The Portland daily press., 1884-04-28
FORTY.EIGHTH CONGRESS-.
HOUSE.

In the House the Speaker announced the appoint
nent of the following conference committee:
Naval appropriations -Messrs. Hutchins, Ran
dali and Calkins
Post office appropriations -Messrs. IoWnsn emu, |
Holman and Horr
The House then proceeded to the consideration
of special order, which was bill to remove GER
tain burdens on the American merchant marine
and encourage the American carrying trade.
After the reading of the report Mr.. Sloeum of
New York was awarded the floor. Our navigation
laws he said like those relating to the militia had
not been changed in the past century. They we're |
to-day lust what they were 80 years ago. For so |
years they had been precisely the same as those of
England. Thirty years ago England had modified |
her laws, and her commercial marine had Increased
vastly from that modification, and the bill under
consideration proposed to make our laws somewhat
similar to the changes made by England. The SUD
ject had attracted the attention OF the people, ana
this measure was intended simply to sweep away
some old laws which ship owners ship masters and
the merchants of the country agreed should be
eradeated from the statute books. 1t contained no
provision which was not unanimously recommended
by the shipping committee, and as, if it were to
pass 1t must pass to-oay, ne would not detaln the
House with any further discussion.
Mr. Deuster of Wisconsin supported the bill. He
pictured the decadence of American commerce, and
said that the remedy must be found in the adoption
of wise and judicious line of legislation inspired
by the necessities of great people ready and able
to avail themselves Of the lessons tanght by the
measure contained many amendments looking TO
the revision of the navigation laws. 1t was neees-
sary to confront the defects in these laws and to
strip off the fungus growth which had come with
the passage of time, in order that wiser legisla-
ton might adapt itself to the changed condition OF
affairs.
Mr.. Cox of New York did not consider it worth
while to say to an American Congress that our
soddiing It had been killed. He was surprised, he
vas about to say mortified, that this bill, which
contained 50 many good features did not contain
which the United States once possessed upon the
seas. and that, while copying SO many of the Eng
sh features it had not copied the main features,
free registry free purchase of ships and free trade
in matsrals which entered into the construction of
ship. The measure was merely partial relief.
II could not rehabltate our commerce.
Mr. Parker of New York thought that the bill
hnsAed off too few of the barnaees which were at
tae0ed to the shipping Laws, and o gave notice e 81
| affect more especially the commerce of the lakes
| The time had come when public opinion regardless
| )fparty politics, was demanding that the bnr-
| dens which had rested so long upon commerce
Should be removed, and that The relief granted
Should extend as well to lake as to ocean shipping
| Mr. Findlay of Maryland commended, in reply to a
/ statement of Mr.. Cox, that ever since 1872 there
vas law the statute books which admitted free
Of duty all articles required in the construction
and repair of vessels intended for the foreign carry
ing trade
| Mr. Cox explained that under the construction of
the Treasury Department, and according to the
cepted opinion of Congress- the law referred simply
| to materials for wooden ships. The bill was then
I read by sections for amendment
Mr. Socum acting under the instructions Of his
committee. moved to strike out the tenth section
which prohibits the payment of advance wages and
which applies to foreign vessels in ports of the
United States, and also the eleventh section, which
requires vessels to carry slop chest He explained
that while the committee in favor of both
these provisions, it was matter of doubt whether,
1t was within the power OF Congress to extend them
to foreign ships and unless this could be done they
would serve as a discrimination against American
shipping.
Mr.. Hewitt of New York, moved to amend the
caotia nruhia 81 consular
| ICES the Secretary Of the Treasury to allow such
consular officers as are paid in whole or in part by
fees such compensation for their services as they
would have received prior to the passage of this act
by adding the words: mot TO exceed in any fiscal
year the aggregate amount of fees collected at each
consulate for such services for the fiscal year ended
| June 80, 1888" Agreed to.
On motion of Mr.. Slocum the 14th section was
amended as to read as follows That in lieu of
l the tax on tonnage, 30 cents per ton per annum,
hereafter imposed by law duty of three cents per
ton not to exceed in the aggregate I5 cents per ton
in any one year. is hereby imposed at each entry
all vessels which shall be entered in any port of the
United States, from any foreign port or place in
North America Central America, the West India
l islands, the Bahama Islands, the Bermuda islands,
L or the Sandwich islands, or Newfoundland; and a
duty of six cents per TONS not to exceed 30 cents
per ton per annum, is hereby imposed at each en-
| try on all vessels which shall be entered in the
United States from any other foreign ports; proyid
ed, that the President of the United States shall
suspend the collection of so much of the duty here
in imposed vessels entered from any port in the
| Dominion of Canada, Newfoundland. the Bahama
islands, the Hermuda islands, the West India isl
| ands Mexico and Central America, down to and in,
| Guiding Aspnwall and Panama. as may be in ex-
| cess of the tonnage and lighthouse dues, or other
| equivalent tax or taxes imposed on American yes
| sells by the government of the foreign country in
| which such port is situated, and SHALL on the pas
sage of this act and from time to time Their eafte1
as It man foreign counfrie3 ind
cate by proclamations the ports to which such sus
pension shall apply, and the rate or rates of ton
mage duty II any, to be collected under such sus
1 pension; and provided further, that ali vessels
which shall have paid the tonnage tax imposed bJ
sec. 42l9 OF the Revised Statutes for he current
year. shall not be liable to the tax herein levied nm
til the expiration of the certificate of last payment
1 of tax.
/ The words ''not to exceed 80 cents ner ton ner.
annum' were inserted on motion of Mr.. O'Neiil OF
Pennsylvania.
| Mr.. Adams of New York moved to amend sec. IL
which abolishes the marine hospital tax by apply.
ing its provisions well vessels engaged in the
coastwise as to those engaged in the foreign trade
| Adopted.
| On motion of Mr.. George of Oregon an amend
ment was adopted providing that vessels arriving at
l port of entry of the United States laden with
coal, salt, railroad iron and other like material in
bulk may proceed to place within that collection
district to be specially des grated by the secretary
OF the treasury at the expense of the person inter
ested for the purpose of unloading their cargoes
| Mr.. Cox Of New York offered an amen dment pro-
vidi1g that, from and after the pas sage of this
act it shall be lawful for citizen of the United
States to import iron or steel built steamships of
not less than 1000 tons measurement free of duty,
and such ships shall be admitted to American reg.
istry provided that said ships shall be the excl1-
sive property OF citizen citizens of the United
shall
be excluded from the coastwise trade.
Mr.. Dingley said that the adoption of this amend
ment would sound the death knell to the building
of American vessels by American workmen in
American yards.
Mr.. Reed of Maine agreed with his colleague that
the adoption OF the amendment wonld be well cal
cuated to ruin the bill. Why bring in a measure of
this kind upon measure to which there was no OBJ
| lection. The members of the House, by quarrels
among themselves should not deny to the ship own
| ers of the country the small measure of relief
| which was contained in this well considered and
| sensible bill.
Messrs. Cox and Hammond favored the amend
ment, which, after further debate, was adopted
L Ill to SO.
On motion of Mr.. Hewitt of New York, an amend
ment was adopted providing that the expense of
maintaining the marine hospital service shall be
defrayed out of the receipts from the tonnage tax
i The bill was then passed.
Mr.. Thompson of Kentucky presented the report
of the Pacific railroad committee the bill amend
| ing the sinking fund act. Referred to the House
| calendar.
| Mr.. Burns of Missouri, from the committee on
/ appropriations, reported the consular and diplo-
matte appropriation bill. Referred to committee Of
Il the whole.
/ Adjourned