Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1888-06-27


SENATE.
Several Senate bills for the construction
of bridges over rivers we're reported and
placed on the calendar.
The Senate then proceeded to the consid
Grafton of the river and harbor appropria
ton bill.
HOUSE.
The Speaker laid before the House mes
sage from the President transmitting re-
port from the Secretary of State, accompa-
MED by selected correspondence, relating 10
foreign relations In 1887.
A conference was ordered on the bill to
relieve certain enlisted men of the navy of
the charge of deserlion.
The House then resumed consideration OF
the public land bill, the ayes and noes being
taken on Mr.. Holman's amendment retain.
ing title In the government to coal mines
found on the public lands, but allowing en-.
trymen to mine such coal deposits until
Congress acts further In the matter.
The amendment was adopted and the bill
passed.
When Mr.. Mills called up the tariff bill
to. day Mr.. Kelley, of Pennsylvania, sug-
gested, on his individual responsibility, as
means of expediting adjournment, that the
| tariff bill be laid aside until next session, its
fate then to depend upon the result of the
November election, and that the surplus be
kept down by an entire repeal of the tobac.
co tax.
Mr.. Mills rejected the suggestion and
made counter proposal that the republi-
cans should fix M early day for taking f.
nal vote on the bill.
Mr.. Reed, of Maine, declared that Mr..
Kelley spoke for himself alone, and that the
republicans would insist upon pointing out
the defects of the bill in debate.
Mr.. Breckenridge, of Kentucky, declared
that the democrats intended to have vote
on the bill unless the 4:h of March was
reached by obstruction. He challenged the
republicans to put their platform in the
shape of legislative proposition, and then
take test vote between that and the pend
ing bill, letting it 60 to the Senate, if passed
by the House. He suggested that the vote
be taken at the end of ten legislative days.
Mr.. Reed replied that minority could
not pass bill; it would be absurd to try 1t.
Mr.. Springer, of Illinois, endeavored to
have considered a resolution directing the
Committee on Ways and Means to report a
date for taking the vote, but Mr.. Kelley OBJ.
jected.
Then Mr.. Kelley, of Pennsylvania, said
that he had proposition to make, which he
thought would be acceptable to both the
House and the country. Neither Chitty's
pleadings, he said, nor any other book iDdi
eating the methods of reaching an issue,
could lead to fairer, or more direct Issue
than existed between the two great parties
OF the country First the President had sent
Congress message. The democratic con-
vention had endorsed and approved it with
out oualifi cation. The republican conven
ton had not found in it anything worthy of
commentator and the issue there was
perfectly clear.
The Mills bill las it was called) had re
ceived the approval Of the St. Louis conven
ton, and the condemnation as cordial of the
Chicago convention The action of the ma.
ority of the House in urging the bill forward
had been approved at St. LOUIS and the
course which had seemed fitting, and mat
ter of duty to the republican minority, of
oontestng every modification which it's
judgment could not approve, had been cor
daily approved at Chicago.
There was at this point Of Mr.. KelIey's
remarks some manifestation of sarcastic
laughter from the democrats, which led Mr..
Kelley 10 explain that he spoke but for him
self, 90 other person being responsible for
bis proposition.
Continuing, Mr.. Kelley suggested that the
Mills bill should be laid over until the next
session, with the understanding that if at
the November election it should be approx
ed by the people, the republicans would
withdraw their opposition; and it, on the
other hand, it should be condemned uumis-
takably the bill would be no further pressed
He bad a suggestion to make, that as con.
cession to the condition that confronts us,',
the other side OF the House allow the entire
internal tax upon tobacco to be repealed
instead of making two bites of cherry and
repeating about S1S 900 900 of the $Sl 900 900
OF revenue derived from tobacco. he
thought that this proposition should be ac-
copied, and that members should not swell
ter out their lives in Washington until the
end of September.
Mr.. Mills, OF Texas said that it was true,
as the gentleman said, that the democratic
convention had endorsed the measure which
was now before the House for the reduction
of taxation on the necessities of life. 1t was