Evening journal., 1888-12-07
AFFAIRS OF THE NATION
The Senate Spends Another
Day With the Tariff.
DIRECT TAX BILL IN THE HOUSE

The Metal Section Of the Senate Bill Under
Discussion-A Bin in the Interest of
Working Peopie--Naturalized Citizens
60 Have First Cali for Employment.
WASHINGTON, Dec 7-The senate resumed
the consideration Of the tariff bill, beginning
with schedule b, which covers earthen ware
and glass ware Mr.. Mcpherson called atten-
tion to schedule i and said, % his mind, the
rates OF duties provided in the senate bill
were an increase on the existing rates He
reserved the right TO offer some amendments
hereafter 70 the glass and pottery items. Mr.
doar also reserved the right 20 oifer some
amendments 10 the glass paragraphs No
amendment, except as TO two formal changes
Of phraseology, was made TO schedule b, and
the sennte proceeded 20 the consideration Of
schedule G, relating TO metals
Mr. Plumb called attention to the para
graph as 10 beams, girders and joists, aid
spoke Of the iron and steel explanations in
this country He moved to niaend by reduc-
ing the rate from l l-l0 cents per pound TO
$40 cents
Mr. Harris called attention 20 the fact that
the existing duty ON these articles was equiv
alcnt 70 an al valorem rate OF iU37 75 per
cent that the rate Of 6-l0 cents per pound,
proposed by the house Till, was equivaient to
~ 32 per cent, and that the rate proposed in
the sonate substitute was equivalent 10 90 43
per cent lie moved 20 amend the amend
ment ~ fixing the rate at clio cents per
pound.
Mr. Allison opposed Mr. Harris amend
ment saying that it went TO the root OF the
whole iron and steel scneduie He had no
doubt that II the present rate Of duty were
maintained the competition would be sulli-
cient, in very short time, to break down
the prices
Mr.. Aldrich also opposed Mr. Harris amend
mont Tho adoption OF tho amendment, ne
said, would necessarily involve the recon-
initial OF the bill or its abandonment lt
would certainly be an abandonment OF the
protective feature of the bill The prices OF
structural forms of iron and steel were not
excessive now.
Ma Reagan advocated the amendment
The discussion was continued hy Mossrs
Aldrieh, Harris Hoar, Butler Plumb and
Payne, but 40 vote was taken on the pending
amendments and tie bill was laid ASIDE, the
progress during the day beng about eight
pages
rHR DIRECT TAX BILL
The house began the discussion Of the direct
tax hl
The order relative 20 the consideration Of
the bin was 50 modified as to make the
measure a special order for next Tuesday.
An effort was made TO reach some agree
ment touching the offering and pendency OF
amendments to the bill, but y proved futile
Mr.. Caswell explained that'the simple pur-
/ pose ol The bill was TO refund TO the states
and individuals who raid TINT tax that nor
tion Of the direct tax which was collected.
After q careful computation, he was able to
state that the bill carried SIS, 237. .682. This
did not include the 10 per cent commission
allowed the states or parties who paid the,
tax. The amount 70 be cancelled now uu
collected. was $500, ,4Oi.
Mr. Oates lAlal said that the bill was IN
constitutional and unjust. He sent TO the
clerks desk and had read for Information a
series Of amendments which he proposed To
offer at the proper time
The first refunds the cotton tax, the second
permits persons who paid TINT tax TO bring
suit IN the court Of claims to recover the
amount pail; the third revives the right OF
action in the court of claims under the pro-
visions Of the captured aud abandoned prom
erty act, and the fourth directs the secretary
Of the treasury, in making payment and set
tlemeut Of the direct tax, 10 take into ac-
count and set Off any amount due by any
June 23 1886, ITO regulate the deposits OF
public money!
Mr. Kerr Qa.) said that one of his
objections TO the refund Of the cotton tax was
that during the years when the tax was col
lected the producers received so large a price
for their cotton that tho tax was really 10.
their advantage
Mr. Stewart GA regarded the pending
bill as unwise legislation. He suggested
that were there not "a surplus ia the treasury
the measure would never have been brought
forward
IN THE eTEREsr oFswoRKINGMEN.
Mr. Blair introduced n the senate an eIab-
crate bin entitled; "a bill % organize ba,-
reaus OF information relating to employment.
occupations, wants. means Of livelihood amt
homes
The bill provides for the establishments bv
the president on Recommendation Of the com
missioner OF labor 10 geographical sections Of
not less than 100000 or more than 2O0O.OOO
inhabitants Of bureaus OF information. pro-
vided always that there shall he one in each
state and territory. This bureau is to obtain
through the mails, the telegraph, personal
intercourse aFd other investigation the most
complete information obtainablo in regard
e. the matters referred % in the title of the.
bill, opportunities tor employment, localities
and character Of such employment; the cost
OF living Ia tkose localities, prices and dllali-
ties Of lands, personal property and trans
portation; ths opportunities tor education,
etc The bureau is 20 establish, at least onces
a month, in newspaper form or in some news
paper in the district the information OBJ
tanned, or at least a compendium Of it. and
is TO supply information without charge to
those who seek it. It is made the duty OF
the president and the house Of representatives
to provide that all public money expended
under contract or otherwise on public buiId-
ings rivers or harbors, fortifcations. vessels
and other public works saau be paid To
American citizens, or persons who have nade
a declaration Of their intention % become
American citizens and who, becoming com
petent, are n sedy OF employment, giving the
preference 70 those who reside in the vicinity
Of the work
The Mine Fire Spreading.
RED JAcEET, Mich, Dec. THE fire in
No 8 shaft Of the Calumet mine Is greater
than since last Friday. The smoke is POUR