St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-03-26
The Rouse Of REPRESENTATIVES,.


WASHINGTON, March 25.-On motion of
Mr.. Belford, the senate bill was passed,
authorizing the state of Colorado to take
lands in lien of the sixteenth and thirty
sixth sections, found to be mineral lands,
and to secure TO that state the benefit of the
act donating public lands to the several
states and territories, which may provide
colleges for the benefit of agriculture.
Mr.. Browne, Indiana, from the committee
on Judiciary, reported back the bill, making
it a felony for a person falsely and fraudu
lently to assume to be an officer or employee
acting under the authority of the United
States or any department thereof.
The house went into committee of the
whole, Dorsheimer in the chair, on the bond
ed extension bill
Mr.. Potter briefly gave the reasons which
impelled him to support the measure. The
bill was for the relief of the manufacturers,
in granting which relief congress would
benefit every substantial interest. 1t was
question whether congress would precipitate
disturbance on the country when there was
plain, open way to avoid it.
Mr.. Kelley thought the demand of the
table whisky syndicate for exemption from
taxation temporarily was an impudent one.
The internal revenue system worked great
hardship upon small farmers, fruit growers
and cigar makers, and maintained alone for
three syndicates, which had acquired the
three branches of industry. The
manufacturers of table whisky were the
chief of these syndicates, which found
this tax a sure guarantee for the monopoly
of the American market The large manu-
facturers, comparatively few in number
which had crowded out the small cigar man
ers, came next with an assumed monopoly.
The other of these syndicates, was the man
ufacturers of malt liquor, and forthese syndi-
dicates the government maintained the in
ternal tax which harried " de sections of the
country, and maintained an army of over
400, 900 agents to destroy the small fruit
growers. He denied the tax was kept up for
the benefit of the government. The gentle
man from New York, Potter. was in favor of
postponing for two years the payment of the
taxes He, Kelley, was in favor of repeating
them, of wiping out the whole Internal sys-
tenn He did not wish to make
whisky free. On the contrary, he
would regulate the use of all intox-
cants The United States government could
not do that 1t could only tax, and tax
blindly. States could regulate and supervise,
and restrict and prohibit. In support of his
assertion that the government did not need
the revenue derived from internal revenue,
he declared that without a dollar derived
from that source, the government, this year,
would receive enough money to meet every
legitimate engagement. 1t would be
healthy day for the government when a sys-
tenn which has never been popular, and
which has been resisted by attempted revou-
ton, when first established, which has out
lived its usefulness and become disgrace to
the country and age, was repealed.
Mr. Long had changed his views on the
pending measure since first considering it.
At first it had appeared to him the tendency
was to correct the discrimination which eX-
listed against whisky. But the arguments of
the supporters of the bill had proven too
much. The query arose in his mind how,
if there was such an unjust burden on one
commodity it happened that such an enor
nifty had escaped the attention of q former
congress, and he had made further exam
nation. That examination had led him to
the conclusion that whisky was not suffering
under any discrimination, but that the effect
of this bill would be to create one in its favor.
The three years. extension grant
ed in 1878 had increased the evil of over
production the refusal in 1882 had lessened
IL.
to followl He believed the gentlemen from
Kentucky were speaking with the most thor
ough con victions, but if this bill were passed,
and the time extended, when the limit was
reached, instead Of 20, 100000 gallons on
hand, instead of S66, 600, 600 of unpaid tax,
the amount would be increased twenty
five or fifty per cent. Then the question
would be, not when the tax would be paid,
but whether it would be paid at ALL and the
question, therefore, became one not Of relief
alone, but of great public policy and far
reaching effect.
Mr.. Follett supported the bill. It was
claimed its purpose was to have the govern
ment loan money TO the dstillers. From
what source was the loan derived: With what
money did the govern ment part! Not dol
lar of interest had the government in a sin
gle gallon of whisky that was in bond to-day.
1t was right for the distillers to knock in the
head of every barrel and spill it without pay
ing the governments cent. 1t was further
claimed that this was special legislation.
There was no other interest involved as this
interest was, and it could moo be
reached except by special leg
islation. The only demand made by
distillers was, they should have an opportu-
nifty to sell their goods as the market de-
manded, instead of being forced to place
them on already overstocked markets. The
question was merely business one.
Mr.. Foran supported the bill.
Mr.. Jordan dwelt, in his support of the
measure, upon the immense revenue which
the tax on whisky brought into the treasury.
TO talk about the repeal of the internal reve-
nue. was the most absurd proposition that had
been presented. Let some Republican who
is in favor of the repeal make an amend
ment to that effect, and there would not be
twenty-five men in the house to vote for it.
Mr.. Dunham-'How many on your side
are in favor of it?''
II don't know how many," replied Jor-
dan, 'but not many. will tell you who 1
think favor it. They are those who intimate
the belief, not that the internal revenue is an
internal revenue, but that the tariff revenue
is celestial revenue'
Mr.. Hurd said it was idle to claim the
pending question was one of loaning money.
1t was question of the remission of pen
atty, and in the consideration of such a
question, the house should be governed by
precisely the same principles which governed
the executive in granting pardon. 1t should
consider, whether, it was fair to the govern
ment, just to the individual and expedient
to the community. 1t was fair to the gov
eminent to remitpthe penalty, because 1t did