Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-01-04
AT THE CAPITOL TO-DAY.
BILL DAY IN THE HOUSE.
The Committees Not Announced.
SENATOR SHERMAN'S SPEECH.
He Critieises the Presidents Message.
The Senate.

idcI astounding 10 MIN, JnaI tnlS nrIn OICen re-
ceived In its business $1,000 day in payment Of
fractions OF dollar; also by Mr.. Hale, petition
against any change In the fishery treaties, and IN
favor OF the rights Of American fishermen under
Vooree faysr aff ar The aso So Ey M
also by Mr.. Cullom several petitions Of the Illinois
state grange endorsing the interstate commerce
lines, denouncfDg gambling in futures" favoring
the restriction OF immigration as proposed In the
Reagan En- opposing the abolition OF the whisky
ana tobacco tax, md favoring the placing or salt,
lumber, sugar, &C., on Uhe Tree list.
BILLS INTRODUCED.
Among the bills introduced and referred were
the following:
BY Mr.. Observation-Disclosures to postal telegraph
bill.
tioha Industrial exposition of arts, medicines and
productions OF the colored race throughout the
United States in Atlanta, Ca, in 1888 or 1889.
MR.. BROWNS RESOLUTION TO ABOLISH INTERNAL
REVENUE TAXES.
Mr.. Brown offered resolution declaring that the
practice of the Government was correct for the
first three-quarters OF century OF its existence
when 1t collected the necessary revenues at the
ports or other boundaries by tariff, except in case
or war or other great emergencies, when internal
revenue or dlrect-taX laws were imposed but which
were repealed as soon as the emergency ceased;
also, that the present internal-revenue laws We're
enacted as war measure, and that it has now be-
come the imperative duty of Congress to
enact appropriate legislation for their repeal at
resolution be laid on the taOe, and said that next
Monday he would submit remarks upon 1t.
THE NEW LIBRARY BUILDING
Mr.. Vest offered resolution, when was
adopted, calling for Information on the subject
OF the new library building, particularly as to the
delay in its progress
SENATOR SHERMAN ON THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
The Senate then took up the resolution for the
distribution OF the Presidents annual message,
and was addressed by Senator Sherman. He said:
The President OF the United States, departing
from the practice OF his illustriouS predecessors
dropped from his recent annual message ali refer
ence TO the foreign relations or the country and to
the Interesting questions in national affairs even
emitting the usual recognition OF the Supreme
Ruler OF the Universe, anu poStponing all things
celestial and terrestrial, until the surplus revenue
be got rid Of. This extraordinary message he felt
called upon to consider; to inquire whether the
dangers spoken OF in 1t were exaggerated or
not, and to examine the remedies proposed. The
existence of surplus revenue had been a con-
stant occurrence before and since the close OF the
war. Instead OF It's being danger Ii was an in
dication OF The continuous increase OF the dones-
tic productions or the country and its foreign and
domestic commerce and OF the steady improve
ment OF its financial condition. When In 1906
President Jefferson had :he good fortune OF a
surplus he asked Qn his message to Con-
e. apue ie %nd tine sps9 should
patriotism OF the people would prefer the contnu-
ance OF the imposts and the application OF the
money ito the great purposes OF public education
roads, rivers and canals" Gen. jackson when he
had the like good fortune, had recommended the
distribution OF the surplus among the states, and
by Mr. Calhoun, had passed both houses by
large maJorit1eS and had been signed by
President jackson. Larger surpluses had fire.
