The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1883-01-06
CONGRESS-.
Some Bills introduced and Some
Passed.
The House Passes the Civil Service Bill
and the Senate the Bonded
Whisky Bill,

cation transmitting the report Of the
Mississippi River Commission, with
maps, sc. Ordered printed.
Mr.. Garland presented remOnstrance
of certain merchants of Arkansas
against increase of duty on tin plate
Referred.
Mr.. Cockrell presented a petition of
leading grOcers of st. Louis for reduc-
tiOn of duties on sugar and abrOgatiOn
of the Hawaiian treaty.
Several petitions were presented for
the passage Of a bill giving increased
pensions to One-armed and ne.legged
soldiers.
Mr.. PendletOn presented memorials of
the Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce
and Board of Trade favOring the passage
of the pending bonded whisky bill.
Mr.. Garland, from the Committee on
Judiciary, reported an original bill as a
substitute for the bills referred to that
committee, providing for the forfeiture
of certain railroad land grants. In pre-
senting the report Mr.. Garland said the
subject was very important one, and
that he would call up the bill as soon as
the Fitz John Porter and Presidential
Succession bills were out Of the way.
At 20 the Senate resumed cOnsidera-
tiOn of the Fitz John Porter bill, which
was discussed by Messrs. Logan and Sc
well.
HOUsE-A bill was passed providing
that perique tobacco may be sold by the
manufacturer or producer directly to
legally qualified manufacturers, to be
used in the manufacture Of cigarettes
or smoking tobacco without payment of
tax.
The bill to fix the term of office Of
collectors of internal revenue promised
to give rise to a protracted discussion
and was withdrawn.
Twice during the consideration of the
foregoing bills a vote was demanded,
and it was only after great delay in
pass between tellers.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 3.--In the Senate,
number of petitions were presented, ask
ing a constitutional amendment, pro-
hibiting the manufacture and sale of
alcoholic liquors. After further con-
sideratiOn of the Porter relief bill, and
strenuous effort to force vote by the
opposition without success. the Senate
adjourned.
The House went into committee of the
whole to consider the army apprOpri-
alton bill. An amendment was adopted
fObidding the retirement Of an officer at
any rank below the rank held at the
time. Consideration of the bill was COM
pleted, with the exception Of the prOyi-
sion as to compensation to the Pacific
railroad,
Logan closed his three days. argument
against Fitz John Porter in the Senate.
Sewell followed him and Mcpherson
took the opposition side, dwelling strong
ly on the finding Of the SchOfield board
and Grants testimony as to FitZ John
Porter's innocence; A motion by Hale,
of Maine, to sindehnitely postpone the
bill was defeated, but nothing further
was done with 1t.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 4.-SENATE.--In the
Senate, Mr.. Morrill,, from the Committee
on Finance, reported the House bill to
reduce internal revenue taxation, with
an amendment embracing an entire re-
vision of the tariff and of the machinery
for its collection. He said so far as in
ternal revenue taxation was concerned
the committee felt bound to report as 1t
was left by the Senate, whatever might
have been their own views as to the
amendment changing the rebate tax on
tobacco. He gave notice that he would
ask the Senate, Wednesday next, to take
up the bill and consider 1t to the exclu-
sion Of all other business till it should
be disposed of.
By unanimous consent the West Point
appropriation bill was taken up and
passed. Then 1t was unanimously agreed
that vote be taken on the FitZ John
Porter bill Thursday next.
On Mr.. Sherman's motion, 33 to IS, the
bonded whisky bill was taken up.
Mr.. Hale moved to amend so as to
limit the proposed extension of the time
1881. His object in offering in the
amendment was to test the sincerity of
the professions that this bill was mere
ly designed to relieve distress and to as
certain whether the relief of distress or
the securing of an indefinite extension
of time for whisky men was the real OBJ
ject. 1t was the Bourbon whisky inter
est that was urging this bill, but all
whisky of that kind entered on or be-
fore July 1st, 1881, was protected for one
year by the existing law, and his
(Hale's) amendment would give 1t two
years more.
Mr.. Sherman said If the whisky inter
est came Oftener to Congress for relief
than others, it was because no other in
terest except tobacco was 80 taxed by
Congress. The tax on spirits was 900
per cent. on its cost. In other words,
the Government said to manufacturers
OF spirits: within three years from the
time you manufacture your product you
she'll pay in taxes five times as much as
that product COSTS"
Mr.. Maxey asked what reason there
was for granting this extension to dis
tillers, which would not apply equally
to importers of distilled spirits.
Mr.. Beck said imports had already
several advantages, and further, they
did not use American grain or other
American materials. Whisky men had
paid into the treasury a thousand mil
lion dollars, and that class of manufac-
turers were now complaining that they
had never cheated the Government out
of dollar. 1t was entirely proper that
whisky and tobacco should be taxed,
and he (Beck) certainly would never
ask that they should be relieved from
| taxation so long as poor man was tax
ed 100per ce11t. upon his blanket and SO
per cent. on the sugar he used in his
| tea. He was in favor Of keeping the
whisky interest" in a condition to be
taxed, and pay taxes, so that the other
burdens pressing heavily upon the peo-
pie might be reduced; and the relief
| granted by this bill was necessary tC
keep it in that condition. The amend.
ment was finally reiected-ayes II
noes "a.
The bill passed. Ayes: Aldrich, Grow.
or, Pendleton, Barrow, Hampton, Sher