The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-01-26

uer, OF west virginia.
A resolution was adopted directing q
Investigation as to whether the street rail
road companies Of the District OF Columbii
are paying fair share Of taxation.
A series OF resolutions by Mr.. Chandler
calling for information Rs to the contracts
expenditures, delays, ETC., In connection
with the construction OF new naval vessels
were taken up and adopted with aI
amendment by Mr.. Butler. extending thI
inquiry TO January l, 1880, instead o
March A, 1885.
The Senate then resumed confederation
Of the Urgency Deficiency Appropriation
In the House.
WARRINGTON, Jan. 25.-In the Houst
thismorning Mr.. Randall introduced bill
for an engineers examination and report
whether Smiths Island and Windmill
Island, in the KsnRwhR river opposite
Philadelphia, are obstructions to com.
merce, and II 30, authorize the Secretary
Of War to purchase and entirely remove
these islands from the river. Referred.
Mr.. Belmont, New York, introduced q
bill extending for one year from June 18th
next, the time for the completion Of the
Staten Island bridge.
Mr.. Morrow, Of California, introduced q
bill to enable the President to extend GER
tain inhabitants Of Japan suitable recoR-
milton Of their humane treatment Of the
crew OF the American bark "CAAhmere." !"
Referred.
Mr.. Henderson, Of North Caroline, from
the Committee on Judiciary, reported Q
bill to amend the internal revenue laws.
It abolishes what are known as the mini
mum punishments, and gives discretion
to the court to impose any punishment for
violation OF the internal revenue laws
not exceeding the maximum limit author
ized by the statute. 1t requires that q
warrant Issued by q commissioner or
other judicial officer must be Teturnsble
before some judicial officer residing in the
county Of the arrest; and It authorizes the
Commissioner Of Internal Revenue to
compromise any civil or criminal case
under the internal revenue laws, and the
effect Of their combination upon the prices
Of necesaaries.
Mr.. Bacon, of New York, asked unani-
nous consent for the present considera-
ton Of the resolution reported from the
Committee on Manufactures, directing
that committee to inquire into the names,
number and extent OF the corporations
engaged in manufacturing or mining or
dealing in any OF the necessRries ot life
and known as "trusts" and "poola," their
methods Of doing business and the effect
OF their combination upon the prices Of
uecessaries.
Mr.. Randall, Of Pennsylvania, said that
when the resolution had been originally
offered he had objected to its immediate
consideration because he had thought 1t
was not comprehensive enough. He
would like to have the resolution amend
ed 60 as to extend the inquiry to include
the STANDARD oil, perhaps, and the whisky
trust, perhaps. and every trust Of any
kind in the United States. II Congress
had q federal way of interfering with
these organizations, 1t might be useful to
exercise It.
Mr.. Brumm, OF Pennsylvania, wanted to
have the inquiry extended 80 as to apply
10 anthracite communications.
Mr.. Scott, Of Pennsylvania, said Con-
gress had nothing whatever TO do with the
question.
Mr., Hopkins, Of Illinois, suggested that
the resolution only looked to an investiga-
ton, Congress then could determine what
powers 1t had in the premises.
Mr.. Scott called attention to the fact
that nothing had come Of the Congress
sional investigation into the strike on the
Missouri Pacific.
Mr.. Hopkins inquired whether the gen.
tleman, because one criminal was acquit.
ted, would not try to enforce the criminal
laws.
Mr.. Scott replied that he was not trying
to acquit any one.
Mr.. Mason, OF Illinois, the author OF the
resolution, stated that It was not his OBJ.
ject to authorize smelling committee To
invade States and investigate the business
Of persons doing business under State law.
The object OF his resolution was the escer-
tainment Of the effect which combinations
bad on the price Of necsBsaries, and fur
ther, to ascertain whether or not by rea-
son OF the tariff, those combinations were
able to reduce the price OF necessaries.
There were some industrious men in our
country who would like to have o corner
on the sunahine and levy tax OF 81 900 q
day upon 1t. His object was to prevsnt
the tariff laws, which he believed in,
being perverted and turned against the
people.
Mr.. Nelson, OF Minnesota, inquired
whether the gentleman had any doubt
that the tariff law indirectly co.operated
TO aid the trusts.
Mr.. Mason replied that he had no doubt
that there was class Of men who took
advantage Of tho tariff laws, and there
fore those who believed in q high protec'
tive tariff thought that there ought to be
some way to prevent those laws beinG
perverted. II there was no way toprotect
the people against these trusts except by 9
revision OF the tariff, he was ready to vote
on that question now.
Mr.. Brumm, Of Pennsylvania, suggested
that the greatest monopolies in the coun
try were those which were not affected BY
the tariff. They we're the Standard OIL
Company, the Western Union Telegraph
and the Anthracite Coal Combination.
Mr.. Raynor, Of Maryland, criticised the
resolution as not being broad enough. i
would not include the Western Union
Telegraph Company, which had swallowed
up every other telegraph company for the
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would not affect the Standard Oil Com
pRny. That was not combination OF in
dividuals. It was a combination Of differ
ent corporations, each one OF which wa
created by the sovereignty Of particular
State. The resolution would not apply
to that. The Reading coal strike was .
great question which was sgitRtiug the
public mind. The Reading Company wsi
incorporated by Pennsylvania, but II
shipped It's commercial over all the ooun
try. That Company (which had
entered into conspiracy to strike doW1
labor in the LehiRh and Schuylkill re.
gions In order to increase the price Of coal.
would not he affected by the investiga
ton. In order to extend the scope Of in
Quiry, he moved To strike out the claus
which confines the inquiry to trusts mo-
incorporated under the laws Of any State
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