Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-01-11
Senate.

Senate.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 1O.-In the senate
Mr.. Lapham presented a petition of mem
bers of the New York board of trade and
transportation for the passage of the Lowell
bankruptcy bill
Mr.. Platt said the committee on PEN
sions was unable to arrive at conclu-
sion at the last meeting respecting the bill
granting increased pensions to one armed
and one legged soldiers, owing to the alb
sence of the chairman on account Of
sickness.
Mr.. Frye introduced joint resolution
providing for the termination of the fish
cries articles of the treaty between the
United States and Great Britain, concluded
at Washington, May s; 1871, and moved its
reference to the committee on foreign
relations. He was very anxious that the
committee act promptly on the matter.
He thought these articles ought not to be
allowed to continue in force
another day because the
fishing privileges which we gave to the
Canadians we're very valuable, while those
which they gave US were worthless, though
by gross mismanagement on our part and
skillful diplomacy on the part of the Cana
dams we had been required to pay $780,
900 for them. He thought this a
munifcent gift to Canada, for every cent
of it was gift. He charged
that where we took one barrel of mackerel
in their waters, they took 100 in
ours. He also made the point that Cana
diaus are permitted to export fish to the
United States free of duty.
After further discussion the resolution
was referred.
Mr.. Ingalls, offered a resolution directing
the committee on judiciary to inquire and
report what legislation is necessary to as
certain and determine when the powers
and duties of the presidential
| Office shall devolve upon the
vice president in case of the inability of
the president to discharge the same, and
| in what manner the removal of the disa-
bility may be ascertajned under the con-
stitution.
At the suggestion of Mr.. Garland, the
resolution went over.
| The calendar was then proceeded with
and after passing the probate court bill,
at the close of the morning hour, Mr..
Morrill, moved to postpone the education
and bankruptcy bills. Agreed to.
The tariff bill was then taken up for
| consideration.
| MIR. Morrill, addressed the senate and
said, at the outset: Permit me to say the
report of this bill by the senate committee
on finance has not been made in any spirit
of antagonism to or competition with the
| ways and means committee of the house,
| but in view of the early termination of the
present congress it has been made secure
with greater certainty of reduction Of the
| too abundant revenue from both internal
tax 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 pres
| ent session. The free list has been con-
siderably increased; the reduction on
manufactures Of paper, of bonnets and
hats, on salt, on spices, caustic soda,
aniline colors and many other articles, is
very pronounced. Sections 2907
and 1913 of the existing statrt
require an addition to the cost or value of
imported articles upon which ad valorum
duties are to be computed of the cost of
inland transportation, packages and COM
missions. All this it is proposed to repeal,
|
Gus reduction in many heavy articles, es-
peciaily Measurers pressing upon our atten-
! ton. If we can wisely accomplish this, we
shall have deserved credit, at
least for diligence and honest effort.
The amendment reported from the
| finance committee has for its basis the re-
port of the tariff commission. The inter-
nal revenue tax, if the bill should become
a law, will hereafter be limited to spirits,
beer and tobacco, including snuff and CT
gars. AS we come to the amendment of
the tariff it cannot fail to be seen that
very substantial reduction is proposed and
in some cases possibly more radical than
the future may justify-the reduction of the
rates on sugar and on iron and steel, on
cotton and salt, crockery and china ware
but it will greatly simplify the work of the
custom officers in the ascertainment of
the precise amount upon which duties
should be levied. Without some compen-
sation, this change of the law would be
very disastrous to home industry in china
and crockery ware, of which we import
about one-half of the consumption of the
country. The tariff commission. there
fore, reported in favor of Is per cent. ad
dition to the present rates of duty, but the
committee on finance reported an addi-
tional of only 10. This will
only leave this class of trade,
| it is believed, in its present con-
dition. The repeal and reduction pro-
posed of internal revenue taxes aggregate
nearly $13,OO0,OO0. Add the tax collected
by the treasury of the United States
from national banks, nearly S19,000,00O;
special taxes, $3,OOO,OOO; cigars and cigar
cites, about $7,0OO,OOO; tobacco, $6,00O,000.
Total 1874, 79O, 1924. We must not conceal from
ourselves that SO general change to lower
duties carrying down fall in values will
seriously affect those with stock on hand,
and the doors we also open to labor abroad
will to some extent shut out the labor at
home. Home industries, it is to be feared,
cannot be maintained except by the re-
duction of wages. Already some large
iron establishments are shut up, and in
Philadelphia 10000 looms are said to be
idle. There has been overproduction
in other articles than whisky, and nowhere
more extravaganza than in the 1000 miles
of railroads built in 1882. Storm signals
of late have been frequently visible in the
financial horizon. Those who believe
monetary crises are periodical now fear
the decsnnial return of that of 1873.