Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-03-30
THE NATIONS SCAPITAL.
Nelson Delivers a Speech on the
Tariff.
Senator Berry Talks Free Trade
to the Senate.
The Postmaster Generals Canadian Pos
tai Regulation Liable to
Investigation.
President Cleveland to be Given More
Retaliatory Measures.
WAsHISGToS, March 29.
Senate.

Mr. Dawes introduced a bill to establish
courts for Indians on various reservations
and to extend protection of laws of states and
territories over all Indians.
1t is proposed to apply an entirely new pol
icy To the treatment of the Indians by ex
tending over them in q body. the laws Of the
states and territories where they live.
The bill was referred to the committee on
Indian affairs.
Mr.. Berry addressed the Senate on the
subject Of the Presidents annual message
He spoke of the universal interest awakened
by the bold and fearless manner in which the
system of federal taxation was discussed il
in that message, and said that the time could
not much longer be delayed when some
change must be made in that system, when
fairly canvassed and understood, its injustice
| would, he believed, necessitate a change
Taxation should be for revenue pup poses on
ly. The present system was utterly indie
fensible, it was fundamentally wrong in its
details.
As to the proposition of protection!sts tC
repeal taxes on whskey, beer and tobacco
he expressed himself as entirely opposed tc
it. Under the system of protection the for.
eign trade of the country had been ruined, sc
that now the American flag could rarely be
seen in foreign ports; labor had been ar.
raigned against capital, strikes had been en-
couraged and species of government pater.
nalism established which threatened to de.
stroy the voice from the work of the Amerl-
can instruction and to build up strong con
solidated government.
He favored an income tax on all incomes
over SO 900.
Among the 81 bills passed was one to rati-
fly and confirm the agreement with the Gros-
venter and other tribes of the Crow Indians
in Montana (House bil), an amendment hav-
ing been made looking to treaty for the
removal of the southern Ute Indians from
Colorado. A committee of conference was
ordered. Senators Dawes, Daniel and
Stock bridge were appointed. The Senate
then adjourned until Saturday
Mr.. Euloe of Tennessee, reported adverse
ly the resolution calling upon the Postmaster
General for information as to what instruct
ions, if any, have been given to the subordi-
nate officers of the post Office department,
intended to prohibit American citizens from
using the United States mail on the same
terms AS Canadian citizens, living in the
same vicnage and competing in business
WiIt1 sucn american WUttutT any
statue law prohibits mailing in Canada of
seeds plants and bulbs grown by Americans
on American soil, whether by provisions of
recent postal treaty the postal service of the
United States is authorized to place es
piopAge on the Canadian mails for purposes
of determining whether citizens of the
United States are availing themselves of the
benefit of the provisions accorded to Cana
dian citizens hy Dostal treaty.
Mr.. Allen of Massachusetts, thought the
position was a unique one for the majority of
the committee of the House bringing in an
adverse report upon the resolution asking
official information from the head of the
great department of the government. He
did not think the House would endorse an
adverse report upon the resolution calling
gor information on subject which bore
upon the interests of thousands of farmers
who were anxious to know what Congress
was going to do.
A report accompanying the resolution states
that the resolution partakes more of a critic
ism of the existing law protest against its
enforcement of the arraignment of the post
master general for the enforcement of the
law than of a proper resolution of inquiry.
Messrs. Allen of Mass, Blount of Georgia
and Reed of Maine made speeches on the
subject
Mr. Peters of Kansas wished to amend the
resolution by striking out the words 'con-
sidered to reflect upon the post office depart
ment' but was not permitted to present the
amendment. The resolution was tabled By
a vote of yeas, l25, nays, 1872.
Mr. Sowden of Pennsylvania, rose to pre-
sent a resolution bearing on the same sub
ject.
l., Id fhn Law arlny
Mr.. Randall moved to reconsider the vote
by which the resolution was tabled. stating
that the object was to get in respectful res
olution of inquiry.
Mr. Reed demanded the yeas and nays,
saving that he didn't wonder his brethren
wanted to explain.
The motion to reconsider was lost by a
vote of yeas 1923. nays l27.
The House went into the committee on the
whole on the Indian appropriation bill.
Mr. Nelson of Mime esotta. took advantage
of the general debate to speak on the tariff.
IL was not honest he said to call men who
favored the tariff reduction, free traders.
Men who opposed all forms of tariff reduc-
ton were not only not friends of American
labor but they were not guardians of Ameri-
can enterprise. The question of protection
or free trade was not fairly involved in any
problem Congress- had to solve. The ques-
lion was whether the surplus should be got
rid of bv extravagant expenditures or by re-
duction of taxes. The great body of the
people agreed that the surplus should be re-
duced by reduction q taxation. The next
auestion was whether the reduction shall be
applied to the tariff or the internal revenue
taxes. As TO the tax on alcoholic liquors
the ultra -protectionists and the ultra-prohi-
bitiousts were the only ones who desired a
reduction Either party considered large
reduction of this tax impracticable. The
tobacco tax by the judgment of all nations,
is the best kind of tax. 1t was a growing one
and more cheaply collected than
other taxes. There is no serious clamor for
its repeal. The tariff taxes were revenue
taxes like that on tea and coffee, protective
taxes like that on commodities not foreign
10 our own country Only SO high duty
should be laid as would fairly cover the diff
terence in cost of production here and
abroad. That is low tariff. Any rate above
was high tariff 1t had been the fashion to
ascribe higher wages in this country to the
tariff That was false pretense. England
was free trade. Austria, Germany, Italy and
France protection, vet the wages of Eng
land were much higher than those upon the
continent. The main cause for the lower
wages of Europe was the density of the pop
ulatlon and the greater supply of labor he
read a letter from Charles I. Pillsbury, OF
Minnesota, prominent republican, warml,
cor,mending his course in Congress upon the
tariff question. declaring that ninety pei
can, Of the democrats and seventy-fve PEI
cent of the republicans of Minnesota agreed
nth him. The reading Of the letter was ap
plauded by the democratic side. Mr. Nel !.
son, continuing, said when the great wes' \
Allied aud we begin to approximate to EuIop'
in population, then labor will begin to &c. low
er wages under the protective system
He read letter from q consular report
show the bad effects attributed to the pro
tective tariff in Australia Where lsoo
found nothing to do manufacturers IooII y
market The patient was beyond the Iehu h;,
- ,sr;ff remedies. He referred to the oll