St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1884-04-12
WASHINGTON LETTER.
MARCH 31st, 1884.
From our Regular Correspondent.


marked by several important events
Among the most prominent were the
Democratic tariff conference, and tho
3ast struggle and demise Of the Bonded
Whisky bill. The conference decision
having been that the tariff bill shall be
discussed for time in committee of the
whole, subject to amendment, and then
put upon its passage, the debate is like
ly to begin next week. The Indian,
Agricultural and Pension Appropriation
bills are to be speedily disposed Of, and
the tariff bill will follow Immediately
after.
The Whisky extention bill failed by
Que hundred voters. During the clos
ing hours Of the debate Representative
Hewitt Of New York surprised every
one by making a remarkable speech in
favor of revision of the tariff, free raw
material. and free whisky. He ridicul-
ed the idea of taxation having anything
to do with the moralquestion, and claim
ed that it was as legitimate to manufac-
ture whiskey as pig iron. The Repub-
3iean Protectionists, he said, had divided
dEle country into the very rich and very
poor. And now when the system was
breaking down it became necessary for
this party to invent a new gospel which
had been recently announced taxation
FOR morality; or taxation for revenue
with incidental morality"
And now a new whiskey bill is to be
pushed forward. One Of the provisions
of the new law being that the tax on all
distilled spirits hereafter deposited in
bonded warehouses, shall be payable
before and at the time the spirits are
withdrawn. Congressman Thompson
is going before the Ways and Means
Committee to urge early and favorable
action upon this measure.
Both the Senate and the House voted
TO appropriate $125,OO0, in behalf of the
Mississippi flood sufferers and the Presi-
sdent signed the bill. The House also
briefly debated the bill for retirement
aud recoinage Of the trade dollar, con-
sidered number of private bills and
passed tWenty-four pension bills at an
evening session. Both Houses adjourned
from Friday to Monday.
In the Senate the Educational bill is
still pending. Among late and notable
contributions to the debate were speecl-
es made by Senator Butler, Of South
Carolina, and Senator Lamar, of Missis-
s5Hpi. The former made a strong asser-
tion of the South's ability to take care OF
herself, even with great odds against
her, and a protest against her being
made the beneficiary of Federal Charity. |
Senator Lamar advocated the measure
and contended that the question involv-
ed no unconstitutionality That began |
when the Federal government interfer-
ed with the rights and functions of the
States. In his opinion it was measure
tgraUght with unspeakable consequent
ces to the people of the South. It would I
stimulate them to grapple with. a diff
Guilty in the presence of which they
stood appalled,, and give te common
school education in that section an inn
petus it had never known. The Missis-
sippf Statesman had closer attention
from Senators than is usually accorded
60 one of their number.
The Senate has seen fit to draw a line
on Judges of the y. s. Courts. In pass
ing bin which fixes their annual sala-
ries at $1,000, an amendment prohibits
them hereafter from providing for rela
ttves within the degree of first cousin.
The people will be grateful for this as
Eag as il goes no doubt but will fail to
see any point in discrimination against
the Federal judiciary, while Presidents,
Cabinet officers, heads of departments,
and bureaus, members of the Senate and
House, and army and navy officers are
permitted to make the patronage of the
country family heritage. |
The River and Harbor bill has nearly
Ieen completed in committee. The ag-
yregate of the bill will be about eleven Il
million dollars. The principal items /
viii be appropriations for the Mississip-
Il, Missouri and Ohio rivers, and the
yreat harbors on the Atlantic, Pacific,
lake and Gulf coasts. To the Missis- s
ippi and its Tributaries five million will
'e given, but it has not been decided
What part of the amount shall be ex-
lended on the Mississippi itself. 4
4 memorial has been presented in the /
ienate from the legislative assembly of e