quently been dealt with wisely by republican ad-
Mlnistraton, being either applied by the executive
authorities to the payment of the public debt, or
its accumulation having been prevented by Con-
gress from time to time, by the reduction repeal
OF taxes. These simple remedies had been applied
In the administration OF each or Mr. Cleve-
nf "a
war; without other matters being neglected
or cry Of alarm being raised. All such
reduction Of taxes had been made by the republi-
can party. The democratic party had now had
contro, or the House OF Representatives since the
success OF "the Mississippi plan," except for
years., and have not in that time originated or
proposed a reduction or taxes. The only republ-
can Congress in ten years had by the act OF March,
1883, largely reduced both internal taxes and
so alarmed the President. Why had not the Presi-
dent followed the example OF his predecessors by
using the powers conferred upon the secre-
tary OF the Treasury and applying the sur
plus to the reduction or the pubic debt? Instead
OF that, and though outstanding bonds were re-
deemaDle at pleasure, his administration had
changed the form OF the debt statement so as to
conceal nearly thirty millions OF money unavail-
able assets and had swelled the surplus for nearly
II. II the President regarded this growing
surplus as danger why had ne
hia not as S soon ar as possible brought
reduction OF taxation. And why had not Con-
gresS applied the remedy? The Forty ninth Con-
gress had lived ITS two ye rs and d d; MI. Cieve-
land was then President OF The United States The
House vi Representatives contained a large
majority OF his political friends. They alone had
duce bill for reduced taxes Why had not that
been doue? The only answer was that control-
Ing majority OF the democratic party would not
sonssned Provisions pro- Which aspV0 IN the nissa Spn.
ion Of a majority Of the niem-
6ers OF the HOUSE, would greatly inJure or destroy
IN ip nj 70 ~
duce wages. Ii IL mad been the desire 10 reduce
taxes without reducing American production the
Speaker OF the House were used to prevent even
the presentation of such a bill; and In this the
Speaker had Ut was undersioOd) the hearty
the Secretary OF the Treasury. He 1Mr. sher-
many had called tue attention OF the senate on
The 10th OF July, 1886, TO the precise difficulty
and danger Of the situation, and to the readi-
hess OF the majority OF the Senate to provide for
the reduction OF taxes and the application OF the
the President and his administration Qncluding
the democratic majority in the House Of
Representatives the taxes would then
domestic industries. Even without a
reduction OF taxation the surplus revenue might
have been applied for great national objects, but
Secretary OF the Treasury to exercise plain dscre
tionary powers conferred upon him by law,
and for the failure OF the democratic House
for some OF the highest national objects
desmanded by the people, the President
had, on what he (Mr. Sherman) regarded as q
frivolous reason, refused his signature to the
river and harOOr bill, which would have apprO-
priated more than $40, ,OOO 600 for necessary public
works, and by his veto OF the dependent pension
bill he had withheld from Union soldiers NapprO-
priations made for their relief. The House too
had refused to provide for q system Of coast
Navy and OF the commercial marine, for postal
communication with the south American states,
and for the encouragement and support
OF schools. 1t had also neglected or
refused TO appropriate for eignt million,
OF deficiencies admitted to be due
several States the drect-tsx levied in 1862 -four
teen milli0ns), and these several appropriations
sanctioned by the Senate been made by the House
and approved BY the President, and had the resi-
due or the surplus been applied to the purchase Of
the public debt, the condition OF the Treasury,
which now so alarmed the President, would not
have existed, the public debt would have been
greatly reduced and improvements Of vital i'm
p0rtance TO American commerce would be
In course OF construction. The President
OF the Treasury 70 enter the market and purchase
bonds He spoke OF It as "pretense" and "sup-
position" but the second section OF the sundry
ctvl OF March q, 1881, gave the Secretary OF the
Treasury power at any time to apply the surplus
or 50 much Of y as be may consider proper TO the
such bonds 70 be Cancelled and mot to constitute
part OF the sinking fund. That law had bean
passed at hts (dr. ShermanS) request, while he
was Secretary OF the Treasury, to meet the very
dimculty and 70 operate at any time. Under It the
Secretary OF the Treasury could have, ana ought
% have, applied the surplus from time 70 time 70
the purchase OF redemption Of United States honda
wHY NOT An EXTRA SESSION.
BesideA II the dangers from the surplus revenue
L a.A avnvn - 49,