The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1884-02-20
arr WASHINGTON SPECIAL.
Tho Mississippi River Convem
t;ou and it's Effect on Con
greSS.
ri,il Service Reform Must 90
Ranks and the Trade Dollar.
c4.r;aI to tie BsfIe4 Tines,

WASHINGTON FEB. 18th 1881.
The Mississippi river and its
tributary improvements promise to
beeome IA nucleus for Western po-
atcal campaigns Judging from the
action Of the Mississippi and Ohio
uv.rC ConyentIon which was in session
in this cit, last week. The Conven-
lion was composed of several hun
dred prominent business men repre-
s.uting the territory and sentiment
Of over go. .ooo, 900 people Interested
in the development of Western
Commerce. They want Congress to
appropriate about $40, 1000, 900 for
Western rivers and harbors and thev
said to Congress, ''Give us what we
ask and need, or our people will rel
epate YOU to private life.
WHAT WILL CONGRESS DO ABOUT IT.
Previous to the assembly of this
convention the House committee on
Rivers and Ha, bofs had informally
| discussed the appropriation tor the
coming year, and the majority of the
committee seemed to favor a $Io,-
100000 limit, and expressed them
selves as desirous, if possible to con-
Ere it within So, ,ooo, 900. The esti
mates of the Engineers having in
charge the Improvements of rivers
and Harbor> amount to S35, 900
and convention endorsed and urged
the expenditure OF even a greater
sum than this. But the famous liv
/ er and haibor steal Of 81 is still
fresh in the minds of Congressman,
and the probabilities are that not
/ over Si2 ,ooo, 900 will De appropri.
| atet! this year.
THE EFFECT OF MORRIsON'S TARIFF
| Democratic Senators and Repre-
>entativeS are cautious IN what they
say on the Morrison tariff bill. but It
is clear that the proposed horizontal
reductions awak@ns no enthusiasm
and is not satisfactory to a large
wing of the party. 1t is now TO be
considered in committee and we are
assured 1t can not come back to the
House inside of j month at the ear
hest. This will throw over the dis
c,ission well into the spring when the
political caldron will be boiling
! and the appropriation bills are under
h full Roadway. Hence the bill has a
stormy career ahead even in the
House while ITS prospects in the Sen
ate are so small as practically to dis
miss the whole scheme to the domain
OF speculation rather than legislation.
As battle cry the bill can serve its
purpose as well whether adopted,
OF not. and 1t Is in this direction that |
It's chief Importance lies.
How MUCH 1T REDUCES THE TARIFF. |
| The horizontal reduction of the |
oil decreases the taxes about SIS, !.
5000, and when you add to this |
'he abolished duties on the increased |
tee list the sun total swells TO $40. |
ooo.ooc. 1t remains to be seen
whether the bill can pass the House,
out eight democratic Senators have |
Publicly declared that they will vote
ssainSt the measure. therefore it
cannot pass the Senate.
THAT LITTLE WOOL BILL. i
Mr.. Convcrsc'S, though lamn-iIke |
nevertheless dangerous thing. |
ar. Converse has been accused of |
aeandoning the measure which re- !
Serss the duty on WOOL, ms alleged |
motives being no, la spring upon the
fiouse Il principal III distinct contra
u'etion to MorrIson'> tariff reduc- |
aon. Converse says Ohio lost over !!
million dollars when the Rcpubli-
cans reduced the duty on wool and !
ohio now demands prompt rcs,or-
S''on and he promises to secure it or /
sarow the responsibility on the heads |