Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-02-25
WASHINGTON NEWS.
The Post Office Appropriation Bill.

WASHINGTON, Feb. "a
The post office appropriation bill was COM
pieted today and it will be promptly reported
to the House
The Secretary OF the Treasury on the
Morrison Bill.
The secretary of the treasury has written
to Representative Morrison. chairman of the
ways and means committee, in regard to the
probable effect the passage of the Morrison
tarlff bill will have on public revenues. In
the letter he says that the net reduction com.
puted on the lasis of last years importations
would be about Sl2, 2,00c.0 In regard to
the proviso limiting the maximum of duties
to certain ad valorem rates, it says that it
leaves room for controversy on values, but
that the values could be approximately as
certined by the customs officers. He sug-
gests, however, that provision be made by
which the valuation of such officers should be
made final and not leave this important ques.
ton IN after years to be subjected to
the uncertainties OF trial in court with the
consequent cost to the people of the refunds
OF duty. He points other defects in the bill
which he hopes will be corrected.
More Papers Wanted by the Senate.
In the executive session of the Senate to-
day resolution from the commerce com.
mttee was adopted calling on the secretary
OF the treasury for papers in relation to the
suspension Of customs collector VIM. Wells
of Vermont
Reciprocity Treaty With the Hawaiian
Islands.
In answer to a request from the sub COM
mittee of the House committee on ways and
means for information concerning the work
lngs of the reciprocity treaties with the
Hawaiian Islands John E. Zurles, Jr., one of
the government commissioners who visited
the islands, has returned a statement of facts
ascertaned in connection with his visit The
total amount of duties remitted during the
nine years the treaties have been in opera
ton was S22 sos ops, while the total value
of our own domestic exports for the same pc
riod was only S22,S72.37l; or, in other
words if we had made the islands present
of every dollars worth of goods they bought
from this country and collected duties on
their sugars we should have made no loss.
In the year 1885 the amount of the duty re-
mitted was 81, 1926, sos more than the total
value of our exports, and this amount will be
increased in 1886, according to their own es-
Inmates Of the crop, so that we shall give
them 100000 besides presenting them
with all they buy in this country. The value
Of the bounty paid Hawaiian sugar growers
is further illustrated by the fact that they
find it to their advantage to sell all their own
products to the United States and buy in this
country what sugar they consume.
In conclusion he sums up reasons why
the treaty should be abrogated: First, be-
cause of the enormous loss in revenue to this
country, which is practically paid out of the
packets OF our taxpayers to fill the pockets
of small number of sugar planters and
speculators. The production has assumed
proportions never dreamed of when the treaty
was made, and it is steadily increasing
Second, it has not either directly or indirect
benefited the consumers of sugar in this
country, but has brought the product of the
islands into direct competition with our own
sugar producers and manufacturers. Third,
the treaty has not benefited, but has on the
contrary injured the Sandwich Islands, de-
moralzng and destroying native population
and substituting Chinese or other Asiatics,
while American influence in the affairs of the
islands except Azores has been exercised for
the selfish interests of individuals.