The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1884-02-29

io..os cap, .-ss,~s ,iicn appirciassvA
action taken by congress on The death or
Herr Lasker.
The report of the commission appointed
TO examine into the swine industry of the
United States has gone to the president. II
declares that no condition exists tending 10
propagate disease, and suggests that mi-
croscopic inspection Of all pork for exporta.
ton can be secured at the packlng-houses.
The house committe OH public lands has
agreed to report In favor of the absolute for
feiture of AZ, OOO,O 600 acres granted to the At
lantic and Pacific railroad company, leaving
5000, 900 acres as earned by the laying Of
track between Albuquerque and the Colo
RADIO river.
Mr.. Morrison has offered, in the ways and
means committee, a substitute for the bill
under discussion In committee on the extern
sion of the bonded whisky period. The sub
stitute provides that the bonded period shall
be extended not exceeding two years from
the date the tax has, or would have, fallen
due.
The house committee on postofiices and
pOstroads reported to the house q bill to
amend sections 1929 and 4, 041 of the Revised
Statutes authorizing the postmaster general
to prohibit the delivery of registered letters
and the payment OF money orders TO lottery
companies. The amendment is in harmony
with the declaration of purpose on the part
of congress to exclude from the mails letters
and circulars pertaining to all lotteries,
whether legal or illegal, and in keeping
with the constitutional and statutory pro-
visions OF nearly every state in the union.
BONDED WHISKY.
1t is believed that no minority report will
be made on Morrison's bonded spirits extern
sion bill. In the report submitted Morrison
says: THE committee on ways and means
have considered the subject of extending
the time for payment of the tax on distilled
spirits now in warehouse, beg leave to re-
port that the production of distilled spirits
In the United States has become larger than
demanded by the market The taxes are
the largest paid by any domestic industry. 1t
suffers, in common with other industries,
from the present depression of trade. The
burden from which 1t chiefly suffers Is that
directly imposed by the government. Its
relief would probably prevent serious dis
aster and bankruptcy, not only to the inter-
est itself, but to associate business interests.
This bill proposes not to remove any liabili-
ty for taxes now imposed by law but simply
to postpone their payment for q period not
exceeding two years, on condition of further
security, and on the payment of interest on
the taxes at the highest rate paid by the
government on any OF its debts"
SILVER COINAGE.
Chairman Bland, of the committee on
coinage, weights and measures, has prepared
minority report dissenting from the views
of the majority regarding the method of re-
firing the trade dollar. The objections of
the minority relate for the most part to the
fourth section of the bill reported by the
committee. That section provides that all
trade dollars coming into the treasury be re-
coined and counted as part of the monthly
purchase of bullion under the laws of 1873
The report says: I'VE can not agree to that
provision because the effect will be to great
Ixy1 In nlttn and If lynr httI-
lion. The reason now urged for discontinue
ing the coinage Of silver is that it Is worth
only 81 cents OH the dollar. 1T we further
depress it by taking in trade dollars to the
extent of not less than ten millions, the
amount generally supposed to be now in the
amount might be forced into the treasury in
payment of public dues or in exchange at
par, as the bill provides for-there has been
about thirty-siX millions of trade dollars
coined-we can readily see how this would
prevent any monthly purchase of bullion for
taken and counted as bullion and deducted
from the monthly purchase of bullion would
close the doors against silver bullion for at
least four months, and possibly twelve. Do
those who favor silver want to do this? Any
thing just at this time that causes q fall of
silver In the markets Of the world may, and
likely would, result in its final overthrow.
The decline would be pointed to as q sign
that silver must cease to be regarded as a
precious metal, an argument that would be
holly pressed for stopping the coinage Of
silver altogether"
wATTERSON's COPYRIGHT BILL.
Henry Watterson has gone to New York,
with his copyright bill lying as close to his
heart as it could get in the inside pocket of
his OvercOat. 1t was expected he would
cause his bill to be introduced last week,
but there seems to have been hitch about
the matter, and he has gone to New York to
confer with William Henry Smith, of the
associated press, presumably with view to
determining deter mi ing, whether It will be wiser to
at the imminent risk of its being defeated.
Several gentlemen who have talked with
Mr. WattersOn represent him as saying that
the object of his proposed measure is not to
conserve the interests of the associated press,
a representation which strikes the average
on-loOker as somewhat inconsistent with
his present flying visit to New York to con-
fer with Mr.. Smith. The latter is well
known TO be in favor of copyrighting the
earth in the interest of the associated press
papers, If 1t can be accomplished constitu-
tionally.
The real cause of Mr.. Watterson's depart
ure undoubtedly lies in the fact that a most
tremendous opposition to his scheme has
manifested itself from an altogether unex-
pected quarter. Some opposition was APP
pretended from the United Press, the sup
position being that the organization was to
some extent dependent on the published re-
ports of the associated press, but not a word
in the way of the demurrer has come from
that organization, its managers holding that
1t suffers more from the pilfering of its news
by associated press papers than it Is bene--
fitted by it's having access to the associated
press reports after they are i'm print.
The opposition to the WattersOn measure
referred to above comes from the country
papers, and individually they are writing to
them to vote against the bill should Mr..
Watterson carry out his intention of having
it introduced. Senator Sewell has received
letters from almost every paper in New
Jersey pointing out wherein the measure
would operate to the disadvantage of the
journals of that state.