National Republican., 1888-05-11
TIE HOUSE.

My McCrcary, Of Kentucky, submitted
the conference report on the joint resolution
authorizing the President to asrange con-
ference for the purpose of promoting arbi-
tratioD> and encouraging reciprocal COM
mercial relations between the United States
of America and the republics Of Mexico and
Central and South America and the empire
Of Brazil. Adopted.
Mr.. Sayers, of Texas, called up hill
making an appropriation of S45O,0OO to sup
ply deficiency IN the appropriation for the
expenses Of collecting the revenue from
customs for the fiscal year ending June 30,
1883. There is clause in the bill repeating
the permanent appropriations for the col
lection Of customs.
On motion of Mr.. Sayers an amendment
was adopted appropriating s3,50O,OOO to
supply deficiency in the appropriation for
the payment of army and navy pensions to
invalid widows, minor children, and de-
pendent relatives and survivors of the war
of 1872
On motion of Mr.. Saycrs an amendment
was adopted providing that the appropria-
tion Of sl90,000 made by the act of March
y, 1887, for heating apparatus to be FUR
nished before June 30, 1883, to certain
buildings, shall continue available to en-
able the Secretary of the Treasury to fulfil
contracts entered into prior to June 30,
1888.
The bill was then passed as amended.
Subsequently, Mr.. Reed, of Maine, stated
that he had been Informed that the bill con
tanned n clause repeating the permanent ap-
propriation forthc collection Of customs, aud
desired an opportunity TO oppose that
clause, but objection was made.
The House then went into committee of
the whole lNlr. Springer, of Illinois, in the
chair on the tanf bill,
nf a
publican side for not having formulated
some bill to revise the tariff in the interest
of the people and for having cOntented it
self with an effort to attaint the Mills bill
and to attaint those who We're its reputed
authors and AN effort to defend the general
policy of protection. He defended the
action of the majority of the ways and
means committee, and became involved in a
little controversy with Mr., Reed, of Maine
Mr. Cannon, of Illinois, said that it was
admitted that the revenue should be re-
duced, Much wcll-founded complaint had
been made that the President, by his veto Of
the dependent pension bill, had prevented
the distribution of part OF that revenue
among the defenders of the Union. This
President had, however, signed the Mexican
war pension bill, and each of those soldiers,
rich or poor, had his name inscribed on the
pension roll when he reached the age OF G2
years The widow of Il Mexican war sol
dicr whose husband fought to destroy the
Union got pension, while the widow of the
Union soldier could only receive II by pro-
ducing the strictest technical proof after the
lapse Of quarter Of century of the death
Of her husband. The President piled up the
surplus in 300 national banks to the amount
OF $50, 100000 without interest. II was only
by the efforts of Messrs. Randall and Moml-
son that lie had been forced to apply part
Of that surplus to the redemption of bonds
already due,
Taking up the tariff bill Mr.. Cannon de-
MED that its tariff features would reduce the
revenues one cent. History showed that as
the duties were lowered the revenues in
creased. The bill had been constructed with
the principle In view of letting into the
country duty free such articles as were pro
duced in this country and taxing such as
could not be produced here, The bill was
(he said subject TO criticism for many sins
Of omission and commission.
The Republican party had been taunted
by the other side with the charge that 1t