The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-01-24
SESSION OF THE HOUSE.
THE REPORT IN A CONTESTED
ELECTION CASE PREsRNTED.

ELECTION CASE PREsRNTED.
The Fourth District OF West Virg lia
the One Involved-The House { es
into Committee of the Whole on te
Customs Administrative BiIl-DsS .te
Follows.
WASHINGTON, Jan 23.-In the House to-
day Mr.. Dalzell of Pennsylvania, from the
committee on elections, submitted the report
Of the committee on the contested case Of
Smith VS.. jackson, from the Fourth district
Of West Virginia. The report was ordered
printed and recommitted. The minority
was granted leave to file minority report.
MIR. jackson obtained the governors Ger
tificate, and now holds the seat, both of
which were contested by Smith, who claims
that he was entitled to the seat in the first
instance according TO the votes legally cast.
The report says that it is very plain to the
committee that the contestant was elected
upon the face OF the returns, and therefore
entitled to the certificate from the governor.
The report then elaborately and in great
detail reviews the testimony submitted,
and in conclusion asserts that Mr.. Smith
was duly elected and is entitled to the seat.
Mr.. Crisp will probably submit tine report
Of the minority the latter part of this week.
Mr.. Brewer of Michigan introduced
bill for the construction of public buildings
by contract. 1t was referred.
The House then went into committee Of
the whole, with Mr.. Burrows of Michigan
in the chair, on the customs administrative
bill.
NOT AN INNOVATION.
The bill having been read at length, Mr..
Mckinley said the bill, as its title indicated,
was purely an administrative bill, and was
not intended to change the rate of duties.
The necessity for simplification of the
laws in relation to the collection Of the
revenues had been first called to the atten-
ton of congress by Secretary Folger A
bill with this purpose in view had been in
troduced in congress by Mr.. Hewitt of New
York, and had received the approval of the
ways and means committee, and subse-
quently the Morrison and Mills tariff bills
had contained substantially the provisions
Of the pending measure.
SIMILARITY ADMITTED.
Mr.. Carlisle, while he admitted that the
provisions Of this bill were substantially the
same as those contained in the Morrison
and Mills bills, said that the gentlemen who
agreed with him in his tariff views might
not feel themselves in a position to give
support to the bill while standing alone.
There were certain provisions wEioh,
WhllO Uucy ulu uOb IN LerInS
change the rates of duty, would necessarily
increase the duty. The restoration of the
duty on packages and coverings would in
crease the revenue to the extent of $5, ,000,-
600 or $4,000, 900 year. He regarded as
unjust the proposal of the bill which i'm
poses the same duty on goods brought in
damaged condition as on goods IN perfect
condition.
PRODUCTION OF INVOICES.
On motion of Mr.. Post of Illinois an
amendment was adopted providing that
invoices shall be produced to the United
States consul, vice consul, or commercial
a. ent Of the consular district in which the
merchandise was manufactured or pur-
chased for export.
Section IL of the bill defines more clearly
the elements of cost to he ascertained by
the appraiser when it is found impracti-
cable otherwise to appraise the value of
merchandise. One of these elements ac-
cording to the bill is "A reasonable profit
upon the total cost"
A CLOSE MARGIN.
Mr.. Breckinridge of Arkansas considered
this language too indefinite, and upon his
motion the words reasonable profitn we're
stricken out and the words profit Of 5 per
cent? inserted.
Section 13 limits to twenty-four hours the
satisfied with the appraisement of his mer-
chandlse may ask for reappraisement.
Mr.. Gambler of Massachusetts moved to
extend this limit to ten days. The motion
was rejected.
Mr.. Breckinridge Of Arkansas attempted
to have the limit fixed at five days, but
motion to that effect was also rejected.
On motion OF Mr.. Gambler an amendment
was adopted providing that the owner, i'm
porter, conslgnee, or agent of merchandise
SUBJECT to reappraisement by the board of
general appraisers, shall have the privilege
OF being present with or without counsel.
APPEALS TO THE COURTS.
MIR: Bayne Of Pennsylvania, acting un-
der Instructions from the committee on
ways and means, offered an amendment to
section Is, which provides for an appeal
to the circuit court and subsequently to the
United States supreme court for decision
as to the construction of the law as to the
classification of merchandise (providing
that pending any controversy or litigation
about the amount of duties to be
paid on any imported mer-
chandise in court the merchandise
shall remain in the government warehouse
and under control of the Secretary of the
treasury, and in all actions brought against
collectors of customs by owners, importers,
consignees or agents, the plaintiff shall be
required before he can recover to show that
the merchandise at the time Of the trial is
in the custody of the government.
PENDING action the committee rose, and
the House at o'clock adjourned.