Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-05-03
THE COUNTRY's LEGISLATORS.
Proceedings Yesterday in Both Houses of
the Federal Congress.
[By telegraph TO the Dspaich.l

WASHINGTON, MAY Among bills re-
ported from committee and placed on the
calendar we're the following Senate bill
for public building at Columbus, Ga,
(SlO0. OOO): House bill for the classification
of worsted cloths as woollens.
Mr.. Cullom, from the Committee on In
terstate Commerce, made report with
testimony on the subject OF American
commerce bv Canadian railroads. Or
dered printed.
MIR Vest Introduce bill 10 amend the
interstate commerce act, stating that Its
object was 10 place express companies un-
der the provisions Of that act: and asked
the attention of the interstate commerce
committee TO the subject. Mr.. Cuilom
stated that the committee had had that
subject under consideration, but, because
of the pressure Of more important leglsla-
ton rs to common carriers, and because 1t
il not probable to secure legislation in
both directions. that subject has been
postponed. The committee, he said, would
probably take up the question again, es-
peciallv as the bill had been introduced.
The bill was referred 10 the Committee on
Interstate Commerce.
The concurrent resolutions heretofore
offered by Mr.. Dolph requesting the Presi-
dent to enter into negotiations with the
Governments of Great Britain and Mexico
with a view to securing treaty supulatlons
for the prevention of the entry OF Chinese
laborers into the United States was taken
upand agreedtO. ,,
A message from the House with The
House amendment to the Senate dependent
pension bill YVES laid before the Senate and
the bill and amendment were referred tC
the Pension Committee.
The customs administrative bill was
taken up, the question being on Mr. Gray
amendment, offered yesterday, to strike
out of the fourteenth section the following
words: Except in cases wherein appica-
ton shall be filed in the Circuit Cour'
within the time and III the manner pro-
yided for IN section Is OF this act" ana IN,
sert IN lieu of them the following: And
whenever Congress has not clearly and dis
tinctly declared the classification OF any
imported article and the rate of duty there
on, but the law is equivocaland Ambiguous
in that regard and the appralslng oiheer'
are or the collector is in doubt which o.
two or more rates the law has required
then the lowest of those rates shall b'
levied and collected. The appropriate ap
praisinp officers or collector shall forth
with inform the Secretary of the Treasury
and he shall report all the facts TO Con
grcss."
In thecourse of discussion of thlsamend
ment Mr.. Sherman declared that II ne nae
his way he never would allow any OF those
revenue cases TO go to any court. III was
an administrative not a judicial question
and if there was any grieyous error com
mitted the remedy would be furnished ~
Congress. In his opinion the House bil
was better bill than that reported 10y th'
Finance Committee and be would there
fore vote against all amendments reported
by that committee. g,
Mr.. Gray's amendment was rejected
without division.
As the Finance Committee had shown III
hostility 10 the amendment suggested yes
terday by MIR. Hiscock, MIR. Evarts onereo
an amendment OF his own--namely. 10 III
sert IN the fifteenth section proVislol
that the Circuit Court shall give prlorlt,
TO and proceed to try and determine tn'
case according to law upon the matter
! before it, and upon such other testimony
~ the court may think necessary. :,
! The amendment was rejected-yeas, 10
nays, 80. Mr.. Eyarts was the only kepuo
lican who voted for il, while three Denio
crats'-Messrs. Harris. McPherson' an'
! Payne-voted against il.
Mr.. Vest offered an amendment p.o
vidlng that in the case Of I'D udt0Ten, uutie
no duties shall be charged on packlngs %
cases nor on the cost of tranSp0rtatiV,l
from the place Of purchase to the vsssei u
which the goods are shipped 10 the onlte'
States. In the course of tariff speech u
| advocacy Of his amendment Mr.. Nest rea'
from the report of the Tariff Commissalo .,
IN 1883 to show that the estimates tnel
placed on cases averaged 10 per cent. p p
that their taxation under the pending OIL
would increase the tariff TO that extent,
The bill, therefore, would, under lpe uls
Qulse OF being AN Administration afSuIt
work an increase of the tariff M
had table, prepared for hiys N
perts, to show that in some =