The Harrison times. (Harrison, Boone Co., Ark) 1876-1938, 1883-01-20
SoIttapo cettee.
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, D. c, jan. b. 1852.

WASHINGTON, D. C., Jan. Il, lss2.
Congress has now been n session
thirty five days, aud has l0fly.three
days, not counting Sundays remain.
ing. The appropriation bills will
consume much OF the remaining
time, aud the tariff and revenue bills
will not be passed without lengthy
debate. Before the end Of the next
week the Senate and House will
have separate revenue BILLS under
consideration. 1t will require en-.
ergy, tact, vigilance, and, | might
say genius and stoieism to secure
the passage OF II measure reducing
the revenue. Indeed 1t is difficult
TO SEQ no" many "elenehed antago-
nisms" can be recohciIed, but Con
gress realizes that the demand Tor
the reduction OF taxation is peremp-
tory, and taxes and the tariff will
be reduced in spite OF the most for.
mldaole protesting lobby that ever
bcsieged the Capitol. The total re-
auctions proposed In tho bill report
cd from tho Finance Committee,
and now pending in tho Senate,
amount to s79,S39, 1921, OF which
$40, 049. 900 are To come from the
tariff, aud S3i, 1905 from internal
taxation. All internal taxes, save
those upon tobacco, IN It's several
forms, spirits and beer, arc abolish
ed by the bill. Mr.. Morrill,, who is
one 81 the most careful students of
national finances III Congress, thinks
this Is rs far in the way of redue-
tlons rs 1t would be safe to 60 He
has some apprehensiens Of another
crisis, and thinks Con-
gress should pay heed to the storm
signals which have of late been fire..
quontly visible IN the financial hor.
zon. The surplus estimated by the
Secretary of the Treasury is ST.
1887, or about So, 900, 900 less than
the proposed reductions. A reduc-
lion of letter postage to two cents
will cause falling-off in the reven-
ne of about $S,550,616, (estimated),
and the pension expenditures are
increasing to such proportions as to
make it uncertain how much can be
spared from the Government reven.
les. 1t is, perhaps, quite safe to
predict that the Senate will 60 fully
as far as the Finance Committee
recommend in the direction of re.
ductions. In fact, tbs probable that
that body will go beyond the com
mlttea, y. this respect. The bill is
Unsatisfactory to those who advo-
beraL cutting down of tariff
dutiesy and they will make every u
fort to amend it 50 as to EN- bod n
their ideas of what u tariff bill should
be. This element seems to be
stronger in the Senate than in the
House, and hence the tariff reform
ers prefer to start tariff legislation
in the former body. The Repubh- |
cans feel that they must, as a matter
Of party policy, meet the popular
demand for tariff Legislation at this
session, and rather than have such |
legislation tail by reason of the dc.
terminod opposition of the tariff re.
formors, they will probably make |
IN tho way of roduc.
lions, which they would not assent
% If they were strong enough in
Congress to enact such u law as they
prefer.
Now that the civil service bill has
passed both houses Of Congress and |
S certain to receive the approval Of
he President, candid OPINIONS are
,cing expressed about it. The bill
3 getting more kicks than compl- |
nonts. Republicans regard the
Measure as one of policy moro than
principle. In supporting it the Re-
)ublicans were not only obeying
What was considered the popular
will, but they felt that at the same
ime they were making good stroke
OF the party. In the event OF Dem
,cratic success in 1884, the law
would serve to keep Republicans in
,flice. IT cannot DO expected that a
ill passed under these conditions
md circumstance would be by any
means perfect. 1t is admitted on
III bands that the bill is crudo, and
many who gave it active support ex-
,use Its shortcomings by saying 1t is
nut start in the right direction
hat it merely blazes the way for
thor and exceeding Congresses to
ollow through trackless and un-
raveled forest. What the hill may
accomplish depends largely upon