Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-04-17
AT THE NATIONS CAPITAL
BANKRUPTCY THE PRINCIPAL
TOPIC IN THE SENATE,

Mr.. BlOunt Speaks in Favor of the Tariff
Bill and the Principle Involved in it
CoOn's Nomination Confirmed-Randan
Not to Hinder the Tariff Debate.
WASHINGTON, April 16.-The Chair
laid before the Senate a resolution offered
yesterday by Mr.. Morgan, directing the
Judiciary Committee to inquire whether
Paul Strobach, whose nomination for Mar
shall of the Middle and Southern districts
Of Alabama was rejected by the Senate,
and who is now performing the duties of
that office, is entitled to occupy the office.
Mr.. MOrgansaid that the question involved
was one OF apparent conflict between
the United States District Court in Ala
bama and decision of the Senate, as to
the Interpretation Of the tenure of office
act Of 1869, hence he thought it his duty to
bring the matter before the Senate. so that
the Judiciary Committee may be directed
to look into it. He recited the circum-
stances of the nomination and rejection
of Marshal StrObach, and the facts con-
nected with the indictments against him
for offenses against the United States, and
including the Otfense of perjury. Mr..
Morgan felt compelled to assume that the
President could not have known all the
facts in the case when, against the eX-
press action of the Senate, he had ap-
pointed Strobach to the office. He con
tended that the Office was now vacant, the
four years. term of the lawfully appointed
occupant having expired. The resolution
was agreed to without opposition.
Mr.. Morrill, asked and obtained unani-
nous consent to reply to the criticisms
made on his Mr.. MOrilPs) course on the
tariff by Mr.. Beck in the course Of his re-
marks on the educational bill. After the
,.ofa Nj Al.
ceeded with the consideration of the bank
ruptcy bill. Amendments We're offered
by Messrs. George, Hoar, Ingalls,, Wilson,
Pike, Harrison, Garland, and Call, most
OF which were agreed to. The bill was
read TO the end and substantially agreed
to, several amendments, however, being
indicated to be made when the bill is re-
ported from the committee of the whole
and several sections being meanwhile
agreed to merely pro fOrma. After an
executive session the Senate adjourned
IN THE HOUSE.
The morning hour having been dis
pensed with, the House at u 40 O'Clock
went into committee Of the whole, with
Mr.. Cox, OF New York. in the chair. On
the tariff bill, Mr.. Russell, Of Massachu-
setts, made an elaborate argument in op-
position to the measure, and deprecated a
reOpening of the tariff agitation after the
Il
period OF twelve months. The interests
of the people could be best subserYed by
letting the tariff laws alone for the pres
ent. There was no call coming up for a
change in these laws. If the demand of
the Free Trade Club Of Brooklyn were ac-
cepted, this bill was brought in as a chal-
lenge to fight in the coming Presiden-
tlai campaign. The Republican party
the protective party-accepted the chal-
lenge. 1t stood ready to 90 to the people
standing by the policy of tariff law so
adjusted as to give a revenue to the gov
ernment and protection to American in
dustres.
Mr.. Blount, Of Georgia, said that be
was not free trader. He believed in get
ting a revenue generally from impOrta-
ton. but no legislation should be enacted
which would make the rich richer and the
poor poorer on the pretense of eleYating
American labor above the pauper labor of
Europe, and of keeping the home market
for ourselves. Congress should so legis-
late as ultimately to reach the revenue
standard. This could not be done at once,
for sudden change of policy might pro-
duce a disaster. The progress should
be slow. Five, ten or twenty years
might be needed to accomplish
the object, yet it must be done. The
struggle would be fierce and arduOus. The
manufacturers would sacrifice political
alliance and use every device to hold
what they had. 1t was a daily Observa-
tion that if the Democratic party did not
abandon its attempt to revise the tariff it
could not elect the next President. 1t was
said that the manufacturers were power
in their wealth, and this would be used
against the party effectively. If on such
suggestions the Democratic party aban-
doned its policy the time would come
when fairer representatives would be sent
to Congress to resume the contest
The party which held the power hereafter
must do so by outstripping its
opponent in the reduction of the tariff
The pending bill was liable to several
criticisms. 1t was claimed that it did not
correct the inequalities in the tariff. The
committee had not undertaken to do that
1t had been thought best to make a simple
and partial reduction of taxation. and
that multiplicity of subjects would tend
to create confusion in the public mind.
The reduction of revenue which would be
accomplished by the bill was estimated at
30,OOQ000, and this opened the way to a
reductf6n of the tax on distilled spirits to
10 cents per gallon, and encouraged farm
ers to put in brandy that which by decay
would otherwise be lost. 1t would also
enable Congress to abolish the entire
tobacco tax. Messrs. Chace, of Rhode
Island, and Jones, of Arkansas, also
spoke upon the bill. The committee then
rose. The interest which was manifested
in the consideration of the bill Yesterday
met with a reaction to-day. The attend
ance was small, and but little attention
was paid to the discussion except by per-
sOnal friends of the speakers.
Mr. Hewitt, of New York, presented a
petition of the New York Chamber of
Commerce and Stock Exchange for a sus-
pension of the coinage Of silver dollars. 1t
was referred, and the House adjourned.