under way.
The estimates given in explanation of
the effect of the bill put the total reduc-
tiOn of revenue from customs receipts at
S25,000,000, the reduction on sugar alone
at 81, 100000, and the reduction on wool
at S2,OOO,O 900. The estimated specific reduc-
tion is put ut an average of II per cent.
1t Is expected that the naval apprOpria-
tiOn bill viii occupy Saturday and Mon
day. There were present at the caucus
between 13O and l4O members, and it was
remarked as the most effective meeting
of the kind ever held by the party.
THE SENATE REPROvED.
The Senate bill directing the Secretary
Of the Treasury to redeem five bonds, al
legged to have been stolen from Robert
Stewart Wild and subsequently destroy
ed by the thieves, having passed both
houses of Congress and gone to the Presi-
dent for his consideration, has been allow
ed to become a law by lapse of time, but
the President improves the opportunity
presented by this act to express to the
Senate his disapprOval of this class of
legislation in the following words:
i have carefully considered the prOvis-
ions of the Senate bill No. SOL, entitled
bin for the relief of Robert Stewart Wild.
l am of the opinion that the general
statute is sufficiently liberal to provide
relief in all proper cases of DESTROYED
United States bonds, and | believe that
the act above referred to constitutes an
evil precedent. 1t is not however. so
approval, and have allowed it to become
a law under the constitutional provision,
cOntenting myself with communicating
to the Senate, in which the bill originated,
my disapprOval of special legislation of
this character"
MISSISSIPPI IMPROVEMENT.
Mr.. kerschel, of HOlyOke, Mass, an
hydraulic engineer and a member of the
Board of Railroad Commissioners of the
State of Massachusetts, was examined by
the special Mississippi river committee
this morning. He condemned the outlet
theories as totally destructive of the river
channels. The plans, theories and work
of the Mississippi River Commission are
approved by him, and their labOrs We're
given his emphatic Endorsement.
CLOSING NAVY YARDS.
Inquiry as TO the probability of the
closing of any Of the navy yards leads to
the certain conclusion that on the 31st of
March all navy yards will be closed eX-
cept those at New York, Norfolk,
Washington and Mare Island, owing to
the deficiency Of the appropriation for
their maintenance under the naval apprO-
priatiOn act of August 9th, 1882.