Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-02-16
BATURDAY. FEBRUARY l6. 1889
Tohncco Tax-Extra sesgion.

h@NNt~eNf
The 4th Of March IS now but seventeen
days on. and yet Il is not known whether
there Is or "a not 10 be m extra session OF
Congress this year. Extra sessions sre not
IMPOSED 70 be conducive 70 the popularity
OF an Administration. as OF course The new
President knows; and II may be safely as
sumed that be Is not anxious 70 be COM
PEELED 10 call one. The candidstes In
The present House Of Representatives for
Speaker Of the new House are sad TO
be anxious for an extra session 10 be
held, in order that their minds may be
reheVed from the strain OF electioneering
for that high Office. They desire 10 know
the worst. They find 1t no doubt expensive
M well a. trying to the temper to be posing
rs candidates or rather as aspirauts. IL
seems 70 be assumed, too, that the Republi-
cans will have less trouble in electlng Re-
publican Speaker in March or Nay than in
December. We confess we have never
been able to understand why there must
necessarily be more disabled members amoug
165 Republicans than among lCO Democrats,
vet nj this moment this seems to be fact
that f., IL Is rumored that three OF the 100
Republican members are already on the sick
list.
But why should on extra session be calledf
What interest Of the country demands It?
We answer, The same old surplus or no
thing. IL would be = hazardous experiment
70 undertake TO allow the present vast sur
plus in the Treasury to be added 10 day by
day for the next ten months. Such
boarding OF the currency Of the couu-
try might prove to be disastrous. No
body can tell what amount OF cur
rency ia absolutely necessary. We think
u possible that the country could get along
comfortably with half as much as It now has.
There are numerous substitutes nowadays
for what Ia called currency. But oil the
same, IL would be inexcusabe for Congress
20 take the risk involved in locking up for so
long time hundreds OF millions OF dollars.
II would seem, therefore. that If the taxes
on tobacco are not abolished aud SEINE other
reductions In the revenue effected 1t viii be
Mr.. HARRIsOS's duty 10 convene Congress in
extra session st some not distant day in the
future.
WIN the Democrats in the House OF Rep
resentatiyes force the new President TO call
an extra session OF Congress? Will they
thus wrong the southern people? DO they
not know that an extra session would ahord
to The maligBants In both houses al opportu-
nifty TO continue that war upon the South
which IL even nov going on? The section
frNu xefia
pent OF last falls campaign. by December
next a better feeling will prevail 1t is to be
hopcd.
The CowLEs bill ought to be reported
back from the Committee on Appropriations,
and passed at once. That would dispose OF
thirty millions OF the annual revenue. We
take Il for granted that there IS no posi-
billy OF abolishing the whole interna-reve-
nue. system.
|, isnow said that bills reported by the
Committee OF Ways and Means are priyi-
legged bills, but those reported by the Com
mlttee on Appropriations are not privileged
unless they are appropriation bills. In
other words, the Democratic Committee OF
Ways and Means, with the connIyance OF
Dir. MILLS and other Democrats, have 1t
within their power TO defeat the PROPOSE
tion to remove the tax from tobacco.
We trust that the expectation Is un-
founded which Is based upon the ass1mp-
iion that the Ways and Means Committee
will not yield to the Committee on Appro'
priations. Their refusal to allow the tobacco
tax TO be abolished would be terrible blow
upon the Democratic party IN Virginia and
North Carolina, II not in Kentucky and
other States. Mr.. BREcKINRfDGE, Mr.. MILLS,
aud all the other Democrats on the Commit
tee &ways and Means ought to bc above
petty Jealousy Of Mr.. RANDALL and his CONS
mttee. The last.uamed gentleman has
shown the utmost consideration for their
committee and for them. II Ia for them TO
say whether great wrong shall be RENE
eled or not, IS there Is said to be majority
OF at least thirty In the House OF Represen-
tatiyes In favor OF sbolshing the tobacco
tax. II Ia shameful that any Dem ocrat
should vote against its abolition.