The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-07-12
FROM WASHINGTON.
Little Prospect of Congress Adjourn
ing Before the First of August
communication from the Secretary
of State to MIR. Boutelle.
Chairman Morrison's Report on the
Randall Tariff Bill.
lSnecial to the PREss.l

promising as they were a week ago today.
Both Houses of Congress last week made
practically no advancement towards COM
pleting their business, and in view Of what
remains to be done it is difficult to see how
the end of the session can be reached before
the 1st of August or even later The House
has practically completed the appropriation
bills. and as far as that body is concerned
now, could be ready for adjournment by the
18th. though they would have to be content
with the passage of little else but the ap-
prop1iation bills. But the Senate if it fol-
lows out its present programme cannot pos
sibly adjourn for at least three weeks. The
river and harbor bill will hardly be passed
before Tuesday or Wednesday, and the naval
bill which will follow it will require one or
two DAYS more Then the oleomargarine bill
is to be taken up and unless all signs fail at
least one week will be occupied with this.
This will undoubtedly take all the time up
to at least the goth. There will then be the
sundry civil, the general deficiency and the
Notifications appropriation bills to be acted
upon. The first two of these will require
three or four days each for their passage, ,and
the three will occupy all Of the week end
ing July 24th' and perhaps few days OF the
following Then three or four days will be
required for the conferences OF the two
Houses on their disagreeing vote upon the
appropriation bills, and day or two more
for the President to examine and sign these
bills This brings it up to the end OF the
month. and it is difficult to see how more
favorable showing can be made. 1t must be
lA1., IA I, II, t1,ad do1o Ic
all with the Senate, it is by no means the
fault of that body 1t has acted upon the
appropriation bills just as fast as 1T has re-
ceiyed them from the House, and in every
case has passed them in less than half the
time required upon them in the House. The
whole blame lies with the House Every
/. one of these appropriation bills ought to
have passed both branches before the end OF
thefiscal year June 30th, ,and the beginning OF
the year for which they are made, and they
might easily have been if the House had
done its duty properly instead Of wasting 1t
in useless pastisan debates upon every sub
iect imaginable AS yet moreover there
seems to be but little inclination on the part
of either the House or Senate to take any
concerted action looking toward adjourn
ment. On all sides are heard expressions OF
desire to adjourn and go home. but it has
not vet reached that point where all are rea-
DIV to pull together to that end, but instead,
time is wasted, in different ways as though
it were only the beginning Of the session in
stead of the end of a very long and proftless
one. If August first does not find Congress
still in session. it will be an agreeable sur
nriea to almost every one here
The New England senators and members
are receiving numerous letters from parties
in that section of the country interested in
the fisheries, asking that immediate steps be
taken to ascertain what rights our fishing
vessels will be allowed in Canadian waters.
| The late actions Of the Canadian authorities
| lead them to believe that they are to be ac-
corded no rights whatever, and they hesitate
about sending more vessels to be arbitrarily
seized. INQUIRY at the State Department
elected the repeated assurance that every
thing possible is being done to secure redress
for the great outrages and immunity for the
future. but nething more definite can be
learned. There is determination, however,
on the part of the New England representa-
tiyes, to demand that immediate and decisive
action be taken in the premises, and that our
fishermen be informed what protection they
may expect from the administration and now
| far their treaty rights will be enforced. 1t is
expected that Mr.. Bayard will be compelled
| te give out something more satisfactory than
| assurances"
Investigating House Employees.
The committee on accounts in the House,
| as a result of its investigation into the con-
| duct of tie offices Of the doorkeeper, clerk
| and sergeant-at-arms of the House. has
| agreed to report recommendation to con-
| solidate the two document rooms OF the
House. 1t will also call attention to the fact
that employees are borne on the rolls VINO 90
| no service, but will make no recommenda-
| tion, believing that all that viii be necessary
| to secure reform in this as to callattentlon 10
| it. No changes are recommended until next
| session.
Chairman Morrison on the Randall
| Bill.
A Washington despatch states that Repre-
| sentative Morrison's report on the Randall
| bill says:
The bill is proposed to remove all internal
| taxes on tobacco, snuff and cigars, amount
| ing on a basis of last years receipts, to $2o,-
| 100000: on apple, peach and grape brandy
| amounting to 81, ,400,0 and on spirits, Tor
| use in the arts, yariously estimated at from
ST. 600 900 to 5000, 900, and believed to be at
| least $4,000. 600, making in the aggregate OF
internal revenue taxes to be removed $780,
| 100000. In the appendix OF estimates SUD
| mitted with the bill as part OF 1t, the reduc-
| ton of revenue from customs on tarl1 taxes
| to be effected by it is estimated at SS,5lo,5io
| making the aggregate of proposed reductions
| nearly S4S, GOO 600. A bill to so rednce eXces-
| sive revenues and the statement that there
! were no excessive revenues TO De red'lceu,
| were submitted to the House by the same
| member in the same half month. Ii 1t IS es-
timated that the revenues will not exceed the
| appropriations and the estimates Win tne
| bill including loss of receipts, IRON Dranqy
| and from spirits for use in arts may De cTedl-
| ted. its enactment into law Will leave We we
| government about $4S, 0,0O0 snort OF the
| sum necessary to the administrator OF tlle
| government and the requlrments OF the pup
lie debt authorized by law, including depIS
incurred by the payment Of pensions ALREADY
| allowed, the validity OF Whlch we may noi
| question, and the payment of which is enJoln-
ed upon us in the oath we have taAen 70 sup
port the constitution. Your committee Is uli-
willing to credit a purpose SO lacking IN IL pat
| riOtism so forgetful of public faith. Iney
must believe that these and other provisions
of the bill to be the result OF fiscal dlstempe1r,
hinderng just comprehension and lnteill-
gent treatment of the subject In view OF It's
effect and purpose, so far as 1t has the purpose
of affecting the revenue of the government the
bill might well be left to that neglect, which
| no doubt it expected to receive. But IN the
| hone that even so unwise measure may open
the way for the majority, by the removal ano
reduction of unnecessary and therefore unJuSl
taxes, your committee report the Dill Dacb
with the recommendation that it do not pass
The bill changes the duty or the rate Of ta1
on articles yielding less than one-tenth, ST.
000000 out of $81, ,G00,0G0, received from Gus
toms in 1885, 1t increases those Which yielded
$11 100000 and decreases or removes those
which yielded $56,000,000, on a basis OF the
imports for 1885. 1t does not reduce the rev
enue from customs SIS, SIG but it does IN
crease it $5,500000 Besides the articles add
ed to the free list, the duty is reduced on cas-
tor beans, castor oil. starch iron and stee
rails, beams, girders lead and other articles
yielding So, 800, 900 of revenue, and the revnu'
is estimated on the bill to falloff in proportiol
to the reduced rate of taxation recommended
The tax on all clothing whether of SILK, In
en-, cotton or woolen and woolen goods, III
plates, cotton ties and other articles yleldlng
as already stated $11, 100000, is increased anS
the revenue is estimated to fall OF. 10 a SUI
greater proportion than on the articles upol
which the rate of tax is reduced. Apparent
ly the bill was presented in the belle1 ina
the necessity existed for q reducIlon i.,o, not y
taxes but of revenues, and that the 9esiIe'
end is reached both through higher and lowe
taxes. The estimates with bill are MADE o.
this arbitrary assumption, and are eRtlIleu u