Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-03-30

for the completion Of the monument to
Mary. mother Of WASHINGTON, at Frede
ricksburg, Va, and to authorize the con-
struction of bridges over St. Mary's, Sa
tilla, Little Satllla, and Crooked rivers IN
Georgia and Florida.
Adjourned to Saturday.
House Of Representatives.
Mr. Fnloe, OF Tennessee, reported adj
versely the resolution calling upon the
Postmaster General for the following
information First. what instructions, If
any. have been given to subordinate Off
GERS of the Post-Otlice Department in
tended to prohibit American citizens
from using the United States mails on
the same terms as Canadian citizens liy-
ing in the same viclnsge and competing
in business with such American citizens
second. whether any statute law prohibits
the mailing in Canada of seeds, plants,
and bulbs grown 10y Americans on
American soil; third, whether by the
provisions Of the recent postal treaty the
officers of the postal service OF the
United States are authorized to place an
espionage on Canadian mails Tor the
purpose of determining whether citizens
of the United States are availing them
selves of the beneficial provisions ac-
corded to Canadian citizens by the postal
treaty.
The report accompanying the resolu-
ton states that tho resolution partakes
more of criticism Of tie existing law,
a protest against its enforcement, and an
arraignment of the POstmaster-General
for enforcing the law, than Of a proper
resolution of inquiry.
After a somewhat heated political de
bate Mr.. Peters, OF Kansas. wished to
amend the resolution by striking out the
words which were considered to reflect
upon the Post-Ofice Department, but
was not permitted to present the amend
ment. The resolution was tabled-ycas,
1915; nays, l22.
Mr. Sowden, OF Pennsylvania. rose to
present resolution bearing on the same
subject, but Mr.. Reed demanded the
regular order.
MIR. Randall then moved to reconsider
the vote by which the resolution was ia
bled, stating that his object was to get a
respectful resolution OF inquiry.
MIR. Reed demanded the yeas and
nays. saying that he did not wonder the
brethren wanted TO explain.
The motion to reconsider was lost
yeas, 1913 nays, 127.
Mr.. Clements, from the Committee on
Appropriations, reported the District of
Columbia appropriation bill.
Mr.. Oates, from the Committee on
Revision Of the Laws, reported bill to
prohibit aliens from acquiring title to
or owning lands within the United
States.
The House then went into Committee
of the Whole on Indian appropriations
Mr.. Nelson, Of Minnesota, took adj
vantage of the general debate to speak
upon the tariff II was not honest, he
said, to call men who favored tariff re-
duction Free Traders Men who OPP
posed all forms of tariff reduction were
not the only friends of American labor
nor were they the only guardians Of
American enterprise. The question Of
protection or free trade was not fairly
involved in the problem Congress had
10 bOlNes Lie NutotlOH was N44NtASI
the surplus should be got nd
of by extrayagant expenditures or
whether taxes should be reduced. The
great body of the people were agreed
that the surplus should be reduced by
reduction OF taxation. The next ques-
ton presented was whether that reduc
ton should be applied to the tariff or IN
ternaI-revenue taxes. The reduction of
the tax on liquors he held to be out Of
the question, and as to the tobacco tax.
while there was greater diversity OF
opinion, he thought there was no serious
ciamor for its removal. Tariff taxes
might properly be divided into
two heads-revenue taxes, like that
on tea and coffee and protective taxes,
like that on commodities not
foreign to our country. Only so high
duty should be laid as would fairly cover
the difference in the cost of production
here and abroad. That was what he
termed low tariff. Any rate above that
was high tariff. 1t had been the fashion
to ascribe the higher wages OF this coun-
try to the tariff. That he considered to
be false pretence. England was free
trade, while Austria, Germany, Italy
and France were protection, and yet
the wages in England were much
higher than upon the Continent.
The main cause for the lower
wages OF Europe was to be found
in the density OF population and the
greater supply of labor. He sent to the
Clerks desk and had read letter re-
ceived by him from Charles \. Plllsbury,
Of Minnesota who he stated was proml-
nent Republican,, warmly commencing
his course in Congress upon the tariff
question and declaring that 80 per cent.
OF the Democrats and 70 per cent. OF the
Republicans OF Minnesota agreed with
him in his views. The reading of the
letter was applauded on the Democratic
side.
Mr.. Nelson, continuing, said that when
our great West is filed up, and We be-
gin to approximate Europe IN popula-
ton. then our labor would fail to get
better wages under protective system.
He read from the consular report to
show the bad effects attributed to pro
tective tariff in Austria. When labor
found nothing TO do and manufacturers
found no market the patient was beyond
the reach Of tariff remedies. He re-
ferred to the bill introduced by himself
placing sugar, MANILA, hemp, iute, and
coal and sisal-grass on the free list,
and said that taking sugar, all in
all, every dollars worth used in this
country paid eighty.two cents in taxes