The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1888-04-18
TIE CAUSE OF THE DEADLOCK.

TIE CAUSE OF THE DEADLOCK.
Something of the Bill That Hss Blocked
Work in Congress-.
The direct tax bill, against which
seventy odd Democrats-mostly from
the South-have been fibustering was
brought before the House for the pas
sage at this time in pursuance Of de-
cision of majority of the Committee on
Rules, consisting of Mr.. Randall and two
Republicans. The other members OF
the committee, Speaker Carlise and Mr..
Mills, were opposed to its being brought
forward, but Mr.. Mills was absent from
the committee meeting, being sick, and
Mr.. Carlisle was oyer-ruled by the pro-
tectionist members. The bill was passed
by the Senate January 19, by vote Of
IS to 10. It was Republican member
of the House that offered the resolution
directing the Committee on Rules to
bring the bill up at once for passage,
and its staunchest supporters are the
Republicans. In their eyes it has the
merit of taking SIT, 1855, ,6S5 from the
treasury, and of diminishing to this ex-
tent the pressing necessity for tariff
bill, and the further merit that, of the
amount named, much the larger part
would be distributed in the North, the
South having to content itself with q
small proportion, and with being for
given the part of the tax not yet col
lected. To further the passage OF the
bill Mr.. Chandler, it will be observed,
On Monday introduced in the Senate 8
bill proposing the immediate collection
of the quotas still due from the various
Southern States. The Greet tax bill,
approved August 5, 1851, provided for
tax of $50, ,OO0, 900, to be apportioned to
the several States according to popula-
ton. In cases where the States did not
pay, the amount required was collected,
in whole or in part, from Individuals.
Tie amount collected, as already stated,
was SI5 359, 6S5, leaving $3.50, ,3l5 still
due. ~ =
The Senate bill over which the fight
is being made proposes to return to the
States what they paid of the tax and re-
NIT the sums unpaid. The majority re-
port of the House Judiciary Committee
fayors the bill, on the ground that it
Will erase from the treasury books the
claims still pending against States that
have not paid in full and. do justice to
those thst did pay. The minority re-
port held that the money when collected
belonged absolutely to the United States;
that no State or citizen has any claim to
it; that to return it would be to give
gratuity, and would be an unconstitu-
Gonal act; that the passage of the bill
could be made precedent for repsylng
any tax whstever-the cotton tax, for
example-and would open the door to
innumerable propositions for dlsslpahng
public money. Last, but not least, the
fhbusters urge the bill as a projection
list device, skillfully designed to prevent
any reform of the tariff at the present
session of Congress. It is an interstate
log-rolling measure, they affirm, which
has strength from the fact-apart from
its relation to the tarif-thst it offers a
huge bribe to tWenty-eight States, and is
well pushed by claim agents. 1t Is
further objected to it that it is the en-
tering wedge for bill to repay the
S69, 9,0O0,000 cotton tax. No argument
for repsying the direct tax but viii
answer also for the cotton tax, or for
any tax, in fact, that the government has
ever imposed. It is to be remarked that
Speaker Carlisle is opposed to the bill,
and that the flbusters include in their
number q large proportion Of the talent
and worth on the Democratic side Of the
House. Much Is said of their action
impeding. the tariff bill and other i'm
portant bills but It is of, course within
the power of the House to enter upon
the consideration of those measures
whenever it sees proper to do so.
In response to inquiries sent by tele-
graph from Washington to the Govern
ors of many of the States asking what
amount the Ssste agents would receive
in the event the bill to refund the direct
tax became law, replies have been re-
ceived as follows:
The State agent of Iowa is to receive
25 per cent. on 1884, ,274, or, in round
numbers, $4,000; Kansas 10 per cent.
on S62, $3.50, or Sc, ,236; Kentucky 5 per
cent. onS606,6 ,64l, or $50, ,332; Maine 25
percent. on S257, TOP, or Ss9, ,425; Mary
land $4,000 of S37l, ,299; Massachu-
setts 25 per cent. Of S70C,s9 or Sl75.-
Oo0;y Mchigan740 per cent. on S26, ,49S,
orSl7o, $685. Minnesota 25 per cent. on
S92,250, or $23, ,064; Missouri Is per
cent. on S647, 600, or S97, ,043; New York
Is per cent. on S2,132, 100, or S3l9,6l5;
Ohio 10 per cent. on Sl,332,O OPS, or
S133, POP; South Carolina 35 per cent.
on 1858, $40, or Sl2g.249; Nebraska 50