Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-12-12
CONGRESS- AND ITS WORK.
COL. BAXNE PREDICTS A POLTTI-
CAL SESSION.

Twists-The Atlanta and Bainbridge
Postmasterships.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 11.-Col. Thomas
Bayne, member of Congress from Penn
sylvania, has been here number of years.
He keeps himself well posted about what
Is going on, and is especially we'll up in
opinions and the calculations of his side.
The News correspondent asked him to-
day to give for publication an outline of
what the Republican members thought
would be the course of the Houses this
session. He replied: "The tariff is going
to be one of the leading issues, that is GER
tain. This is shown by the introduction
of so many bills attacking the present
schedule Of duties almost from the first to
the last article on it. l know there are
Democrats who do not wish a general
tariff revision, but the Carlisle men are
going to force it. The upshot will be
the passage of a resolution making
horizontal reduction of say 10 per
cent. next year and 10 per cent. the year
following like the tariff of 1888. Of course
there will be exceptions to this in certain
articles of import. The Senate will not
ttOn of the two parties on the tariff ques-
tion will be clearly defined by it. There
will be no abolition of internal revenue.
The Democrats who want tariff reform Will
be against that as will also the temperance
Republicans. This will form combination
That can not be overcome, but the main
feature of the session on our side, think.
viii be political. There are going to be
big political battles fought on this floor.
Each side will try to entrap the other.
The new Democrats are going to do a good
deal of investigating. They will try to
find out all manner of iniquity done by
Republicans. This is by no means going
to be business session. 1t is going to
be political skirmish preceding the next
battle in 1884
NATURE OF THE BILLS.
Bills Of a private character predominant
in the enormous number introduced in
the House yesterday and to-day. and Of
these twO-thirds were pension bills. OF
the more important public measures fully
one-half were old, and one of the pension
bills had been introduced in every Con-
gress since 1886. A very considerable
number of bills were introduced which,
while they varied somewhat in form. were
identical in purpose. and several Repre-
sentatiVeS from different States introduced
precisely the same bill or measure which
Hdu VI EludilN Dctu presented TO the For
ty-SeYenth Congress. There We're TODAY
five bills to provide a uniform system of
bankruptcy, three or four to prevent the
spread of contagious diseases among cat
tie, two or three for the abolition of the
internal revenue bureau, and a number
Tor the reduction of postage and the with
drawal from circulation of the trade dol
lar. There We're also number of tariff
bills. some increasing and some lowering
the duties on the articles specified.
bill introduced by Mr.. Horr. of Nichi-
gan, to establish Board of Commission
ers of Interstate commerce as a
bureau of the Interior Department
provides for the appointment of three
Commissioners at a salary of $500 each
per annum, to investigate complaints of
discrimination i'm railroad charges,
The bill introduced by Mr.. Lacy, to
establish postal savings depository as a
branch of the Post Office Department, is
the same measure which was reported
from the Committee on Post Offices and
Post Roads last session, but was not
acted upon. 1t provides that not more
than 5000 shall be deposited by any single
depositor, and that the interest on de-
posits shall be , per cent. per annum.
The bill introduced by Mr.. Strait. to re-
duce the price ofpublic lands within rail
road limits, fixes the price at 81 % per
acre. such lands are now subject to pre-
emptiOn entry at 81 30 per acre.
The bill introduced by Mr.. MuldrOw of
| Mississippi, to enlarge the powers and
duties of the Department Of Agriculture,
is the same which was reported by Mr..
/ Plumb at the last session of the Senate.
Mr.. Hewitt's. bill to secure a uniform
standard of value, was introduced at the
last session Of Congress and referred to
the Committee on Banking and Cur
Tency.
The bill introduced by Mr.. Vance, of
North Carolina, to promote a faithful ad-
ministration of the public offices provides
for the punishment by Il fine not exceed
ing $4,000 and dismissal from office of any
officer under the United States Govern
ment, executive, legislative or judicial,
who shall receive from any railroad,
banking or telegraph company free passes,
tickets or stock.
The bill introduced by Mr.. Hopkins. of
Pennsylvania, for the establishment of a
| Bureau of Labor Statistics, provides for
the appointment of Commissioner, at a
salary of $4,000 per annum, to collect
labor statistics and make an annual re-
port to Congress and the President.
The bill introduced by Mr.. Dorsheimer,
of New York, to define the words "COn-
federate cruisers" in the act extending
the duration of the Alabama Claims Com
mission, is identical with the bill intro
duced in the Senate last week by Mr.
Lapham.
The bill introduced by Mr.. Hutchins, OF
New York, provides for the retirement OF
all legal tender notes of lower denOm-
nations than five dollars.
RICHELIEU ROBINSON HEARD FROM.
In the House to-day Mr.. Robinson. OF
New York, introduced a resolution of in
quiry calling on the Secretary Of the Inte-
riOr for information concerning the pur-
chase of public lands by foreign noblemen
| (sO-called) and titled aliens, with their
names and the amount of acres purchased,
and also for such information as may en-
able the House to formulate such laws as
shall prevent the establishment of land
mOnopolies and landlord systems in our
country and provide against having the
public domain fall under the power OF
aliens. Also, resolution calling on the
Secretary of State for information con-
cerning the arrest, Imprisonment and
torture of John Z. WheelOck, citizen Of
the United States and resident of Brook
| lyn, n. Y, by the Government of NeneZu-
ella in 1879, and the steps taken to have
WheelOck's claim acknowledged by Ven-
eZuela.
Also calling on the same officer for in
formation relative to the reception of our
representative, Mr.. Benjamin, by the Shah
of Persia.
Also calling on the same officer for in
! formation as to whether the Minister to
| Great Britain has received any title of
| nobility, such as ''LOrd Rector from any
| foreign state, and whether such English
lord" is still retained in the service of
the United States.
Also calling on the Secretary of the Navy
| for information as to whether any officer of
the navy has received or accepted any
grif IA ~.
| foreign state without the consent of Con-
! gress and contrary to the provisions OF
| the Constitution. Also, whether officers
and sailors of the United States navy
| rendered any service to the British navy
| in the recent bOmbardment at Alexandria
| in Egypt. Also, reciting that it has been
stated repeatedly in the public press that
a British spy named NJ. f. O'Brien has
! been allowed to tamper with the mails in
| New York, and known as such by United
/ States Inspector Newcome, was by him
permitted to visit his office in the New
! York post office, where he had
apparently unlimited opportunity to tam
! per with and open the correspondence of
| American merchants and citizens. and
where he laid his plans for entrapplng
| those unfortunate men, some of them
| American citizens. who were recently
! tried in Liverpool and sentenced to i'm
prisOnment for life and directing the Post
master General to examine into the mat
| ter and communicate to the House the
| facts and circumstances connected there
with.
Mr.. Cox. of New York, introduced a
resolution requesting the President to
| communicate to the House any cores
pOndence with the Mexican Government
| relative to Mexican claims. Also any
| correspondence with the governments OF