The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1888-04-25
CONGRESSIONAL.
Work OF the Senate and the House
Of Representative.


the 18th inst. Mr. Mills, of Texas, arose mn"
moved that the House resolve itself into com
mittee OF the whole for tho purpose OF consider
ing the tariff BILL whose title he read. Ihere
being no objection. the Speaker announced
that the House was in committee OF the
whole. and called to the chair wiii IAN
NJ Springer. Mr.. Mills thereupon TOOK
dress sTs the House. H. opened Lis speech by re-
ferring TO the heavy burdens OF taxstion nauo
necessary by the war. These taxes. ho~eFsl-
were, In the language OF the gentleman VINO in
troduced the original measure, intended as a
temporary measure. More than twenty
years has elapsed since the war ehaeu ous
these war taxes still remained and they were
heavier to-day than they were on the hveIaeo
during the nve years OF the exstencs OF hostii
revenue and income taxes which, ne saias
had been abolished because tney VIZ
taxes on wealth. But the war tax on
Every Effort that had been made TO
bring the oxnct.ons OF the Government down
to q peace establishment had been defeated;
There-had been tax on railroads, express ana
insurance companies, but they were Tax Oh
wealth and had been abolished. Three hunarea
millions that had been paid by the wealth OF
the country had been swept away. and the bur.
den of taxation had beenfnade heavier, but III
had been loaded upon the shoulders OF 'no ",
eminent. All the taxes on wealth had gone
but the burdens on the poor still renamed;
and the Republicans boosted that they nae
reduced taxes $500 .o0c.UOO. while Democrats
had done practically nothing. the tax
ON consumption was paid py hsro ua aay
could buy woolen suit of clothes for slo' Is
required ten days labor to purchase II, put
taI t@r 81
days labor for the man to secure what ne
could otherwise have secured for ten days
labor had not ten days of labor been ami
hilnted But the greatest evil inflicted upon the
people by the excessive taxation on the con
sunlers was in the destruction Of the values
M - ErOt
exports were agricultural products. war
duties limited importation, snd that limited
expectation. The surplus productions were
therefore thrown upon the home marKet IL
became oversupplied and the prices went
down. The speaker denied That IL duues were
lower and foreign goods were imported our
people would be turned out OF employment
and the rates of wages would be reduced. III
we had. no tariff, il all the custom houses were
torn down and the Government supported by
direct taxes. there would not b exceeding ~
per cent. of imported manufactured products
consumed by the people OF this country. III
was assorted that Congress had intended TO
benefit the laborer by the tariff. 1t had failed,
and not dollar Of tne protection got beyond
the manufacturer. He. however, hired his
lebor at the lowest rate in the open market
The committee had left in the bill more
than enough protection to pay Tor all the
labor and bonus besides. Mr.. Kelley,
OF Pennsy lvania, followed MIR. Mills. He de-
clared that the passage of this bill would par
alyze the enterprise aud energy Of the people.
The gentlemen who framed this Dill ana could
brook neither modification nor discussion OF
mittee, were with but two exceptions repre-
sentatives of what was slave territory. BY
putting wool on tho free list it would abolish
sheep husbRndry and impoyerish the more
than q million men who own hooks or are en-
ployed in their care and by worAins this ruin
1t would diminish the supply OF
, furnished by wool-growers TO the min
ing and manufacturing laborers OF the
country. II would also render the production
OF American tin plates and cotton ties imposs-
BILE by placing those articles OH the free list
with wool BY the transfer OF these and other
products of coal and iron ore To the free list
and by reducing the duties on steel rails. struct,
ural iron, and many other forms OF iron and
steel sufficiently TO withdraw protection from
them and permit foreign producers TO flood
markets, IL would, though II maintained existing
duties on coal and iron ore, close majority
of the bituminous coal fields and ore banks
President Clevelands fres-trado message, by
its assumption that the duty was always added
TO the cost, not only o. imported commodities
but 70 the price of like commodities produced
in this country, showed how profoundly ignor-
ant he was of economic scferce. 10 illustrate
the puerile absurdity of this assumption he
(kelleyl invited the Presidents attention To
the fact that though the duties imposed on
sugar when reduced to ad valorem standards
We're never so high they now are, the price
Of sugar was never so low in this country AS 1t
is now. The progress OF sugar making in
Louisiana since 1867 might be cited as vital
izing influence of protection duties. In spite
of the steady decline in the price OF foreign
sugar, the poverty of her people, and
the close of the war, Louisiana, encour-
aged by protective duties. had added ma
tsrially to the worlds supply OF cane sugar.
THE Committee on Labor secured the floor Of
the House on the 10Th inst and the bill Great
ing a Department of Labor was taken up and
passed. The House then went into committee
Of the whole on the bill to create boards Of ar
bitration to settle differences between inter
state common carriers and their employers.
After somewhat protracted debate the
measure was passed. Mr.: sherman addressed
the Senate in favor of the Dakota division bill.
IL the evening the Democratic Representatives,
TO the number OF ITO. met I'm caucus to consider
the question OF limiting the debate on the tariff
bill. The proceedings were confined To ex-
pressions of opinion, which were gener-
ally against the adoption OF cast-iron
rule. 1t was generally admitted that
the Republican minority should be az
forded the fullest and freest opportunity to
discuss aud amend the pending bill. and the
caucus closed by adopting the following resolu-
ton: "RssOlUed. That the Democratic men,
bers of the Ways and Means Committee be re-
quested TO confer with their associates on the
committee and endeavor to reach an agreement
I rs to the time during which debate on the tariff
bill shall continue.
THE bill for the admission OF South Dakota
passed the Senate by strict party vote. after
a long debate, on the 18th inst The bill to re-
tire Gen. John C. Fremont major general
was reported to the Senate and placed on the
calendar. The House spent the day, in COM
mittee OF the whole, on the Indian appropria-
reported bill for the construction of two
United States penitentisries, to cost not to
coed $500 0JO each, one to be located north and
the other south Of the 5Sth degree north lati-
tude A caucus OF Democratic Senators de-
c.ded against considering the fisheries treaty
in open session The sentiment of the caucus
was favorable TO the ratification OF the treaty.
THE p nsion appropriation bill passed the
House on the 10th OF April. The amount to be
distributed under the bill is Sc. 2SJ, 900. Tho
Indian appropriation bill also passed the House.
Mr. Anderson of Kansas, one Of the committee
that Investigated the Reading strike. intro
duced in the House bill for securing TO the
public a regular service by railroad companies.
lt provides that the lurl sdiction OF a state
ceases with its territory. NO state railroad cum
become carrier Of interstate commerce except
by the permission ana authority of the United
states. Every railroad subject to the
bill for which private property has
been taken BY eminent domain is.
made public highway OF the United States.
The Interstate Commerce Commission e
quirsd to execute the provisions OF the bill and
is given corps of insi ectors. in the event of
n lure by n company to run its reg liar trains
the commission Is required to promptly inves-
teate the facts and to issue such orders to the
company will secure the regular service.
II after seven DAYS the service is not performed.