The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-01-15
C0WLES STIRS UP A MUSS
THE REPUBLICANS AND A FEW
DEMOCRATS HELP HIM ALONG.

A Bill Embodying the Internal
Revenue Features OF the Mills Fill
Referred to the Committee on Ap-
propriations Instead of to the Com
nittee on Ways and Means.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 14.-In the House to-
day, under the call of states, the following
bills were introduced and referred:
By Mr.. Davidson of Florida-For the ap-
pointment of special sanitary inspector
in the marine hospital service.
By Mr. Blount of Georgia-To punish the
buying and selling of votes.
By Mr.. Bland Of Missouri-For the free
| coinage of silver
By Mr.. Cowles of North Carolina-A bill
| containing the internal revenue features of
| the Mills bill. Mr. Cowles moved its refer
ence to the committee on appropriations.
This was agreed to by a vote of 129 yeas
| to 81 nays.
| Mr.. Brown of North Carolina. introduced
a bill to repeal the tax on tobacco, and
moved its reference to the committee on war
claims. The motion was lost by vote of
| l02 yeas to III nays, and the bill was re-
| terred to the ways and means committee.
The House then proceeded to considera-
| tion of business pertaining to the District
| of Columbia. No business of general i'm
portance was transacted, and the house at
$40 o'clock adjourned.
| SIGNIFICANT ACTION.
| The action of the House, in referring the
| internal revenne bill to the appropriations
| committee, was undoubtedly a surprise to
| the members of the committee on ways and
means and other representatives who strug-
| gled for months to secure the passage of the
Mills tariff bill. The obvious purpose OF
the motion made by Mr.. Cowles was to
secure the report of the bill to the House
and an opportunity (which has not been
afforded during this congress for
the members to cast their votes
| directly upon the proposition to
repeal or reduce the tobacco tax A
number of similar bills have been intro
duced and referred to the ways and means
committee never to merge from the COM
mittee room, and with the knowledge of
| Mr.. RaHdalrs views upon the expediency
| of reducing or repeating internal revenue
taxes, the bill introduced to-day was re.
| ferred to the committee of which he is
chairman in the hope Of better results than
| had been attained with those bills sent TO
The ways and means committee
THE VOTE.
| The vote by which the reference Yves
| made-155 to 95-resulted from a union of
almost all tie republican members with the
| democratic representatives from the tobacco
|
| The fact that Mr.. Randall voted against
the reference is not regarded as evincing
| any change of views by him, but
only a protest against the infraction
| of the time-honored practice of the
| house under which revenue bills are
referred to the ways and means committee
| 1t is intimated by some of his friends that
the decisive vote by which the bill was sent
to his committee will be regarded as in the
nature of an instruction in the wishes of
| the House not to be disregarded, and that
| the bill will speedily be considered in the
| committee. To days action has given rise
| to much speculation touching the individual
| views of the members of the ap-
| preparation committee, but upon this
| point nothing definite is known. 1t
| is said that Mr.. Brewer was induced to
move the reference of his bill to repeal the
tobacco tax to the committee on war
claims by an implied promise that it would
| be favorably and speedily reported back to
the House. Mr.. Cowles' bill, being a rev.
enue measure, is privileged and can be re-
ported and called up for consideration at
any time.
| STIRRED UP OLD DIFFERENCES.
| Mr.. Cowles stirred up the differences in
| the Democratic party, by introducing the
| bill. The House, which sent it to the COM
mittee on appropriations the next minute
refused TO send the similar bill presented
| by Mr.. Brewer or North Carolina,
| TO the committee on war claims, of watch
| Mr.. Brewer happens to be chairman, al
though it could just as well have gone
there as the Cowles bill to the committee on
| appropriat ons The referring of the Cowles
| bill was made intere ting by the fact that
only nineteen democrats voted for it, and
! that Messrs. Randall and Sowden voted
| against it, as did every democrat on the
| appropriation committee, except Mr.. Forney
| Of Alabama. Mr.. Randall voted against it,
| knowing that it would carry, in der to
keep up the appearance of being in line
with his party. He will, however, now that
| he has it in his own committee, vote to re-
| port it favorably, and it will undoubtedly
| be so reported.
HOPES OF CHAIRMAN MILLS,
Chairman Mills and the other democrats
! of tho ways and means committee all voted
| against the motion of course. They do not
| think the bill can pass, but as w. F. Breck~
| inridge said Just as the party seemed
Strengthening out into harmony this action
will produce a tangle which will be regret
able" The democrats who voted for the
reference Of the Cowles bill were: Mes,rs.
| Bliss, Buckalew, Tim, Campbell, Gambler,
Carruth, Cowles, Cummings, Dougherty,
Ermentr99ut, Forney; Class Grseaman' T,l1l'
! McClammy, O'Neill of Missouri. Pidcock,
! Simmons, Taul5ee. Mr.. Nlcho 8 of North
| Carolina, a so-called independent, who
almost always stands with the republicans,
did so on this occasion, but all the other
southern members, except those mentioned
above, stood steadfastly by the ways and
means committee.
Postal Changes.