Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-05-27
FORTY-NINTH CONGRESS-.
First Session,
SENATE.

WASHINGTON, May 26.
After the routine morning business the Sen.
ate proceeded to the consideration of the pri-
vste pension bills on the calendar.
AT two O'Clock the bankruptcy bill was
placed before the Senate
The bankruptcy bill having been read
through II was temporarily laid aside in order
to take up the bill providing for the taxation
OF railroad grant lands.
Mr. Blair offered an amendment. which
was agreed to, providing that in any sale of
land under the bill the United States might
become the preferred purchaser and in such
case the lands might be restored to the public
domain.
Mr.. Sherman asked for the suspension of
the bankruptcy bill in order to take up the
bill heretofore reported by him from the
committee on foreign relation supplementary
to and amendatory OF the Chinese emmgra-
ton bill of 1854
Unanimous consent being given the Chinese
bill was taken up.
Mr. Sherman said that the bill simply in-
tended TO explain the meaning of the existing
law relating to Chinese immigration.
Mr.. Hoar spoke against the bill, which he
said would hereafter be regarded as hlotch
on our legislation. 1t was legislation aimed
at men because they were laborers and be-
Noess 'hSN oSiVhkNu W Ctttiln race. WulCn
was against the fundamental principles of
this republic. If it were not rivalry be-
tween two political parties for the vote of
tho Pacific coast this legislation would be
regarded by all intelligent and humane men
with eXecration.
Mr.. ingalls, also opposed the bill lie
affirmed that the bill was a disgrace TO Amer
lean civilization.
Mr.. Teller said that the bill was no dis
grace to American civilization. Every ma
tion on the earth recognized its principle
which was TO exclude such persons as the
people believed injurious to the welfare Of
the nation. The question was whether Amer
lean labor was to be compelled to compete
with 45, ,000, ,0Oo Asiatics who could be landed
on our shores at $40 a head
After further debate the bill was postponed
to future day.
AT so the Senate adjourned.
HOUSE.
The House went into committee of the
whole on the oleomargarine bill, the general
debate upon the measure being closed.
After preliminary skirmish between
Messrs. Kelley of Pennsylvania and uender-
son of Iowa, which had something of a ten
dency to become personal and in which Mr..
Henderson claimed to represent the West a.
Mr. Kelley had assumed to represent the
East, the former advocating the tax on oleo-
margarine, the latter opposing it, the bill was
proceeded with as in committee of the
whole.
On motion of Mr. Breckenridge of Ken
lucky an amendment was adopted. 65 to 43,
to the section defining ''butter," so as to ex-
clude from that definition the product of
milk and cream when additional coloring
matter is used.
Mr.. Morrison OF Illinois said that the bill
came here under false pretences and he
would therefore vote against it, IL could
only be here before us a revenue bill, but its
friends didn't claim that 1t was here for the
purpose af putting money in the treasury.
If the government needed internal revenue
oleomargariDe was a very proper subject for
taxation according t. his theory. How much
revenue did the government need now?
About Sl75, 100000 The expenditures voted
at this session would be $3.50. .O00, 900 and
never would be less again potw outstanding
democratic economy. Then there would he
S25 900 900 and that wouldn't pay half the
interest on the debt. Didn't the gentlemen
intend to paw interest? II they did they were
not honest when they talked sbout taking of
internal taxes. Did not the House every
day increase the pension rolls that now re-
quired an appropriation of S75, 900, ,OO0.
Where was that to come from2 We might
dispense with the tobacco tax. We could
spare that much if the gentlemen saw fit to
take the tax off of tobacco rather than off Of
salt or clothing, but | insist that the man
who talks about aboishing internal revenue
now is insincere and doesn't mean what he
| says, unless he means to wipe out the PEN
sion roll and refuse to pay his debts.
Remarks were made against the bill by
Messrs. Brown of indiana and Brecken-
ridge of Kentucky.
Mr.. Hammond of Georgia offered an
amendment making It unlawful for any mer-
chant or shopkeeper ip the District of CO.
| lumbia or Territories to sell oleomargarine
without labelling in conspicuous manner
and requiring hotels, restaurants and boaring
houses TO place in their dining rooms a pla.
card bearing the words ''tbs house uses Oleo-
margarine" and have the same words printed
on the bill of fare.
| The amendment was agreed to, 92 to So.
| Mr.. Durham of Indiana moxed to reduce
from $500 to 800 the special tax on manu-
facturers Of oleomargarine.
Pending action the committee rose and the
House at adjourned.