Omaha daily bee., 1883-01-11
THE NATIONAL CAPITA,
The Tariff Bill Taken Up in the
Senate and Discussed.
The Report Of the Commits.
sion Dissected by Beck.
The Shipping Still Occupies the
Attention ~ the House.
CONGRESSIONAL
,ecial Dispatch to Tur srk.

CONGRESSIONAL
Special Dispatch to TUX SEX.
SENATE PROCEEDINGS.
WASHINGTON, January 10.-Senator
Frye introduced a joint resolution
providing for the termination of the
fisheries treaty between the United
States and Great Britain, concluded
In Washington May s, 1871, Re-
ferred to the committee on foreign re-
lations.
The tariE bill was taken up at the
close of the morning hour.
Senator Morrill, addressed the sen.
ate and said: AT the outset permit
me to say that tho report on this bill
by the senate committee on hDance
has not been made in any spirit of an.
tagonism to or competition with the
ways and means c6mmittee of the
house; but, In view Of the early termi-
nation of the present congress 1t has
been made to secure with greater GER
tainty a reduction of the too abundant
ven from both internal taxes
and tariff by such timely consideration
as would permit favorable action on
the part of the senate as well as of
the house, before the close of the
present session. If, with all other
important measures pressing upon u
attention. we cen wisely accomplish
thia, we shall have deserved credit,
at least, for diligence and honest effort.
Senator Morrill, closed his speech by
saying that If the senator's are ia ear
nest about having any reduction Of
the taxes and of the tariff their hearty
CO. operation is absolutely necessary to
bring about that result. If the work
ia done at this aession OF congress 1t
must be done promptly. AS we pro-
coed with the bill, il easy questions
are asked in explanation, l snail an.
swer with great pleasure; IF harder
questions are asked l shall either step
aside for my colleague OF the commit.
tee to come to the front, or ] shall
retreat behind the words OF old Sam
johnson. When a,ked by a lady how
he came to make a blunder in his die.
tionary as to the description of the
pastern joint of the horse, he respond.
cd, "Sheer ignorance, madam"
Laughter.
Senator Beck attacked the report o!
of the tariff commission saying while
plausibility of the plan was to reduce
duties, 1t really increased them upor
many important articles. The com
mission had simply let men who wer'
to make money out of the business
fix up the schedules for themselveI
and had handed that In az their work
when In fact in his judgment they
had done no intelligent work at all
1t would therefore be the duty of tn,
senators who really desired C. re
duction OF existing duties to examine
this bill very carefully to see it die
not really increase them by means 9
cunning changes of the schedule
transpositions and provisions devised
by men who would profit by the in
crease and who perhaps In many
instances deceived even mem
bers of the commission themselves
Senator Beck, continuing, said the tar
if commission had reported in favor o
many changes from advalorem to speci
flo duty, the alleged object being t.
guard against under valuation; but tn,
real object was quite a different one
Everybody knew the progressive i'm
provement of machinery and othe
Influences were constantly tending t.
make prices lower and under the sys
tenn of advalorem ,,uties the importe
and consumer would get the benefit o
this, but when the duties were specif
they would remain unchanged, no mat
ter how the prices might fall.
Senator Beck said he had been dc
ceived for a time himself by the repor
of the tariff commission, for 1t was yer
plausibly written. Indeed, the repor
itself was good, but the action recon
mended by the commission was abou
Unable.
Adjourned.
HOUSE PROCEEDINGS.
The senate amendments to the ayr
cultural and Indian appropriation bill
were concurred in, and o~onsideratio
! of the shipping bill was resumed.
, Mr.. Chandler Mass offered q
amendment to come in at the end {
, section |, providing that 1t shall h
. lawful, however, for any seaman
. stipulate in his shipping agreement fC
allotment of any portion of the wag'
q he may earn to his wife, fathe
-. mother, grandfather, grandmothe
child, grandchild, brother, sister, {
any savings ban6, for the benefit
O such seaman, and to no other persc
or corporation. Adopted.
Mr.. Cox IN. " offered an amend
q ment repeating all laws requiring pa!
o ment of any remuneration to shippir
y commissioners for shipping seamen
, shipped by master or owners.
Q Objection being offered to II
d apendmens because 1t provided I
;, government officer to take the pls
d OF the commissioners.
II Mr.. Cox thereupon modified d
n amendment by adding a proviso tn
e the duties performed by shipping col
m~iEsioners at home porA shall be pc
II formed by the collectors of the sever
ports of the United States, ard tn
no fees shall be charged for said 81
y vices.
8, The amendment was then adopte
h Mr.. Dingley moved to amend t
10 section limiting the individual liabili
D. of snip owners by adding a provi
d that the aggregate liabilities of