The Dillon tribune. [volume] (Dillon, Mont.) 1881-1941, 1883-03-17
Correspondence.
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our regular Correspondent

WASHINGTON, March 10, 1883.
The 47th Congress has adjourned. 1t
was in session all night, March 4th, and no
such anxious throng of interested specta-
tors has crowded the hall, corridors and
galleries for many years. The Tariff Bill
brought many people here from all over
the land and the last day falling on Sunday,
let loose thousands of trades,nen and clerks
who poured into the Capitol to witness the
last agonies of a Congress which promised
us bread and gave us stone.
The chief work of the Forty-seventh
Congress was the Tariff bill. 1t was
passed, but not unanimously. That it is a
stupendous failure, the criticism of it by
members Of both parties and a careful read
ing of its provision clearly shows. Take
for instance the revenue portion of the bill
The only tax abolished is the tax on the
down -trodden and oppressed banks, the tax
on patent medicines, and reduction of the
tax on tabacco.
The rates of duty on imports are reduced
on some articles and allowed to remain al
about the old rates on others. Iron ore is
Is cents per ton, and steel rails $17 per
ton, which is very near the old rate
On sugars there is no reduction, except in
a low grade, where there is reduction OF
one mill per pound.
The greatest dissatisfaction to the bill
grows out of the large reduction in the
duty on wool, while very little reduction
was made on articles manufactured OF
wool, thus discriminating in favor of the
manufacturer and against the farmer. The
duty imposed on first and second class inn
ported woods is 10 and II cents per pound
and leaves off the additional IS per cent
ad valorem duty imposed by the old law
This reduction, it is claimed by wool grow
ers, will let in the vast wool product Of
Australia and Buenos Ayres, and complete
" destroy the wool industry of the United
States, in which almost every farmer is
interested.
1t is, perhaps, wicked to growl or gro"
satirical over ii. '''. for we find man,
things to make us a proud and happy and
contented people. The poor have cause to
rejoice, for while duty of IS cents per tor
is placed on bituninous coal, they have
added the following poor mans luxuries tf
the free list: Bones, hoofs, ipecac, leeches
assafoetida, salted intestines, saur-kraut
sausage skins, and snails.
To conclude the recital OF this aosnr<
tariff measure they harmonized the who''
bill by placing a tariff Of IS per cent OF
books and allowing foreign newspaper
and periodicals to come into the countr,
on the free list with assafetida and saur
kraut. to the great conste, nation of Ameri
can editors.
The election Of Senator Edmunds as th'
President of the Senate PRO tenn. to take tn
place of Senator Davis, whose term expire
is about the wisest thing the Republican
have done during the existence ofthis Con
gress.
The chances for the speakership OF tn
next house, stand at adjournment about a
follows:
Sam Randall is the candidate OF the rail
roads, monopolists, and the Republicans
Carlisle, of Kentucky, is ahead in tn
race among the old members now here
How the amateurs will feel when they rus
into Washington with their new grip sack
next winter, no man can tell, but usual
the old members lead these new brother
ins: elected, in the path they tread. LII
speakership race is narrowing down to tn
two just named, with Randall in the rear
CODEx.
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